Album review: THE PORTRAITS – For Our Times

www.theportraitsmusic.com [Release date 25.10.19]

The musical landscape has changed significantly since the release of Counterbalance (2012) – the last outing by The Portraits – Somerset based husband and wife duo Jeremy and Lorraine Millington.

For Our Times sees the duo deliver another folk based set, with Lorraine’s ethereal Celtic rooted vocals the centre point and Jeremy’s harmony vocals the ‘counterbalance’. It’s a perfect pairing, with Lorraine playing acoustic and Jeremy piano, synth, bass, percussion and vocoder.

But it’s also very much a ‘family affair’ with children Euan and Ciara chipping in additional percussion, violin and vocals – something of a growing trend on the folk circuit. Other contributors include Vincent Imbert (violin). Bryan Jennings sax, and Sam Jordan flute.

Conceptually focusing on the troubled times we live in and the lessons we seem unable, or unwilling, as a race to learn, For Our Times is an indictment of where we find ourselves in 2019, but equally holds out hope for the future.

And while musically rooted in the British folk scene, there are light shades of rock, pop, prog, the classics, and even musical theatre. It all adds up to an exceedingly charming record, whether you take on board the lyrical content, or just want some high quality light entertainment.

Yes, like a lot of decent folk, The Portraits aren’t happy about the direction of world travel in 2019. But they’re being positive about it. The perfect opening act for the likes of Thea Gilmore. ****

Review by Pete Whalley

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)