Crooked Mouth’s album Hold in the Sun arrived looking quite magnificent. Superb photography of Italian dance artists Kataklo by Kenny Mathieson set the scene and I was intrigued to hear what Ken Campbell and Crooked Mouth had been up to since their first self titled album appeared back in 2003. Crooked Mouth is a self financing project built around Edinburgh based guitarist and songwriter Campbell. Gathered around him for the album are vocalists Kenny Haig, Lynne Campbell and Eilidh MacLean, drummer Tony Hodge and keyboard player Alison Mitchell. Bass duties being split between Mike McCann and the simply entitled Leen. The result is an intelligently written work that moves smoothly from progressive to driving rock and back whilst drawing you in with thought provoking lyrics.
Hold in the Sun’s collective theme explores the struggle of survival and progress made in the face of difficulty. Having said that there are so many ideas and themes both musical and lyrical going on here that it is impossible not to pick up something new and thought provoking with every listen. Highly complex and intelligently written Hold in the Sun ranges across moments of sublime beauty through passionate soundscapes of progressive rock. Effective use of harmonising adds a mystique to the album which is further enhanced with some carefully considered and never over stated effects. With a list of musical influences too great to list Hold in the Sun sits nicely somewhere in the Mostly Autumn, Panic Room field and yet could also fit comfortably beside many harder edged progressive offerings.
Ken Campbell is clearly a man with a healthy world view and ten per cent of the albums profits are sent to Sightsavers the charity helping third world countries in their fight against blindness. That world view also extends out musically and there is an effective atmosphere of diversity contained within every track. Never overblown it maintains an honest integrity whilst delivering a powerful message. There is energy, passion and atmosphere in abundance captured within a production incorporating a multi textured approach that suits the music perfectly. “David and Goliath” and “Delta” are trips back in time for us old enough to remember progressive rock of the late sixties and early seventies. The ambitious “Iron Wonders” and “(In Here) The Sun Never Sets” containing superb keyboards by Alison Mitchell are works of huge scope.
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