Tumbler - You Said
- Written by Julia Lamb
Tumbler are a British band harking back to the simplicity of an acoustic guitar to make pastoral, countryside-reminiscent folk music. The father-and-son act comprised of Richard Grace and his son, Harry hail from the small town Epsom and it was here that they met Dave Needham. Needham runs a tiny recording studio out of a shed that used to be part of an old stable block, a setup that’s seen UK ‘70s hit-maker David Essex record within its walls. It was from this homespun studio that Tumbler recorded, You Said.
You Said is 12-tracks of humble folk music that’s at times adorned with the slightest hint of psychedelia and while these might sound like totally disparate influences, Tumbler manage to make them gel through the art of subtlety. ‘Moments (She Reappears)’ opens the album with a quilted soundscape of percussion, distant whirring electronics and lush harmonies. In its quirkiness the song ends up being a fun number and thanks to strong melodies throughout, it’s also infectiously catchy. ‘Don’t Think Twice (She Says)’ trades electronics for keyboards to create a jaunty folk-rock sound while, as its name suggests, ‘Businessman Blues’ sees the band crank their electric guitars for the shuffling blues track. Arriving at the second half of the album, ‘Dennis and Jean’ sways with a gentle lullaby feel as Richard Grace sings: “Sixty years, it’s quite a time/To share each day, to share a life. The story begins not long after the war/She’s there alone, he’s helping her at the door.” The track features occasional entrances of swelling violins and twinkling triangles, creating a blissful setting that perfectly fits Grace’s simple, storytelling way of lyricism.
Tumbler doesn't stretch to be experimental. Instead, they write within the comfortable confines of simple folk and blues music and every once in a while spices the tunes with a little something extra; the result is an album that’s charming and endearingly down to earth.