CD Reviews - Haven

Sing Out! Magazine
Vol. 50, #2, Summer 2006
Ken Roseman

 When I first heard about Flook they were a trio emphasizing flutes and whistle without much else and I didn't pay much attention.  Now they've expanded to a quartet and the instrument line-up also includes accordian, guitar, bouzouki and bodhran.  So, althrough still completely acoustic, Flook's sound has expanded and the arrangements include more variety.

But flute and whistle are still the core of Flook's music.  They are natural lead instruments for flook's Irish based sound and tunes, with guitar, mandolin and bouzouki used primarily as rhythm instruments and the bodhran keeping the underlying beat going.  Flook's music is naturally exuberant and tuneful and most of their tunes stomp along at a good clip.  What surprises me is how with just their few acoustic instruments the Flooks create a full sound.  What's more, their music is really quite sophisticated - with jazzy rhythm shifts and fairly complex melody lines.  Sometimes, when the Flooks really speed up the pace, as on "Road to Engrogie," they make me think of an acoustic version of Scottish folk/groove band Shooglenifty.

Flook took advantage of recording studio opportunities and invited a number of guests to join in at the Haven sessions.  For example, electric bassist Ewen Vernal gives additional punch to "Padraig's."  On that same track you'll also hear Andy Davies on Hammond organ, tastefully in the background, filling in spaces.  Leon Hunt's 5-string banjo adds a little crakle here and there on a few tunes.

Some readers may remember Sarah Allen from the English folk/punk band Barely Works which released a few albums in the early 1990s.  That old Barelys spirit surfaces here when Allen lets loose with some fast squeezebox riffs on "Road to Enrogie."

 Haven
Flatfish 005 CD

Buy Now

or direct from
Flook
33 Lemsford Road,
St. Albans, Herts, AL1 3PP, UK .
Tel/ Fax: +44 1727 861209

Rambles
May 2006
Debbie Koritsas

 Hi!

This is just a quick note to let you know that a review of Haven has been posted at Rambles (www.rambles.net). The review can be seen at http://www.rambles.net/flook_haven06.html or you may wish to read our complete new issue at www.rambles.net/whats_new.html.

Sincerely,
Rambles.net

Global Rhythm
June 2006
Ernest Barteldes

 Although mostly traditional-sounding, this band's international debut imports various elements from outside the Celtic realm to create their music, such as Indian tablas and African percussion, among others. The result is an album that sounds familiar but innovative at the same time. On the two part suite "The Tortoise And The Hare", Sarah Allen plays her alto flute at maddening speed while the band backs her with acoustic guitars and percussion. "Gone Fishing" has a more contemporary 4/4 beat that introduces a five-string banjo to the proceedings. Flook also goes into a more Middle-Eastern realm on the intro to "Mouse Jigs", which begins with an Indian-scale sounding guitar, later traveling back to Ireland as the song progresses. "On One Beautiful Day", another standout track, features a soft, soothing melody that takes the listener on a trip to a completely peaceful place, regardless of the point from which the journey begins.

English Dance & Song Magazine
Spring 2006
Calum Stewart
Third year student:
flute and uillean pipes

 Having recently celebrated their tenth year and with a nomination for the Best Group in the BBC Folk Awards 2006, Flook are fresh from the studio and have created something really special with Haven.

Haven is an incredible journey, in which the imagination of Flook has once again come out to play, taking the listener beyond the group's secure live sound to new levels. The quartet's third studio recording captures the vast amount of touring the band has done over the last decade, acting like a musical scrap-book, allowing listeners a peek at the world according to Flook: consisting of newly composed tunes from start to finish, the new release, although contemporary in many ways, will surely be digested through the traditional palette.

With the assistance of several guests and some very creative samples and overdubs woven beautifully into the musical patchwork (listen to the layered whistles on the end of 'Austurian Way'), Haven carries on from where Rubai left off, with the group continuing to innovate their acoustic sound (employing banjo, anglo-concertina, Hammond organ and harp to the sound-scape, in addition to double bass and percussion) producing some very interesting combinations. May favourite is alto flute and banjo in 'Gone Fishing'.

