Another voice harvested from the ploughed fields of English folk rock is Charlie Betts. From the ground he indeed did come and his album “Under Construction” clearly isn’t his first.
We aren’t talking airy fairy tales of the clearances or ship sailing from long abandoned ports though, for Mr Betts is made of sterner stuff and he takes a convincingly melodramatic to the melancholy and misery that is found in his words just like in the best Americana. Not that I’m complaining – and I’m not – as he has got the feel just right here. The sun just doesn’t shine in his musical world but so what? He knows what he is doing with the guitars in “Introduction” having the finality usually found in a Jerry Fielding soundtrack and even in more fey moments like “William Wilson”, the picture still gets painted in musical Cinemascope.
Although he is an Englishman seemingly overcome with the urge to wear a black cowboy hat, Charlie Betts nonetheless easily persuades the listener of the value of his noteworthy (oops, awkward pun…) songs. Give it time to breathe and you will find “Under Construction” most entertaining company.
Available as a free download from Bandcamp.