Review of my CD "The Baildon Sky-Rocket" 

(from www.wovenwheatwhispers)

Saltaire based musician, Eddie Lawler makes a distinctive form of contemporary folk that merges humorous observation, social commentary and traditional themes. He already has two albums at our service and has written three musicals with themes related to Yorkshire. Here on his third album, Eddie finds us at a crossroads of change in the way we live considering the contribution past and future to our sustainable society. Of course as always with Eddie, the album doesn’t just consider one theme, he looks broadly at our lives and experiences with songs about Emily Bronte, the welfare state and the Massacre of Glencoe.

On this album Eddie’s guitar and voice is completed by keyboards and backing vocals. The settings help the listener to focus on Eddie’s always astute lyrics that can move from the whimsical to the serious in the same song. The songs are never confrontational; Eddie is far more subtle than that. It’s like sitting by the fire in the pub being entertained, his witty observations charming you more with every drink.

The songs are in a range of styles, from simple acoustic folk through to music hall. But at their core is the communal observation that runs throughout the tradition. Eddie’s lyrics and vocals stand out. This is someone singing about the world around him and able to see the humour around us. At a time of profound social change, we need a positive creative outlook more than ever.