The iconic statement that once was a pair of blue jeans has long been assimilated into ‘straight’ culture. Where once, it was a symbol of freedom; a rejection of tradition; a signal of grooviness, rock ‘n’ roll and stickin’ it to the man, it’s now an off-the-shelf supermarket checkout bleep next to your beans. It has been neutered.

What do we wear now to signify ‘otherness’? How do musicians stand out in a crowd of ‘normals’? An earring? A rash of tats? Perhaps a pair of just-on-the-tight-side straight leg skinny kecks, maybe a cowboy boot, a bootlace tie, maybe a hat indoors, sunglasses after dark, maybe a rustic shirt made of twigs?

Let’s face it, sometimes folk musicians are prone to dress down just a little. Maybe it’s the man/woman/etc. of the people thing… they’re folk… just like us… Jock Tamson’s Bairns and all that. And it has to be said that some folk musicians do take down-dressing a little too far. Who hasn’t witnessed a perfectly functioning musician-human six weeks into a tour sporting the crumpled, Omo-free, slept-in-a-skip look?

Looking at the album covers; website and social media pics tells me that Those Folk do actually look in the mirror. There’s something knowing, a self-awareness, a ‘how do I look’ thing going on before the camera shutter is released. Shots don’t have that just-putting-the-bins-out informality often seen; the image is considered. They look spiffy.

But, in front of an audience, will we admire the look but be underwhelmed by the music, are they just trendies with sub-optimum ability? Not likely, it’s Crail Folk Club.

They are, of course immaculately attired; in a room of people there’s no doubt about who’s going to be getting up on the stage to perform.

And from the first notes it’s clear their musical chops are well seasoned. A husband-and-wife team, I can only imagine they sing and play all day long, everything is tight, harmonies fasten exquisitely like the finest craftsperson’s dovetail joint. Well thoughtout, refined and executed arrangements are shouldered by flawless piano accordion, guitars, mandolin, harmonicas and percussion.