Godspeed

“We’ve been dying to meet you,” Ben Woods sings on “Linoleum”, the second single from Godspeed, album number four for The Golden Dregs. This rousing greeting doubles as a mission statement for the project. What began as a solo endeavour by the then Cornwall-based multi-instrumentalist and producer has grown into a six-member ensemble, each artist deeply rooted in London’s grassroots music scene. On Godspeed, for the first time, each band member contributes individually, but Woods’ songwriting and resonant baritone remain at the core — an anchor welcoming listeners into the fold. The city plays its part here. A very close ear will pick up London’s cranky ambience, recorded on a handheld recorder by synth player Davy Roderick, then woven into the songs. And where the previous The Golden Dregs record, On Grace and Dignity (4AD), held up a light to and lamented a certain kind of rural experience, Godspeed turns the contrast up three or four notches