Mawkin: Causley

Not many bands can lay claim to being nominated for a prestigious BBC Folk Award, before they’ve even released an album but Mawkin:Causley can. Mawkin:Causley are brothers James and David Delarre, Danny Crump, Alex Goldsmith (all previously known as Mawkin) and  widely acclaimed Devon singer, Jim Causley (Under One Sky / Devil's Interval). 

With a heady mix of richly melodic vocals, melodeons, electric bass and acoustic guitar, they breath youthful vigour and considerable energy into their folk- inspired music.  As a testament to the impact they have made in a very short time, after less than 18 months together, not only have Mawkin:Causley been nominated as BEST GROUP at the BBC Folk Awards 2009 but their music has appeared frequently on Radio 2, with a seal of approval from Bob Harris and Mike Harding, but also from the station usually more at home with indie rock artists, 6Music. 

Despite this debut bringing together influences on the band from around the globe (there are continental twists, rhythms that hint at reggae and far from conventional instrumentation) ‘The Awkward Recruit’(Navigator) is ultimately an exuberant exploration of traditional English fare. 

The  focus of the songs is rebellion and the futility of war, with a vivid cast of characters springing to life from every song. A blood-thirsty Elizabethan solider ('Jolly Broom Man') finally decides that killing people isn’t very rewarding afterall, whilst ‘Drummer Boy’ is a more desperate tale of young man sent off to do his duty and despite his determination to serve his country and make his mother proud, he is shot down early in battle and never returns, a story which resonances throughout history.  The title track, 'The Awkward Recruit' tells of an abused and increasingly deluded soldier who becomes convinced he is going to kill General Bonaparte and by doing so, save England. 'The Downfall of Charing Cross' is seventeenth century satire at its best, whilst 'The Cutty Wren' was believed to have been sung on the Peasants Revolt and used as a protest song to ridicule the king. 

Mawkin:Causley have, between them, played over 50 UK festivals and have supported a range of well-regarded artists including  Eliza Carthy, Show of Hands, Billy Bragg, Mr Scruff and more besides. With Jim Causley's rich voice, charismatic stage presence and a rare ability to shift between melodrama and great subtly, in a heartbeat, this barn-storming band are set to get noticed on a much wide-scale in 2009.