Track number five ('Peter Street) opens with the tight alto flute/ whistle combination that has now become a trademark sound of the band. The security of John Joe Kelly and Ed Boyd (bodhran and guitar) keeps a consistent steady groove upon which the flutes bubble, tumble and soar over. Other special moments include 'The Mouse in the Kitchen', which could well be the next session anthem; the 'Girls in Boisdale' proving once again Brian Finnegan's talent to transform pipe tunes beautifully onto the whistle, and the final track. written by Frigg's Esko Jarvela, which is a suitable and reflective end to an album which will now sit on the front row along with other innovators in the traditional and acoustic music field.

The Washington Post
Friday, February 24, 2006
FLOOK "Haven"
World Village
Mark Jenkins

 THE POLYRHYTHMIC thump that opens "Haven," Flook's third studio album, promises a Celtic sound that's a bit Afro, if perhaps not so committed to that synthesis as the group that devised it, the Afro-Celt Soundsystem. In fact, the music of this England-based instrumental quartet is almost entirely Irish, yet with an up-to-date emphasis on beats.

Percussively, Flook might not be able to compete with African ensembles, but some of its material is rhythmic enough to dance out of the trad-Irish circuit and into the jam-band universe.

Most of the nine tracks stitch together jigs and reels, and feature the expected high-pitched timbres. The band's main instruments include flute, whistle, mandolin and bouzouki, which are all that's required for such gentler numbers as "Souter Creek." But a half-dozen guest musicians, including bassist Ewen Vernal and percussionist Seckou Keita, supplement the group, and their presence is noticeable in "Gone Fishing" and "Padraig's." On such compositions, Flook's melodies are airy, but also well-grounded. -

Billboard Magazine
Week of Feb 18 2006
US Release: Feb 14 2006
Producer(s): Flook, Mark Tucker
Genre: World
Label: World Village
Review by Philip Van Vleck

 While there is no shortage of fine Celtic bands, fans should make special note of Irish/English quartet Flook. Flutists Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan, bodhran/ mandolin player John Joe Kelly and guitarist Ed Boyd are virtuosos known for their innovative approach to traditional Celtic music. "Haven" is loaded with jigs and reels, many of which are originals. The two forms make for a sweet contrast: The jigs are fiery and technically challenging, and the reels are melodically intricate and wistful. Recommended tracks include "Road to Errogie" and "Tir Refartaigh," which dissolves into one of the most righteous jigs you have ever heard.

Live Ireland.com

What a month. What a month! Two of the truly best in the business are releasing albums in February. The already legendary, Flook is out in the States with Haven, and the master, Eilis Kennedy has her latest piece of fabness with, One Sweet Kiss. Flook first.
The group, Flook, ( if they are not familiar to you ) are....wait a minute here. If Flook is NOT familiar to you, where in God's name have you been? This all-instrumental quartet is celebrating its tenth anniversary with their newest creation, Haven.There are no Awards left for these four. Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan on flutes and whistles, Ed Boyd on guitar and John Joe Kelly on bodhran are a creative force of nature. Imagine Herbie Mann meets trad. Imagine----well, we were going to go into a bunch of "imagines" here. But, that is impossible. No one else remotely sounds like Flook. The trad fan may have a problem from a distance discerning between John Daly and Tap Room Trio on a specific cut, but not here. There is no one else in this area. Flook not only owns the mansion, they invented it. You can't be hip to the current scene in trad without knowing this group. Haven has nine new cuts for the listener. The album is on World Village Records. It will become widely available in the States on February 14th, and would make a swell Valentine's Day gift!! The other great news is that they are going to be at Old Town School of Folk Music on March 24th. If that concert is not sold out already, call and get your tix. We have had no group result in more people coming up to us at concerts and thanking us for making the punter aware of them. This is magic. There is such energy. Each instrumental is so carefully thought out----and yet, seems so impromptu. We have whined several times over the years about how impossible it is to write about something that the ear hears. Actually, truth be told, it can't be done. But, we can tell you this. You will love this group. Doesn't everyone? Their albums are like little pieces of art. Unique. Brilliant. The best. Look--just get this album. If it is not what we are telling you, come up to us somewhere and we'll buy you a pint and discover what part of your musical upbringing was incomplete. Flute, guitar and bodhran-driven music played with amazing class and sense of fun.

