Forgotten Kingdom


Forgotten Kingdom is folk singer-songwriter Jim Causley's fifth studio album excluding his work with The Devil's Interval and Mawkin:Causley.
Forgotten Kingdom is Causley's first album of entirely self-written material although does include references to traditional song throughout. It was intended to celebrate ten years since the release of Causley's debut album Fruits of the Earth in 2005 but the release was delayed due to poor health on the part of original producer Phil Beer. Production of the album was then completed by Show of Hands regular producer Mark Tucker at The Green Room studios in East Devon.
Forgotten Kingdom is Causley's most ambitious solo recording project to date and has the largest line-up of guest musicians of any of his albums. This guests include many well known names from the British folk scene who happen to be based in Devon such as Seth Lakeman and Show of Hands as well as some local stalwarts of the more traditional folk music scene in the county. The theme of the album centres on the history of Devon and its neighbouring counties but also looks at Causley's own personal connection to the county and his experience of growing-up within it. The "forgotten kingdom" alluded to in the title is the Celtic Brythonic kingdom of Dumnonia which Causley previously referenced in his 2011 album; Dumnonia which was a collection of traditional songs from Devon. Not all of the songs on Forgotten Kingdom have a traditional folk feel to them and several hint at Causley's songwriting having more modern and expansive influences.
The album received highly positive reviews from The Guardian, BBC Music Magazine and fRoots magazine among others, as well as airplay on radio shows such the Mark Radcliffe Folk Show on BBC Radio 2 and the Tom Robinson show on BBC Radio 6 Music. In the fRoots review, Colin Irwin confirmed his previously stated opinion that Causley is one of the finest folk singers of his generation.

Track listing

All songs by Jim Causley.
  1. "Gabbro Bowl / The Peninsula Prayer" – 4:53
  2. "Back in the Day" – 4:20
  3. "Banks of the Tale" – 4.04
  4. "The Road to Combebow" – 3:24
  5. "Rewind" – 4:23
  6. "Home" – 4:07
  7. "This Weekend" – 4:31
  8. "Pride of the Moor" – 3:48
  9. "Summer's End" – 5:28
  10. "The Man You Know" – 2:53
  11. "Reigning Men" – 5:18
  12. "Goodnight Ballad" – 6:33
  13. "Illogan Highway" – 7:01
  14. "The Pastoria" – 5:49
  15. "Sea Sick" – 2:48

    Personnel

Ninebarrow
The Claque