Our Atlantic Roots have dug deep into the heritage of their Cornish home for ‘Memories Live On’. Their fourth EP is firmly rooted in the English Folk tradition, steering them away from Americana towards a homegrown sound. Opening track ‘Medhel an Gwyns’ epitomises the rootedness of this latest offering, famed for its inclusion in the BBC’s Poldark series. Unlike Eleanor Tomlinson’s version though, the duo present a far more wistful interpretation, captured particularly in Laura’s vocal and the lullabied strings. Such a gentle arrangement continues into ‘Can You Hold Me’, a genteel romance into which the seasons are descriptively weaved, and ‘The Place I Call Home’, a solemn ode to “the land where we belong”.
It is clear from the ethereal nature of these songs that Our Atlantic Roots have drawn from the deep well of their county’s past. The delicate strum of the acoustic guitar and pungent pressing on the fiddle are both effective in conjuring up a sound that evokes their South Coastal location. They also ensure that the title track is uplifting even as it is haunting. Both inject a sense of hope into its theme of timelessness; a theme that veers away from a sentimentality that could easily have clouded the idea that “memories live on / long after we’re gone”. Such heartfelt emotion echoes through to the final track ‘Cornwall My Home’. Written by Harry Glasson, it has been covered by many, but perhaps not with quite such soulful and tender intent. Their approach causes the chorus to be even more arresting than it already is; patriotic but without being pretentious. When they sing “this is my Eden… / this is my home”, it is evident that the landscape has carved itself into their hearts. This is where they belong, and the result is beautiful to hear. A love letter in musical form.
You can purchase ‘Memories Live On’, along with two of their previous EPs, from their online store.
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