Having known them as three individual artists before they came together to form this exceptional band gives some insight into the three individuals that make up The Lost Trades, and perhaps, to a small degree, an understanding of their musical personalities. If Phil is the philosopher looking at the world in a holistic fashion and Tamsin is the dreamer looking towards the distant horizon, it is Jamie who is the narrator, a teller of stories of the lives of everyday people, a troubadour and old school balladeer. And so, lyrically, at least, The Old Man of the Sea is very much his song.
But, like any band worth its (sea) salt, it is what the collective process, the arrangement, additions, editing and evolution, add to the song that sets it apart from similar songs that you might find in his solo back catalogue. The first thing is the vocal arrangement, always something of a trademark of The Lost Trades and delivered with grace and eloquence, setting new benchmarks for themselves with this latest blending of the voices.
To this, some beautiful tones and textures are added; the melodic and fluid bassline, the gentle beat, and the bubbling and beautiful rhythms of the guitar, all of which seem to conjure the ebb and flow of the tide and time which the song floats on.
A lovely song, a poignant song, one forged of heart and harmony, love and loss.
