text: Devonshire musicians Tobias Drinkwater and Lukas Jacob have been at the forefront of the regions burgeoning folk scene for a while now as individual artists and as a duo. ‘This Old River’ provides a great example of their progression for long term fans but also an excellent gateway for those new to their music so switch off the phone, hang up the ‘do-not-disturb’ sign and let’s give this one a spin.
  The album opens with ‘Song of the Sun’ and immediately you get a sense of the mellow and gentle world that Jacob & Drinkwater inhabit with rolling acoustic notes, gentle rhythm and softly perfect vocal harmonies. ‘This Old River’ moves on to some story telling of days gone by as if giving voice to the river and all the things it has seen as the waters roll on, gently unstoppable, like the piano notes rippling throughout the melody. On ‘Real Love’ there is a slightly more mainstream feel and you could imagine this being performed on a Radio 2 live show by the likes of Ed Sheeran or James Bay but that shouldn’t detract from the genuine and tender emotion that is coursing through the veins of this one.
  Jacob & Drinkwater
  By the time we reach ‘There’s a Shadow on the Sun’, there’s a very definite sense of a duo pushing the edges of the folk genre in different directions with traditional and modern folk already covered, this one takes a more Prog-Folk approach with the mystical vibe in the melody. ‘Nottamun Town’ is the only song on the album that borrows from the past (the late medieval past to be precise) via Fairport Convention but it doesn’t seem out of place at all. The mood takes a definite upturn on ‘Imagined Letter #4’ as the pair describe London city life through the eyes of country dwellers with hope in the music and the lyrics. ‘Higher Love’ has a mournful, regret strewn tone to it that draws you in while ‘Iridescent Light’ has that daybreak energy that makes you want to dust yourself down and tackle the day head on.
  The home straight of the album begins with ‘Polaroid’, a song that is sepia toned and dusty but full of memories that are unleashed when the dust is blown off after finding it between the pages of an old book; it’s a beautiful moment in time. Closing this collection out is ‘It’s Still a Beautiful World’ which is probably going on my ‘watch the world burn’ apocalypse playlist to drink my last whisky to. Jacob and Drinkwater are a rare and gentle talent who, I have no doubt, would provide a captivating and enthralling experience as well but this album is a great place to start. Go on, treat yourself.
  More information: https://www.facebook.com/jacobanddrinkwater
  Live Dates:
  12th May – Laurel Canyon Music Anniversary, London (Afternoon)
  18th May – Trinity Folk Festival, Guildford
  9th June – The Methodist Church, Wimborne
  6th July – Holy Trinity Church, Cookham
  14th July – Rhythmtree Festival, Isle of Wight
  7th August – Sidmouth Folk Festival, Sidmouth
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