TRAPPIST AFTERLAND – Seaside Ghost Tales (2020, 2LP/CD Sunstone Records)

RELEASE INFO:

Label: Sunstone Records

Format: 2LP, Album, Limited Edition, Gatefold

Format: CD, Album

Release Date: 28 Oct 2020

“Seaside Ghost Tales” is Trappist Afterland’s final album. The band is retiring the name… Adam is going solo… Trappist Afterland is a Folk / AcidFolk band led by troubadour multi-instrumentalist Adam G. Cole and they are releasing music since 2012… “Trappist Afterland make folk music using vocals, various acoustic stringed instruments; tabla, percussion, harmonium, and tanpura drones. They explore psychedelia and chanting amidst folk songs. Although the influence of folk music from various sectors around the world can be heard in Trappist Afterland’s music (The British folk revival, 70’s acid folk, Gamelan music, Middle Eastern music, Indian raga) they still maintain a unique and almost otherworldly quality, that sounds unlike anyone else. With lyrical explorations delving into Gnosticism, Christian mysticism and other esoteric themes, Trappist still manage to keep their music firmly grounded in the present while maintaining a timeless quality…” (taken from their Facebook page)

It took Adam, 12 months to make “Seaside Ghost Tales”. It is based on stories from Adam’s childhood; he grew up in Kiama, a seaside town of New Wales, Australia. The album features special guests David Colohan, Grey Malkin, Alan Davidson, Lucy Roleff, Brett Poliness, Leigh Lambert & Adam Casey. Of course, God’s presence (in many senses and ways) is all over… Through Adams’ recollections and relations with his Father (now deceased) and his farming community experiences, Trappist Afterland made a Gnostic Folk album, probably the band’s Best so far but surely one of the Best Neo-Folk albums of 2020! “Seaside Ghost Tales” consists of a total of 16 songs, 4 on each side of this double vinyl LP. The opener (side ‘A’) “Serpent’s Isle” sets the ‘musical scenery” and predisposes the listener of what is going to experience for the next. Under a slow Folkie serene and kind of bucolic background, the tune is developing; the melancholic voice dresses everything while intense Acid-Folk 60s vibes make their presence, clear. Jake Holmes comes to mind… “Calling Of The Quarters” dives deep into the magnificent and eerie chanting-acid-folk world of the early 70s, there’s a somehow pastoral environment, dominated by the strong and expressive narration of Alan Davidson (The Kitchen Cynics). Despite the use of many instruments, “Paperboat” remains acoustic, while the mellotron creates the desired ‘isolated’ dark folkie scene. “The Unquiet Grave” makes you wonder “where all that sorrow comes from?”, there’s an amazing atmospheric folkie soundscape slowly diving into Acid, getting weirder while Adam’s vocals along with Kathleen Yearwood’s ones are really launching the tune! “Death Becomes Cold” opens side ‘B’ and uses a banjo and automatically the tune becomes a neo-Americana-dark-Folkie flirting song! The acoustic instruments on “Allegory Of Stars” are creating a soft-folkie scenery while the discreet Sitar adds a sense of a gentle psych fresh air. “Golden Neighborhood / Closing Of The Quarters” is a thrifty folkie tune that uses Alan Davidson’s narration too. “Calvary Hill, Kiama” is another melancholic ‘loner’ folk tune with lots of background guitars while the opener of side ‘C’ “Twelve Sparrows (In The Infancy Of God)” is a peaceful electro-acoustic tune with mellotron that is dominated by Adam’s sentimental fragile addictive voice. “The Man Who Bended Time” is a flowing folk tune using acoustic guitar and mellotron while the lovely “Travelers In The Mind Of God” follows and with its lyrics gives ‘food for thought’. “Godbotherings (Part 4)” uses acoustic & electric guitars and combination mellotron-flute creates a cool dreamy-like folkie environment. Side ‘D’ opens with the short “How Ricky Got His Wings”, a beautiful warm piece of Neo-Folk music while “Last Trip To The Sun” with its electric guitars, sitar, and woodwind is an amazing neo-Acidelic-Folkie song. “Sacred Geometry” moves into that familiar neo-folk dark scenery of the band and the album eventually closes with “God Is A Black Dog”, various instruments, voices, percussion, flute, Tanpura, all together are giving breath to a tremendous haunted 60s acid-folk atmosphere… “Seaside Ghost Tales” is a very good and prolific Neo-Folk album, an album that can easily close the gap (if there’s any) between the old Folk and the New One! Anxiously waiting to see/listen to the new path/chapter that Adam Cole is going to follow after Trappist Afterland… TimeLord Michalis

Check Trappist Afterland Bandcamp (LP will be listed to buy/listen in a few days)

Visit Trappist Afterland Facebook

Check Sunstone Records (LP will be listed to buy in a few days)