Sydney Morning Herald
Bruce Elder

 The problem with most albums of Celtic instrumental music is that they always seem like a poor substitute for the vibrancy and joy of a live performance. Stripped of the visual element Celtic music – all bodhrans, flutes, fiddles, accordions and guitars – can sound very "same-ish" and too self-consciously "boozy-rollicking" and upbeat. It is a comment on the instrumental genius of Flook that this, their fourth album, is full of subtlety and delicately-nuanced shading. It is a reminder that when a truly talented instrumental outfit goes into the studio they can find ways – often the choice and arrangement of material – to imbue their performance with a live music ambience. In this case Flook sound as though they are sitting in your front room. There's Sarah Allen with her accordion and flute, Ed Boyd with his bouzouki and guitars, Brian Finnegan with his whistles and flutes and John Joe Kelly with his bodhran and mandolin. And what they play, whether it is the delicately beautiful "Thank You Sean", the lilting "On One Beautiful Day" or the lighting fast and intricate "Fechin Inn", is a tour de force of passion and virtuosity.

The Living Tradition
Gordon Potter

 This album has been released to coincide with Flook's tenth anniversary tour, and it bears all the hallmarks of a band who are remarkably at one with themselves. The interplay of the core band members is both intricate and powerful, and the extra frisson of the guest musicians is gobsmackingly good.

With Sarah Allen's flutes and accordion, Ed Boyd's guitar and bouzouki, Brian Finnegan's flutes and whistles and John Joe Kelly's bodhran and mandolin, you would expect fireworks, and when Ewen Vernal, Seckou Keita, Leon Hunt, Padraig Rynne, Catriona McKay, Andy Davies and Mark Tucker add their various contributions, the whole package just soars to unbelievable heights. The whole performance is a masterclass in interaction between instruments which allows all to have their place, so that whilst the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, all of the parts are still easily discernable.

The level of technical excellence is well-matched by the sheer enjoyment that comes across of musicians having a great time and not really noticing that they can play the fingers off all comers. The exuberant fire and drive of the up-tempo tracks is offset by the hauntingly lyrical finishing On One Beautiful Day to emphasise the depth of musicianship.

This is quality of the highest type.

IRISH TIMES
THE TICKET
Traditional//CD Reviews
25th November 2005
by Siobhán Long

 Ten years on the road. Haven is Flook's third album, and this languid rate of production must go some way towards explaining their rude state of musical health. The album lives up to its name. There's a reflective spirit driving it, inviting the listener not just to cock an ear but to linger in its hospitable furls. Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan's flutes still define the band's identity, but Ed Boyd's guitar lures the tunes (all of them contemporary, eight of them composed by Allen and/or Finnegan) into wider, open plains where the light penetrates their core. John Joe Kelly's bodhrán and mandolin up the rhythmic ante, and a generous guest list includes bassist Ewan Vernal and percussionist Seckou Keita. Fluid and shamelessly impish, Haven is just that: a sheltering sanctuary. www.flook.co.uk  -

Sunday Herald
4th December 2005
Roots CD Choice
by Sue Wilson

 Flook - Haven (Flatfish Records) *****

The 10th anniversary release from this globetrotting Anglo-Irish quartet easily maintains their front-rank position on the contemporary Celtic scene.

With their formidable collective technique continually honed by one of the busiest touring schedules in the business (the first three months of 2006 alone will see them in Japan, Scotland, England, the Czech Republic, Canada and the US), Flook's is an instantly recognisable sound.

Their most immediate USP is their less-is-more instrumentation, featuring Sarah Allen on flutes and occasional accordion, Brian Finnegan on flutes and whistles, Ed Boyd on guitar and John Joe Kelly on bodhrán. Two pairs of lungs and lips, six strings and a stick hitting a goatskin - yet with these minimal components Flook create a riot of musical colour, vitality and expression.

Another secret is all four players' intense, sensuous focus not only on melody, rhythm and phrasing but also on texture, from the precise, minutely varied placing and force of Kelly's virtuoso bodhrán strokes to the trademark interplay between Allen's precussive alto flute and Finnegan's jazzy, livewire aerobatics.

Among a nicely chosen set of mostly self-penned or contemporary Irish material - on which the band are joined by a few guests, including Leon Hunt on banjo and Catriona MacKay on harp - there's a tune each from Scottish fiddlers Aidan O'Rourke and Adam Sutherland and a beautiful, stately Finnish air to close.

Songlines
by Geoff Wallis

 Reproduced by permission

"Gloriously, often thrillingly arranged, ever adroit and with tunes sometimes incorporating more twists than the entire recording career of Chubby Checker, Haven isn’t just a bundle of fun, but thoroughly life-enhancing music."

Songlines Top of the World *****

Folkworld
Peter Grant

 Flook are a phenomenon in the traditional music scene. An unusual pairing of twin flutes (Sarah Allen & Brian Finnegan) with guitar (Ed Boyd) and bodhran (John Joe Kelly), they play mostly neo-Celtic tunes. Despite their apparently constrained instrumental palate, they play with the kind of frenzied energy and (literally) breathtaking skill that has listeners shaking their heads in wonder.

Their third studio album continues in the same happy groove as their previous albums, although guest appearences on harp (Catriona Mackay) and banjo (Leon Hunt) vary the feel a little. There's also more melodic work from Boyd on guitar (eg "Souter Creek") and Kelly on mandolin ("Mouse Jigs"), and perhaps more emphasis on Allen's accordion work. But when it comes down to it, the best moments on "Haven" are when Flook are flying full throttle on their main instruments, with guest musicians hanging on for dear life. Good examples include "Mouse Jigs", "Wrong Foot Forward" and "Padraig's".

One small niggle: at just over 42 minutes "Haven" ends rather sooner than I would have liked. Nevertheless this is an incredibly tight and talented band playing some of the most exciting folk music around at present.

http://www.folkworld.de
Michael Moll

 With "Haven", Flook show probably their highest level of musicianship so far. Only their third studio album, "Haven" is another masterpiece, following very well in the footsteps of their highly acclaimed "Rubai" album (reviewed in issues 22; chosen by FolkWorld's editors as Best CD of 2002). The tunes are, as usual, a mix of composiations by Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan, and by other contemporary folk musicians, most of them from the "Celtic" scene. Again, there are a few guest musicians on some numbers to further fill the typical Flook sound - e.g. Ewen Vernal (bass), Padraig Rynne (anglo concertina), Andy Davies (hammond organ).

"Rubai" brought us an album full of catchy tunes with a strong focus on the rhythms, offering a lot of things that would draw the listener easily into the music. Compared to "Rubai", the music on "Haven" sounds more fluid, and perhaps somewhat more reflective. "Haven" is an album that will reward you if you take the time to listen to it; music for a different mood than "Rubai". Both albums stand on their own, with a rather different flair, yet both are distinctively Flook.

"Haven" was published to celebrate the tenth anniversary year of Flook. In those ten years we have seen them develop into a band of perhaps the highest level of musicianship to be currently found on the British scene. "Haven" will no doubt further spread their fame.

globalvillageidiot.net

 On the surface Flook do what they do, with flute and whistle ove