Album review: Bonnie Light Horseman, Keep Me On Your Mind

Third album from US folkies began life in West Cork pub Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson and Josh Kaufman started work on their third album in the welcoming surrounds of Levis’ Corner House in Ballydehob, West Cork.

Indeed, the American folkies credit Levis’ upright piano, which they lubricated with olive oil to hide its creak, with being the spiritual centrepiece of this sprawling 18-song double-album, which was subsequently completed in upstate New York.

The vibe is generally folky, as Bonny Light Horseman come across like a countrified Fleetwood Mac on tracks like ‘I Know You Know’ and ‘The Clover’, while ‘Waiting And Waiting’ could be a Ryan Adams out-take, which is high praise indeed. They can be just as impressive, however, when they keep things simple, as on ‘Into The O’, a delicate blend of choral vocals, acoustic guitar and drone.

There is magic in the interplay between Mitchell and Johnson’s vocals, whether on the gospel vibe of ‘Old Dutch’ or the incredible ‘Keep Me On Your Mind’, where both band and engineer leave bountiful and beautiful space between instruments and vocals. ‘When I Was Younger’, meanwhile, is a magnificent duet about ageing and regret from both protagonists in a relationship.

They do veer a little close to the middle-of-the-road on occasion, like ‘Speak To Me Muse’ or ‘Singing To The Mandolin’, and 18 tracks is arguably a bit of a stretch. They’re at their best when they’re a little looser and less obviously produced, but there’s no denying the quality of the songwriting or the delivery throughout, while the recorded conversation from the West Cork locals between a couple of tracks is nothing short of hilarious.

Recommended song: 'When I Was Younger’

Rating: 8/10

Check out our June album reviews in this month's issue of Hot Press: