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The Devil in the Grain is the second album by Twelve Thousand Days, released only a year after the excellent debut album In the Garden of Wild Stars. Although this album, and indeed the entire band, has gone unnoticed by the largest part of even the underground alternative folk community, I consider it to be one of the most powerful albums of recent years, both in terms of music and concept. Despite their excellent new works from the past two years, I still think this is the best that Alan Trench and Martyn Bates have achieved together thus far. Their rich instrumentations on guitar, other stringed instruments and effects, and Martyn's always sparkling vocals; it all works together particularly well on this album which is full of mystical modern folk gems.
To begin with, there is the title. Now, The Devil in the Grain refers to a widespread phenomenon of European folklore. The concept of a spirit that dwells in the grain is found not only in the native England of Bates and Trench, but also in Germany, The Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries, for example. The corn spirit could be both benevolent and malicious. Some believed the corn spirit to be responsible for the fertility of the crops, and sacrifices (such as the last sheafs of corn) or other actions had to be taken to ensure a bountiful harvest the next year. This widespread element of folk religion seems to have had its impact on later beliefs as well, as the 'Mowing-Devil' depicted to the left illustrates. This account is now popularly referred to as the first instance of crop circles. But, this is not a folkloric essay, but an article about music, so let us not digress further.
The album itself does not refer literally to these folk beliefs, and 'The Devil in the Grain' sets the general atmosphere, rather than providing lyrical inspiration. Only in the title track do we sense the vague energies of some dark being, that is never fully revealed. However, all songs are rooted firmly in the earth, nature, and the cycle of the year, which function as media for a wide array of expressions and feelings. In this case, I will let the lines speak for themselves:
Song of the Prophet
And the sun falls on this green land
poured from heaven by unknown hands;
The mighty heart beats its slow refrain,
Although we sleep, we will awake again
A thousand thousand thousand years
Locked behind my eyes,
Ancient as the stones and bones,
Beneath the new disguise
You can feel it upon the weald and heath
And where the dancing waters play
The hills are crowned with teeth
This summer
This life
In country
Alive
That is how the album starts, with what I consider an anthem of new folk, a spirited dance on guitars, frame drums and tambourine. "Beauty is Fading" introduces the more calm, dark side of the band, with soft reverbing vocals, guitar plucking and high-pitched effects. This is continued in "All in the May", one of my favourite tracks on the album. It has that unique, nature-mystical atmosphere, and wonderful alliterating and rhyming lyrics that herald in a renewed modern appreciation for ancient things. Another of my favourites is "Whitestone Day", a track with a gorgeous hopeful melody, but deceptively dark lyrics that mourn the passing of things. "Glistening Praise" strips the sound down to a level like that in many solo works by Martyn Bates: a soft ambient backing, with faint guitar, and Martyn's voice stealing the show. Another great song. The extensive title track is an excersise in hypnotic, dark folk, with repeating melodies and mysterious, echoing vocals. "The Hand of Glory" starts off quite calmly, but changes into a heavy, up-tempo dance halfway, complete with distorted guitars. The album ends on its calmest, though, with "Plea", an a capella track, with only Martyn's reverbing vocals, using a traditional melody with new lyrics. A fitting way to end this excellent album.
As you have noticed, there are no bad tracks on this compact album. It's captivating from start to finish. Trench and Bates have perfected their sound, that was still rather primitive on the first album, and added a focused vision to it to make something grand. To this day, I don't understand why this album has gone unnoticed by so many people, because it earns a place among the classics of neo- and alternative folk. So, if you are in any way interested in modern and dark folk, there is no reason why you shouldn't own this album, let alone check it out.
O.S.
To begin with, there is the title. Now, The Devil in the Grain refers to a widespread phenomenon of European folklore. The concept of a spirit that dwells in the grain is found not only in the native England of Bates and Trench, but also in Germany, The Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries, for example. The corn spirit could be both benevolent and malicious. Some believed the corn spirit to be responsible for the fertility of the crops, and sacrifices (such as the last sheafs of corn) or other actions had to be taken to ensure a bountiful harvest the next year. This widespread element of folk religion seems to have had its impact on later beliefs as well, as the 'Mowing-Devil' depicted to the left illustrates. This account is now popularly referred to as the first instance of crop circles. But, this is not a folkloric essay, but an article about music, so let us not digress further.The album itself does not refer literally to these folk beliefs, and 'The Devil in the Grain' sets the general atmosphere, rather than providing lyrical inspiration. Only in the title track do we sense the vague energies of some dark being, that is never fully revealed. However, all songs are rooted firmly in the earth, nature, and the cycle of the year, which function as media for a wide array of expressions and feelings. In this case, I will let the lines speak for themselves:
Song of the Prophet
And the sun falls on this green land
poured from heaven by unknown hands;
The mighty heart beats its slow refrain,
Although we sleep, we will awake again
A thousand thousand thousand years
Locked behind my eyes,
Ancient as the stones and bones,
Beneath the new disguise
You can feel it upon the weald and heath
And where the dancing waters play
The hills are crowned with teeth
This summer
This life
In country
Alive
That is how the album starts, with what I consider an anthem of new folk, a spirited dance on guitars, frame drums and tambourine. "Beauty is Fading" introduces the more calm, dark side of the band, with soft reverbing vocals, guitar plucking and high-pitched effects. This is continued in "All in the May", one of my favourite tracks on the album. It has that unique, nature-mystical atmosphere, and wonderful alliterating and rhyming lyrics that herald in a renewed modern appreciation for ancient things. Another of my favourites is "Whitestone Day", a track with a gorgeous hopeful melody, but deceptively dark lyrics that mourn the passing of things. "Glistening Praise" strips the sound down to a level like that in many solo works by Martyn Bates: a soft ambient backing, with faint guitar, and Martyn's voice stealing the show. Another great song. The extensive title track is an excersise in hypnotic, dark folk, with repeating melodies and mysterious, echoing vocals. "The Hand of Glory" starts off quite calmly, but changes into a heavy, up-tempo dance halfway, complete with distorted guitars. The album ends on its calmest, though, with "Plea", an a capella track, with only Martyn's reverbing vocals, using a traditional melody with new lyrics. A fitting way to end this excellent album.
As you have noticed, there are no bad tracks on this compact album. It's captivating from start to finish. Trench and Bates have perfected their sound, that was still rather primitive on the first album, and added a focused vision to it to make something grand. To this day, I don't understand why this album has gone unnoticed by so many people, because it earns a place among the classics of neo- and alternative folk. So, if you are in any way interested in modern and dark folk, there is no reason why you shouldn't own this album, let alone check it out.
O.S.