The "stunning and unconventional" duoO'Hooley and Tidow/The Cambridge Junction

The folk scene is currently experiencing a musical revival that is quite like no other. “It’s vibrant”, Belinda O’Hooley of the band O’Hooley & Tidow exclaims, “I think its redefining itself.”

Nowhere is this rejuvenation of tradition more apparent than in the sound of folk duo, O’Hooley and Tidow. Hailing from Yorkshire, the couple’s unique, dynamic sound, as heard in their first two albums Silent June (2010) and The Fragile (2012), is causing quite a stir in the world of folk. Described by The Guardian as “stunning and delightfully unconventional”, their alternative approach to writing lyrics stems from a “sense of responsibility to our audience”, O’Hooley reveals.

Their main focus is society and nature. Referring to their most recent work, The Hum, O’Hooley shows evident respect for their folk-song ancestors. However, she explains that “people are looking back on the old ways of doing things but doing them in their own way, in an independent way.” She draws reference to one particular track, ‘Summat’s Brewin’, as a prime example of how rebellious their songs can be.

For O’Hooley & Tidow, this sense of subversion is most apparent in relation to corporate companies. In ‘Summat’s Brewin’, they pay tribute to what they see as a “real ale revolution”; the ability of local communities to unite in protest. “There is definitely an energy there”, O’Hooley claims, and this is clearly a strong focus of inspiration for the duo.

In describing their sound, O’Hooley insists that “[w]e are trying to write songs from today”, referring to how modern folk music is drawing influence from contemporary surroundings and discovering new paths of expression.

This is particularly evident in their first two albums, where O’Hooley plays the piano. This may not initially seem particularly audacious, yet, the tight confines of the folk tradition meant the duo “soon realised, playing a piano in the folk world was seen as being quite a rebellion”. She goes on, “we have gone against tradition by using the piano.”

Their ability to push boundaries is reinforced by the influence of their producer, multi-instrumentalist, Gerry Diver, who encouraged them to try a new direction in their sound.

These new alternatives eventually went as far as using a pneumatic drill for a backing track. Belinda reveals their initial hesitation.

“This was quite a risky thing to do. We like to be in control ourselves”. Yet this renewed imagination and ability to change direction was “a real joy to both of us”.

There is little doubt that O’Hooley & Tidow are creating new musical parameters for the folk world. When asked if she had any advice to budding folk musicians still at university, Belinda was most vociferous in her support.

To break into folk music is to break into a very niche market indeed, and Belinda advises anyone interested to “find some unique way of performing or writing, something that sets you apart from other people”. Her wisdom is most apparent, however, in her closing comments, sure to inspire many generations to come: “If you feel creative and want to say something, do it.”