The Legendary Ten Seconds - Cornish and 
Devonian
Release Date: Out Now
For a blogger born in Devon but living in Cornwall, it was almost impossible not to give this album a listen. That said, I've sat on on 'Cornish and Devonian' from solo artist the Legendary Ten Seconds for over two months now and for that I can only apologise. This ten track collection opens with 'John De Vere', a song that could easily be a Richard Hawley performing a period musical in the back room of a Torquay pub. 'Sir Walter Raleigh' follows next and the guitar rings out again in to the night sky telling tales of one the more famous sailors and explorers ever to have set sail from this isle. The opening triumvirate is completed by 'The Siege of Plymouth' which is a history lesson set to slide guitar and I think this might be the way ahead if you want to get the cool kids back in to history lessons.
On 'The Battle of Torrington' the Legendary Ten Seconds blends medieval with rock'n'roll (not as Spinal Tap as it sounds) before 'William Scoresby' tells the tale of an explorer of the arctic in the 1700s (he was also a whaler but has yet to be cancelled). 'Eighty Four Years Of Age' has a pleasing chug to it that would draw punters in to the back room of a pub to hear a song that deals with naval pensions and protests for fairness. With 'Cornwall's Forgotten Heroine', the guitar sounds lead the way again but with a more forlorn sound and guest female vocalist adding a different flavour before 'Rumours of War' brings a sea shanty sound to the fore, augmented only by a somber acoustic strum.
The penultimate track, 'Captain Richard Scott', is a happy slice of rock'n'roll with a punchy beat before the album comes to a head on 'From Torquay Joyce Packe', a bass-led story of a WWII court reporter in Paignton. This is the kind of album you could spend a lot of time with and learn a lot from which is a bonus because the timbre of the vocals and song writing is great on its own which always at least half the battle.
More information: http://www.thelegendary10seconds.co.uk/