Different folk

Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker transcend on new album

The lineage of folk music in the UK is special, and duo Josienne Clark and Ben Walker have proved to be one of the greatest recent additions. They’re confirming their ambitions stretch beyond one genre on Seedlings All, their first album consisting of only their own compositions.

“We’ve never set out to make non-original material,” guitarist Ben tells us. “It depends on what we’re doing and what works. There were covers we could have put on, but they didn’t really fit with Josie’s narrative for the rest of the album. I think it’s important to have a theme running throughout, rather than just have 12 songs that you happen to be able to record.”

Although Ben owns some beautiful Flylde guitars, last year’s The Birds EP showed him again balancing the unplugged and electric worlds. “There’s a load more electric guitar on here,” admits Ben. “This was a conscious decision to develop on from The Birds EP. But it’s subtle, though, not to suddenly turn into a jazz guitar and vocal group - it’s present but it never dominates. I played it all on a Gibson Les Paul through a Princeton Reissue, but kept it clean for the most part. Listening back you’d expect it to be all ES175s and Gretsches but as I only have a Les Paul you get this odd juxtaposition of an über rock guitar playing jazz and 50s-influenced ballads.

Ben sold a lot of his pedals years ago to streamline his sound and keep it organic. As a result he’s been exploring layering, reamping and mic positioning on Seedlings All. “The acoustics were a bit easier,” he tells us. “Some tracks lent themselves to nylon string, others steel, and some with no acoustic at all.”

An Alhambra Linea Professional classical guitar became a go-to in a limited pool of instruments for tracking. “You can be really subtle with it,” says Ben. “I don’t play enough classical guitar really, but it’s one of my favourite instruments. It’s on Bells Ring, Seedlings All, All Is Myth, Sad Day and Only Me Only. My Fylde Falstaff makes an appearance on Things Of No Use and Bathed In Light.

The combination of sound and approach means Seedlings All still doesn’t really fit the traditional ideas of folk – and Ben’s open mindedness as a player means it was never going to. “The album isn’t really folky,” he confirms, “and as soon as you start playing modally-tuned fingerstyle guitar it immediately gets tarred with the folk brush.”

I don’t play enough classical guitar, but it’s one of my favourite instruments

Seedlings All is released on 23 March. Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker will be on tour in the UK from 30 March.