Trees: "On The Shore"

Most of what I’ve read about the band Trees is a bit dismissive, in the sense they’re often described as a sort of cut-rate Fairport Convention.  While I understand the comparison, I think it sells them more than a bit short.  Sure, Celia Humphris isn’t Sandy Denny, and nobody on earth is Richard Thompson, but just because they’re both folk-rock groups drawing from traditional tunes doesn’t mean they’re necessarily in competition.  Trees carve out their own space, playing a bit looser and freer than Fairport, while still being able to deliver stomping riffs and doomsaying lyrics when the occasion calls for it.  They completely transform trad material like “Polly On The Shore” and “Geordie”, while also contributing worthwhile originals in “Murdoch” and “While The Iron Is Hot”.  Really a fantastic record, and woefully under the radar considering its strengths.  Final thought: the front and back cover of this LP are extremely creepy—haunting, even—and they may or may not stalk my nightmares.