And now with a number eight position in the album charts for latest album Poor Man's Heaven, it seems that the tide is high for the Devon musician, songwriter and singer.

Seth was clearly over the moon with the chart placing when Highland Freetime spoke to him last week.

Tucked in at number eight between Amy Winehouse's Back To Black and Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad, Seth came across as a guy who couldn't believe his luck.

He laughed: "I'm celebrating the album going in at number eight with my girlfriend.

"It wasn't expected. But I think it's down to the live work as it's definitely not down to that marketing machine, radio. I think it's because we've been playing a lot live and lots of people have come to see us – we've done so many gigs. And I think that's why people have gone out to buy it, they've either seen us play or have been told about it."

In a way it's a surprise that Seth is so excited. It's a great achievement for a man who has chosen to plough his own furrow with his folk music which often digs deep into history and legend to create songs that make great stories – such as Kitty Jay, one of his biggest hits to date.

But Seth has already had his fair share of accolades, awards and recognition.

The maverick folk musician began playing music as a youngster with his parents and two brothers Sean and Sam.

It was working with his two brothers that Seth's career began back in 1994 with their debut album Three Piece Suite.

They went off as backing group to join Kate Rusby on a tour of Portugal that same year before the four plus Yorkshire singer Kathryn Roberts formed Equation.

A deal and three albums later, Seth moved on to work first with brother Sam's wife Cara Dillon on her album featuring his fiddle, guitar and vocals and the line-up won a Hot Press award.

By 2002, Seth had his own first solo album, The Punch Bowl.

But it was Kitty Jay in 2004 that saw a follow-up sell-out tour and a Mercury Music Prize nomination for the album.

In 2007, Seth won both the singer of the year and best album awards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Since then, there have been two albums, Freedom Fields which was followed up by a move to major label Relentless and now Poor Man's Heaven, an 11-track release that has seen Seth add a rockier edge to his work.

"We seemed more confident gong into the studio this time," Seth revealed.

Added into the mix has been drummer Andy Tween from Bristol who has now been with the band for two years.

"He's a great drummer and he has really supplied the engine room for the record," commented Seth.

Seth's love for creating new legends – such as this record's Solomon Browne, the account of the Penlee lifeboat disaster in 1981 when 16 men died – is matched by his love for taking traditional folk tales and turning them into what has been called nu-folk.

The new album, though it definitely has a whiff of the high seas throughout this time around, is no exception.

He said: "There are a lot of the same themes, but there are also songs about greedy pirates, haunted ladies and the lifeboat disaster.

"We were lucky that we had the chance to play most of them live this time before we went into the studio and I think that makes them sound more confident on the album."

The album was launched as a fundraiser for the RNLI and Seth said: "It was a good way of combining forces!"

And it's typical of Seth who celebrates the West tip of England he calls home, almost on the border between Devon and Cornwall.

"It's such an inspirational place and there are amazing people working here, writers and artists who have influenced and been inspired by the place and I find the surroundings a great inspiration for my music."

But Seth agrees that he's not a man who likes to stand still.

"I'm quite an animated person and I think musically you can hear that high energy," laughed Seth.

"I'm always trying to find colour and use rhythm.

"Even as a teenager, I was always experimenting and pushing forward and I'm quite ambitious, I guess.

"It's pretty cool to be a top 10 artist – it's the biggest achievement of my life," he joked.

But without the luxury of having his work chosen for radio playlists, it is a real achievement and under the jokes, Seth is clearly delighted.

"I'm not someone like Amy Winehouse who is written about in every tabloid every day.

"But the pressure's on now for the next album! We will probably release a live recording first because we have never done that before."

Seth also feels that Poor Man's Heaven could be the album to help him reach a more global audience – and maybe get the chance to sail towards new horizons.

"Freedom Fields was a very English album and I don't think it was too easy to translate to other countries.

"But this one is more progressive and rhythmical, so hopefully it gets big in the Caribbean!"

* Seth Lakeman appears at the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway on Saturday.

m.chrystall@highland-news.co.uk

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---