The Mountain Firework Company
Album: The Lonesome Losing Blues
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.themountainfireworkcompany.com

The Mountain Firework Company [MFC] are a five piece acoustic roots band based in Brighton. They employ the classic bluegrass instrumentation of banjo, double bass, guitar, violin and mandolin [together with drums]. Their lead singer, songwriter, banjo player and guitarist is Irishman Gareth McGahan, whose songs sound both comtemporary yet traditional. MFC have been compared to The Pogues [presumably because they have a singer with an Irish accent and feature a banjo] but such comparisons are wholly inaccurate. Unlike The Pogues, MFC's music is rooted in the bluegrass tradition, with added elements of folk and country music.

MFC are blessed with fine musicians. As well as guitar and banjo maestro Gareth McGahan, they also feature the renowned fiddle/mandolin player Mike Simmonds, as well as Simon Russell [double bass], Ewan Wallace [guitar] and Grant Allardyce [drums].

The Lonesome Losing Blues is MFC's third album and very good it is too. It gets off to a fine start with Creeping Vine, which clearly demonstrates the band's attributes- fine songwriting and excellent playing, especially in the banjo and fiddle departments. Whilst the sound is definitely bluegrass influenced, it has an interesting twist as Gareth [naturally] sings with an Irish accent. The album contains both light and shade. There are several jaunty, catchy numbers [ eg. Creeping Vine, Daylight Robbery and Low] but there are also some more mournful, plaintive songs, such as the title track and Poor Girl.

Particularly poignant is the track Tonight, which at over 6 minutes, is the longest track. It begins with a beautiful guitar/fiddle intro which leads into a song of loss and regret [ In my dreams I get to hold you once more, there are no sad songs to haunt me] - lovely stuff.

This is a most enjoyable album, well played, written and sung. If contemporary bluegrass laced with folk is your cup of tea, you will lap this up.

Peter Cowley