Megson are a refreshingly bright light on the folk scene.
Much folk music is a wistful, nostalgic, reminiscence on times long past, often quite morose, sometimes angry. But Megson, the husband and wife team of Debs and Stu Hanna, are positively light-hearted in comparison.
They are at their best when singing their own innovative songs which are often somewhat comedic, social commentary on contemporary life – like the best comedians who take a tangential look at common aspects of life and add an unexpected twist as the punch line.
Some of Megson’s songs have unlikely and fascinating lyrics, they are perceptive observations on quite mundane aspects of modern life – with an unexpected punch line. “Take Yourself a Wife”, for example, is a song where a 31 year old son is being encouraged to leave home by his father, the punch line had everyone chuckling.
There were many others, like “The Book-keeper” (a love song); “Generation Rent” (the plight of the young in today’s world); “In a Box” and “Patterns”, (a song about life’s boring routines). All unlikely, but thought provoking subjects that the audience could identify with.
All were beautifully sung, featuring Deb’s clear-as-a-bell voice, which ranged from mellifluous to soaring, accompanied by Stu’s balanced harmonies and delicate guitar, mandola and banjo playing.
This was a most enjoyable evening’s entertainment – Debs and Stu – keep writing more of those songs!