Levitating In Lockdown
The recording of most of these songs began in early 2020, with the intention of inviting fellow members of my band 'The Dreamlanders' to add their musical skills. However, the spread of the Coronavirus put pay to that and so during lockdown I instead spent the Spring and early Summer developing these recordings by myself. I did this whilst in isolation with my dog in an old summerhouse next to my vegetable garden and workshop in the north downs of Kent, UK.
I dusted down a second hand keyboard, which to my surprise spluttered into life after years in storage... So began an unexpected musical journey.
All songs written by myself except 'Rose of Allendale' traditional & 'Seagull' written and composed in 1905 by E. W. Rogers & Charles Collins (my grandad would sing this song to my mum and older sister whilst our dad was away during the second world war).
Released July 31, 2021.
"This is what Nigel does so well. He brings to life an old tradition, something with roots deep in our heart and in our culture, something so familiar and yet so all-pervasive, we’ve almost forgotten it was there. It is fanciful. It is light. It is joyous. It is life-affirming. It is merry, as England was merry in times gone by; in our imagination at least."
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- Chris Stone
You can read Chris Stone's full review of Levitating in Lockdown here.
Levitating In Lockdown Album Debut/ Whitstable Carnival Benefit at Labour Club, August 2021 / Photo Gerry Atkinson
Tracks:
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1. River Fishing (5:30) (Hobbins)
2. Canterbury Bell (2:13) (Hobbins)
3. Finger of Blame (4:49) (Hobbins)
4. Nowhere to Get Off (4:33) (Hobbins)
5. Michaelmas Daisy (2:44) (Hobbins)
6. Up and Go (2:56) (Hobbins)
7. Rose of Allendale (3:31) (Trad)
8. Seagull (4:24) (Rogers/Collins)
9. Tally Ho Joe (2:50) (Hobbins)
10. Roll & Roll (3:06) (Hobbins)
11. Bright about the Shadows (5:10) (Hobbins)
12. Morning Chorus (8:43) (Hobbins)
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