Album review: SIMON KEMPSTON – A Poet Or A Painter

August 14th, 2026 by petefeenstra

Self Portrait [Release date August.2026]

In a world of instant gratification, downloads and self hype, it’s almost a shock to come across a well crafted, singer song-writer and folk inspired album, with lyrical substance underpinned by thoughtful arrangements.

And while you might identify familiar influences such the early career jazz-tinged folk stylings of John Martyn, Nick Drake’s poignant introspection, and fleetingly Bert Jansch’s melancholy, Simon Kempston’s ‘A Poet Or A Painter’ is very much his own work.

He is a thoughtful song writer who dips into a melange of relationship and story telling songs.

He is at his best when his intricate finger picking teases out the lyrical depth of a song to give it an emotional charge, frequently expressed in his upper range tenor.

The one down-side is that his plaintive approach occasionally leads him to being over earnest.

The title track ‘A Poet Or A Painter’ for example, is a beautifully constructed song, shot through with lyrical ambivalence, but in the middle of the song he almost over eggs the lyrical cake: with: “Pause to deflect, to deconstruct, did I reflect on my conduct?”

He is a narrator who delves into the human psyche. ‘Parting Gift’ is a broken relationship song in two parts, in which he unexpectedly shifts the focus from pessimism to the chequered optimism of dating sites, though with a belated sting in the tail: “Keep swiping right, she’ll be up half the night, Staring at faces on her phone.”

The album title is also an apt description of his artistic impulses.

He is self evidently a poet with an artistic vision, expressed though his own aesthetic, comprising words, music and subtle dynamics which help reveal his keen sensibilities.

This combination works best when he lets the melodies breathe, as on the opening ‘Hold On (My Sweet Angel)’, on which a combination of an uplifting hook, soothing bv’s and the rhythmic flow of his internal rhyme scheme evokes a sense of contentment.

There’s also the excellent ‘Starting Out Again’, which in spite of the doomy lyrics, is a subtle mix of acoustic guitar and interwoven fiddle and vocal phrasing, full of pregnant pauses and restraint, which perfectly evokes lyrical intent.

‘Love (Won’t Fool Me Again)’ is another highlight, built on Kyle Grieve’s military style shuffle, with gently plucked double bass from Bob Miller.

It’s another reflective song on which the vocal and sax phrasing combination is more in synch with a catchy melody and an explanatory hook:

“Have to laugh, better than cry, We watched life pass, wither and die, Love wont fool me again.”

He also makes good use of the sweeping slide motif and fleeting tones of ‘To Mind The Herd’, which might have been better titled ‘On The Move Again’.

It cast him as a sympathetic observational narrator on the unusual subject of a bible pusher, while vocally he’s a mix of Nick Drake and Tim Buckley.

All 12 songs are thoughtfully presented, meticulously played and sung, but what’s missing is a rigorous production.

It would surely smooth out the moments of tension on ‘She Sees The World The Same As Me’, on which his vocal battles for primacy over Sam Irvine’s busy sax.

And while some judicious sequencing might also lift the album as whole, he does pay particular attention to his musical accomplices.

On ‘Bowl Me Over’ for example, he pairs Robbie Greig’s sonorous fiddle with his own harp sounding guitar playing, plus harmony vocals.

It’s a song, with an ambivalent relationship between the narrator and the would be star?

‘For You Benefit’ features more original subject matter, as he ruminates on; “The world of criminal and cheats.”

He again uses a sonorous violin alongside some hypnotic guitar picking, and light, almost detached vocal phrasing, on a song filtered though a cynical lens: :”In the legal game, their money’s just the same, There is no point in shame, the system is to blame.”

There’s much to admire here, from the painstaking endeavour and heartfelt commitment to the band’s musical ebullience, his own expressive vocal phrasing and evocative poetic lyrics, the stuff of timeless folk music. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 3 August 2026

DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – Wonderland (Cherry Red)
KING FALCON Hourglass (indie)
SHAKRA Wasteland Warriors (Frontiers)
JAMES KENNEDY & THE UNDERDOGS – Revolution (Konic Records)
BLACKLIST UNION Madame Butterfly (BLU Records)
DIAMOND RAIN I Need Love (Pride & Joy Music)

Featured Albums w/c 3 August 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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