Against The Tide

I wasn't expecting one of the most impressive and one of my favourite records of 2022 to be some psyche- folk from East Sussex but things are unpredictable all round at the moment and given Richard Norris' involvement I should have known it would be good. Lore Of The Land by The Order Of The 12 is a ten song album, an album reflecting the folk scene of the late 60s and early 70s. I read Rob Young's  Electric Eden a few years ago and have a rough working knowledge of some of that sound- Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Vashti Bunyan and so on- but I'm far from an expert. Richard writes and produces on the album, plays keys and percussion with singer Rachel Thomas and guitarist Stuart Carter. The guitars, from beguiling circular folk finger picking to a couple of acid rock lines, are superb throughout and Richard's production, in his studio on the banks of  Lewes Castle, gives the album space and depth. Album opener Against The Tide is a perfect introduction to the record- layers of guitars, Rachel's voice and the subtle FX playing in the background. 

The East Sussex area is famous for its folk tradition and for its weird, English folklore. The nearby Chanctonbury Ring, a prehistoric hill fort, is connected with all sorts of ancient stories about the devil, rituals and mystic power. Alastair Crowley used to live nearby. Folk singer Shirley Collins still does.  The Order Of The 12 have tapped into this, an album combining The Wicker Man style popular culture with 17th century magick and late 60s folk. As I said, unexpected, but highly recommended.