Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

We don’t know what goes on in The Earth Below, we all too often train our thoughts on the horizon or indeed towards the stars, so consumed are we by the world that we can see, that we forget there is a whole world that sings to us, hoping to catch our ear from deep in the soil, reminding us to reveal layer by layer what has been buried, not only in the ground, but in our souls and hearts.

It is a reminder that the stars may inflame our passions, that the horizon is where we seek the next adventure, but it is to The Earth Below to which we should be grateful for supporting us, for nourishing us and for keeping us grounded; one that is not above from sustaining our own needs and desires, a sense of musical yearning supplied by the superb Two Black Sheep on their latest offering, The Earth Below.

Each track on the album is a narrative delight, a springboard into a place of sanctuary for the mind, the strings almost dancing with a sense of the occasion and the persuasion of a young heroine’s dream, one that beats with delight as the notable guest appearance from such Liverpool luminaries and favourites as Jon Lawton, Fiona McConnell, Tom McCabe, and the commander of the bow Vicky Reid, who adds a distinct flavour to the already overflowing beauty supplied by Ian Davies and Amy Chalmers.

The delight is evident, it trips of the tongue and leaves a heavy blow upon the enjoyment factor, across songs such as the exceptional Home, Another Lonely Winter, Caged Birds, Photograph, the wonderfully imagined and presented One Too Many Gins and the flowing finale of When The Tide Comes In, what Two Black Sheep more than ably supply is beauty, a reminder of attraction when sometimes all you can see is the darkness around you. It is an attraction that is seamless and instant, like a spark of electricity that is thrown from the heavens and which lands upon the Earth creating a force of light so bright that it makes your heart sizzle in appreciation without time having elapsed.

The Earth Below our feet is a hidden gem waiting to be exposed to the light, it is shrouded in mystery, it holds the key to love, honour and the roots to which we are immersed, it is a symbol of creativity that Two Black Sheep have unearthed and given thanks too. A genuine moment in time to which feel grateful for.

Ian D. Hall