South-East country dance and traditional song band The Tonic has released a CD of its direct and uncluttered musical performances.

The Essex and Kent couples who make up the band are well known on the traditional music, morris and song scenes, and came together in 2012 through a shared love of English traditional song and dance music.

‘With our long-standing involvement in the traditional song, music and dance scene we have each developed a large and rich repertoire of tunes and songs, some of which can be heard on this CD.

‘We like tunes to be driving, crisp and lifting, and prefer songs that tell human stories without distractions. If they have refrains or choruses so much the better,’ says melodeonist Malcolm Woods.

The album comprises a selection of six tune sets and four songs from a wide variety of sources.

Copies of the CD, price £10 plus £1.50 p+p, can be obtained from Julie Atkin at elizatwells@yahoo.co.uk .

Downloads are available from Bandcamp at https://thetonic.bandcamp.com/album/feeling-better

Track listing:

• Kelso Accordion and Fiddle Club; One More Dance and Then
• Raking the Hay
• The Cumberland Reel; The Squirrel in the Tree
• Tom Tolley’s Hornpipe
• Frankie and Johnny
• Seven Stars; Up the Sides and Down the Middle
• The (Little) Blue Flame
• Bellingham Boat; The Glakey Hornpipe
• William Brown
• Joe Hutton’s; Barren Rocks of Aden