The Witch And The Robot - Fear Of Mountains Part I

First part of high concept rock opus from Cumbrian freak-folk misfits, and a good excuse to visit the Lake District.

The Witch And The Robot is an apt name for a band whose music is two parts pagan freak folkery and one part electronic krautrock. Much like their friends and fellow Cumbrians British Sea Power, doing things differently is their modus operandi.

So what we have is a loose concept album featuring songs based on characters who all have connections with the Lake District, some fictional, some factual. Parts two and three will no doubt follow in due course. Despite such localism, it's an album which by sheer force of its passion and uniqueness should have wider appeal and contains many inspired moments.

Click over the jump for more on Fear Of Mountains Part I.

The music on title track “Fear Of Mountains” has an early 70's electronic detachment about it, nicely at odds with the local pride of the lyrics. “The Beagle” deals with Darwin's Theory Of Evolution, contains both a blistering guitar solo along with my favourite lyrics of the year so far, and is genuinely pee your pants funny to boot.

In a typically perverse move the band have also made buying the album more fun than simply getting from your local HMV - if you'd like the album on CD, it's only available from Hide & Horn, a saddle shop in their native Ambleside. But the band have promised to throw in a picture and other goodies to make the trip worthwhile. For everyone else there's always the download.

Click here for Hide & Horn.