Merry Hell return to delight us with their sixth album of original material, Rising of the Bold, and their first for five years. For those curious as to past glories, a compilation album, Let the Music Speak For Itself was released in 2023, and my review of that can be seen by clicking on the button below

There are eight members of this collective, and before I discuss the album itself, I must state that seeing all of them on stage is about the finest live gig experience you will ever have the privilege of attending. Their stock has risen so much in recent years, their brand of working-class folk roots music, told in exceptional style, with melodies and riffs to delight, teach, and entertain, combined with a touring ethic which would exhaust most other acts, has seen a recognition and commercial success that is fully deserved and, arguably, not accorded to the predecessor band, Tansads.

The commonality between the two is the Kettle brothers, songwriters John (guitars and backing vocals) and Bob (bouzouki), alongside a man I regard as the finest of vocalists, Andrew. To this, we must add John’s wife, Virginia on writing duties, forming a stunning vocal combo with Andrew and playing guitars.

This is not the total sum, though. Simon Swarbrick (nephew of Dave of Fairport Convention fame) is one hell of a fiddle and strings player, and he contributes an instrumental track to this album as well, Lizard on a Log. Lee Goulding on keys, and Andy Jones on drums are also veterans of The Tansads era, and they are joined by Colin Foster on bass. All musicians at the top of their game. Incidentally, the artwork was designed by Simon’s predecessor on fiddle, Neil McCartney, who left the UK for love.

You can get the album by going to their Bandcamp page at merryhell.bandcamp.com. It is dedicated to the memory of two mothers who sadly passed in 2024, namely Jennie Foster and Margaret Kettle. Tell you what, though. I bet they spend every gig by this lot jigging and singing up there in heaven.

We have twelve pieces of music, so let’s discuss and play some of them.

Pick Yourself Up and Dance is an archetypal Merry Hell number to me, written by Virginia, a celebration of all that is good in this world, that no matter how grim it might get out there (and, by God, the news at the moment is seriously so), music is the glue, and all of us joining together, getting up and dancing, picking ourselves up off the floor as a collective, is surely what is needed in these times. Bright, bouncy, the fiddle especially exhorting us to get up and jig, Virginia the perfect conductor, and I like the moment of quiet, with the final minute building up in intensity, Andrew joining in the clarion call.

Vagabond Army is a Bob composition, a call to unity for all of us outside the bloated elite, commoners, gypsies and revellers, Diggers & Levellers, refugees and passengers, vagrants and scavengers. The story of wage slaves is as relevant in 2025 as it has ever been, to the shame of our society. Five minutes of music embedded below for you, the vocals telling the story in the finest of roots traditions, a relentless beat from the collective, and the instrumental burst before the two-minute mark is very impressive, and the band show off their rock roots to great effect as we move towards the close.

Only Love was co-written by Lee alongside Bob and is another call in modern life which resonates so strongly, the urgent need for us to tear ourselves as a collective from the digital prison we have built for ourselves and stop the tech corporates from dragging us down and away from our core humanity. The fiddle and notes introducing the song are mournful, but Andrew & Virginia lead the charge as ever in exhorting us to turn a negative into a positive, the harmonies wonderful on this, Goulding providing us with some interesting effects on his rig, the song rather ghostly in parts.

The title track was written lyrically by John, and musically by he and Virginia, and it is as anthemic as you are likely to hear anywhere, anytime. The Rising of the Bold. Us. Enough is enough. It is embedded below for you to join said movement, Andrew at his finest vocally with the right blend of anger, exhortation, and emotion, Virginia and the fiddle musically soaring over this, and progheads note that there is a complexity in this you will appreciate.

Changing times is by Virginia, and it is a deeply meditative commentary on the fast-changing world we live in, with the attendant risk of losing our sense of self amidst all the noise. A beautifully pastoral musical landscape is created on this against her emotive vocal charge, with Andrew supporting in a good example of how their harmonisation is at the heart of this band. Swarbrick provides a deeply urgent solo on this, in a great example of how he is now firmly embedded and such a strong successor to the fan favourite who preceded him.

Lizard on a Log is Simon’s instrumental track, when he was left alone for several hours with only his violin and lizard for company. The playing is consummate and infused with a strong sense of Americana, including some psych-infused notes swirling around.

Peace Can Be Louder Than War was recorded with the assistance of The Thousand Voice Choir, recruited amongst the fanbase (they also did this during the pandemic. Go onto YouTube to see the tributes to NHS staff at that time). Virginia here pretty much sums up my personal politics. If we sing in our thousands, using music, love, and peace, we can change things for the better. I love the choir on this, especially the way it has all been put together in the studio by John. It is another song which builds in intensity.

Join Hands is a Bob composition and is a simple call to reach out not only ones we love, but also with strangers, something which is so important amidst all the noise we hear regarding immigration. First and foremost, we should remember that these are human beings, not aliens, most of them exploited by the worst of crooks. Once we do that, we can find answers. It is a shanty, irrepressibly catchy showing the commercial sensibilities the band have always had.

Don’t Say I, Say Us is another anthemic singalong number from Virginia which I think is going to rival her Bury Me Naked in the crowd swaying stakes.

Not Everything is Wrong is written lyrically by John again and musically alongside Virginia. Anxiety, stress, vampires standing beside your bed, it is a call for loved ones to stand together. Quite a short piece of music, it fairly races along in the questions being asked of self and society, and some of these are plaintive in Andrew’s voice.

We close with John’s Singing in the Morning, a paeon to singing in the community in the “windy city” where we can sit down and pour a drink in the Promised Land. I have embedded this track below for you. Get yourselves a drink, sit down, pump up the volume, and allow some joy to wash over you.

Albums such as this fill me with happiness. It contains some excellent music and cements the band’s reputation as the finest of contemporary folk-rock acts, a well of human warmth to draw upon in a world where we are constantly assailed by adverts and stories warning/exhorting us (delete as appropriate) of the evils/joys of artificial intelligence. Well, they can stuff their machines in a cold dark place. I’ll take the human variety any day, please.

Now, where do I sign up for this Vagabond Army?