Atlas of Hearts

For obvious reasons this blog has always been fonder of music of a darker hue and subject matter – but beauty is beauty – and good music is good music no matter the genre no matter the mood, and if there’s one thing we excel at in this country – it’s folk – it’s in our Dna, from our own Irish folk to our innate ability to absorb influences from around the world while still keeping the essence of who we are and where we’re from – that’s what makes Vickers Vimy’s beautiful and arresting new album Atlas of Hearts worth reserving listening time for.

From the sublimely evocative Bonfire of Dantes, to the wistfully catchy Chicago, from the quiet beauty of Budapest, to the starkly descriptive Helicopter – quality and charm oozes effortlessly from this collection

Album highlight, the uplifting Mermaid of Luna Park, infused with love and what feels like an emigrants hopes and aspirations – as they say themselves in their bio, they had the amazing fortune to have once supported the late and wonderful John Martyn, and that influence is evident here.

 

The second half of the album continues to carry us on that crescent of a western wave of Irish Americana that they have created – the powerfully driven peg and hammer, the beautiful A quiet Bow, the super storytelling of  Red Moon Rising to the perfect closer Keep your eye on the road, this is music that makes you feel good, music that allows all the daily stress to leave you – absorbing stuff

The title track was worth waiting for, perfect placement towards the end of the album to maintain interest – lyrically and melodically rich, painting landscapes of pure beauty – with references to Prague, Cordoba, Rome and the Camino de Santiago it sums up the album as a whole – a pilgrim’s prayer, a traveller’s letter home to loved ones, a musical voyage around the world and back.