Creepy and chilling, Jack Blackman’s latest release, ‘Ballad of Clopton House’ is a Halloween ballad ideal for a ghostly night.
‘Ballad of Clopton House’ surrounds the tale of three sisters at the mercy of the curious happenings in Clopton house, set in Stratford-upon-Avon. With hauntings, kidnapping and premature burial, an overwhelmingly gothic element runs throughout this track. The tale is said to have inspired Shakespeare’s character Ophelia from Hamlet.
Complimented with beautiful, lingering guitar fingerpicking and eerie vocals, ‘Ballad of Clopton House’ is not the only local legend that Blackman has embedded into his lyrics. His 2014 song featured the alleged witchcraft ritual murder of farm laborer Charles Walton on Meon Hill was used in a BBC Radio 4 documentary to tell the tale.
Blackman, born and bred in Warwickshire, is no stranger to outside his county and even country, journeying all the way to the depths of the Mississippi Delta. Like Bob Dylan, Blackman’s sonic evolution stretches from rock and roll to acoustic folklore. However, Blackman stays true to his identity
Growing and growing, Blackman has taken the roots scene by storm, being one of the youngest and most accomplished performers today. Despite lockdown, Blackman thrives, releasing ‘Self Isolation Song’ and a cover of John Lennon’s ‘Isolation’ during lockdown.
Blackman keeps getting better and better, with his latest release, ‘Ballad of Clopton House’ being one of his best songs yet.
By: Imogen Evans