Mr Fox – debut album
The world of Mr Fox is one inhabited by characters that sport names such as Neddy, Jacky, Clancy and, of course, the sinister presence that gives its name to both the band, and this, their debut album.
Released in 1970, this fascinating strain of electric folk is as bucolic as a winter’s afternoon stroll along the Yorkshire Dales. Such is its rustic charm that it very nearly slips into the pewter tankard and horse brass territory of traditional acoustic folk, which, if you’re partial to the occasional spot of “hey-nonny-nonny” (ahem) is no bad thing.
Husband and wife team, Bob and Carole Pegg take the helm, crafting an album that’s occasionally jolly, occasionally dark, sometimes sombre and in the case of the title-track, downright sinister.
This beguiling brew is bookended by the pastoral tones of a tin whistle, setting the scene from the off, as Mr Fox begins with the furiously jaunty ‘Join Us In Our Game’, a number that draws us in with a promise of merriment and possibly the quaffing of real ale from Toby Jugs kept hung above the bar. But it’s a short-lived one, as the much darker ‘The Hanged Man’ sets out the stall for some of the eerier offerings to be found here on.
Halfway in, ‘Mr. Trills Song’ reignites the high-spirits of the opener, with perhaps one of the most jovial songs ever to have tickled the eardrums of yours truly. Decked out in the chunkiest of Arran sweaters, Mr. Trill and his song would be laughed out of court in these modern, some might say shittier, times. But hey, in 1970 – and even today in certain, “tighter”, communities – you could easily get away with this sort of thing without so much as raising an eyebrow. ‘The Ballad of Neddy Dick’ follows, musically in a similar vein, although with the revelry in short supply; it being based on the life of a real Dalesman farmer who died in the late 1920s.
But it’s the final brace of songs on Mr Fox that really bring the storytelling element, which this band accomplishes so vividly, to the fore.
‘Leaving the Dales’ is as bleak as it is evocative, being a mournful lament to the breakdown of communities, as those at its heart are forced to leave in search of work. A sentiment that still resonates today, particularly in the wake of the vindictive acts of wanton state-sponsored vandalism, committed in the name of efficiency during the 1980s.
The final song, ‘Mr. Fox’, is an altogether different beast. Impelled by a spectral fusion of melodeon and fiddle, and later the grinding bass of Barry Lyons, it’s the sinister tale of a philandering and psychotic ne’er-do-well living in a dark house in the middle of a wood. The gruesome subject matter puts it firmly in the realms of Comus, and is an excellent scoop of acid folk; the Jimmy Jewel in a glittering crown.
The vocal styles of the Pegg team fit the subject matter perfectly and the incorporation of a wide variety of instruments provides a rich tapestry against which their stories unfold.
If folk music in any of its forms is your bag, you can’t go far wrong with Mr Fox.
Mr Fox, by Mr Fox, is reissued by Sanctuary Records as part of a two album anthology (also including follow-up The Gipsy) entitled Join Us In Our Game. As always, it’s available from Amazon.co.uk
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