Seth Lakeman shot to fame in 2005 when his second album Kitty Jay, which he recorded independently for a meagre £300, was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. It was a surprise inclusion in the field for the Devon born folk artist, but his presence alongside such artists as Coldplay, the Kaiser Chiefs, and that year's winner Antony and the Johnsons immediately propelled him to a new level of stardom. Kitty Jay was re-mastered and re-released on Relentless (an imprint of EMI Records), and tours followed including a stint supporting folk-rock giants the Levellers.
Overnight Lakeman had gone from a relative unknown even in folk circles, to a breakout artist with mainstream success and a major label record deal, and it's fair to say he hasn't looked back since. Hearts & Minds is his third album since Kitty Jay, and in some ways he has been repeating the same trick over and again during that time. This is another collection of original poppy-folk material, characterised by Lakeman's distinctive voice and raucous fiddle playing, but it also continues the rockier trend that was introduced on 2008's Poor Man's Heaven.
