The Remedy: a review of a Lancshire acoustic duo on a high

“It’s such a happy song.   Every time I play it I feel happy.  It makes us smile. Both of us. It’s like you can see flowers dancing along, well at least I can in my head,”  singer and songwriter Hannah Spurgeon has an infectious enthusiasm for music. Before picking up a ukulele and launching into a sweet, melodic cover version of It Must Be Love, she can’t help but gush over the thought of even breaking into the first few bars.

Once she starts that twinky strumming and bass player Elliott Dryden's punchy opening slide hits home, you realise that Ribble Valley acoustic duo,  The Remedy, are a tight, professional and thoughtful musical unit with the will to be popular and enjoyed. Their version of this 1983 hit for the ska-pop group Madness, written in the early 70s by  Labi Siffre, may have remnants of the original folkie style but it's also brings something light, fresh and natural to the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTeGwNHEEFk

Then you learn that The Remedy have carefully crafted, tasteful arrangements for every song they play. And they keep up this standard set after set, gig after gig, whatever the surroundings, with their own self penned material and a carefully chosen set of covers winning over audiences in their home town of Clitheroe and beyond.

“We’re still doing our A levels but in the summer we’re going to be doing this full time.”


Tall and skinny with waves of big, blonde/brown hair, they project optimism from the stage. It’s no surprise that they won the final of a Blackburn guitar shop, Reidys,Talent Contest held at the King George’s Hall this March. Or that they’ve featured in local papers and magazine articles. They’re new, they're young and they’ve earned the attention.

 http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/reidys_talent_contest/10277577.Gallery___video__Winners_crowned_in_Reidys_Talent_Contest/

They’ve even written they’re own more dramatic   “We’re Going Higher” with it’s rising minor tones, “in anticipation of this year and everything” which openly suggests an excitement for leaving college and hitting the music road in one form or another, however big or small, and enjoying whatever comes their way.

Back in April, I watched them act as support for The Acoustic Gathering (a seriously good bunch of solid pros incidentally, continually described as "legends of folk rock") at the Middle Earth Beer Festival at Hurst Green Village Hall, near Longridge^, in Lancashire.  

It was all a bit spooky at first walking into this venue, a village hall with wooden floorboards, a creaky-looking stage and the apparent atmosphere of a wist drive in the Outer Hebrides. I did wonder if I had two heads, the way everybody was looking at me, sitting at tables with arms folded and blank stares. It settled down with the flow of beer and music, becoming a relaxed evening for a night tripping tourist out from Preston like myself.

 Hannah was sporting new cowboy boots of shining leather and a brand new Taylor  912CE guitar of shining wood, which sounded awesome and zingy as they do.  She was plucking her own Blossom Tree  with a breezy picking pattern and then promoting an EP of Love Ditties while I was drinking Manchester Bitter from the sidelines (it being a real ale festival). Rebecca Ann Wilmer was taking the photos. Overall we were having a good time, as it's known.

 Bass player Elliott comes into his own on songs like Boots Were Made for Walking and Everything Little Thing She Does is Magic. He uses harmonics, octaves, run downs, slides and even a few subtle effects on one or two which provides essential complements  to the arrangements and makes everything extra  interesting.  He also has a good instinct for making up his own riffs too which I can vouch for because he comes and guests with Sweeney Astray, my own line up, and solos on my own songs.

At the all day Songwriters Live event at the back of Townsends Music in Great Harwood, celebrating independent record stores as part of National Record Store Day, Saturday April 20^th, I was standing behind Elliott in a doorway to the back rooms (the musicians sandwiches were all upstairs, and I admit  I ate two éclairs) with a another bass player and a songwriter. We enjoyed everything he played with our bass heavy mix due to our proximity to his playing and our privileged view. And it gave us a chance to appreciate his tasteful choice of notes and space.

When they played at the Darwen Library Theatre, Friday April 12^th, as support for Pete Townsend’s brother Simon, they had a different environment to contend with. In that  thespian setting, it was all heavy curtains and cushioned seats, cinema style, with an audience of regular music fans who took to the newcomers with friendly down to earth  Darwinian enthusiasm. They began the set and announced songs to a complete polite listening silence and took the tension in their stride.

So it’s fair to say The Remedy are working hard, getting out and about and coming your way soon,as far as audiences in our region are concerned.

It made me smile when the record store manager at the Great Harwood branch of Townsends remarked that my own band Sweeney Astray “have a big following” after watching us play at the songwriters' event. I wasn’t sure what he meant until I realised that The Remedy’s following, I’m pleased to say, had hung about to watch us as well to add to our own friends. It was their following. So I’m certainly not going to complain about the musical company.

The Remedy's music and presences undoubtedly spreads some good feelings and fun. They perform professionally and with warmth for their audiences. So go for it Hannah and Elliott  My one piece of advice, having hung about and played music scenes for a few decades, join the Musicians’ Union for legal advice and support, because we all need it.http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/

Hannah Spurgeon sports a ukulele

 Please like The Remedy facebook page and check out their music https://www.facebook.com/theremedy.hannahandelliott

Written by Mike Kneafsey of Sweeney Astray http://www.sweeneyastray.co.uk/ and photos (aside from the "We're Going Higher" cover shot) provided by Rebecca Ann Wilmer. Mike also teaches guitar in the Ribble Valley area (for lessons phone 07760888050).