Rusty Shackle – “Mayfield”

South Wales group Rusty Shackle built serious momentum when their previous album reached number two on the UK Folk Albums Chart. With their 14-track release Mayfield, the six-piece band takes their folk-rock base into much heavier, darker, and broader territory.

The title points back to the McKeon family home where the band first started making music together 15 years ago. Writing took place over intensive weekend trips to Monmouthshire, where everyone brought in raw sketches and built the arrangements together. That group effort shows up right away on opening track “Prologue,” a spoken word piece narrated by Wayne Moriarty about growing up.

While Scott and Baz hold down the Celtic and folk side of things, Alex McConnachie adds new songwriting ideas and synthesisers into the mix. George and lead singer Liam Collins bring in 1970s hard rock influences like Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, and Atomic Rooster through heavy riffs. You also get quiet, warmer moments influenced by Laurel Canyon acts like Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Early singles like “Your Arrows,” “Riders Of The Purple Sage,” and “Stand Up Tall” give a good preview of the different styles at play. Recorded at Stompbox Studios with producer Todd Campbell, the whole project focuses on themes of home, friendship, and growing older.

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