It’s hard to think of a better opening for an album than “I have studied cruel bastards and I know a thing or two.” But that’s how this antifolk long-player sets out its stall.

And so we begin with a waltzing gypsy groove, steadied by oompah bass-drum and a saxophone wail that introduces the uninitiated to current single ‘Suzanne’. Turner’s weathered and nasally voice kicks in, and he delivers the aforementioned lyrical gambit with pure relish.

The rest of the album finds itself, sonically at least, in the same vein. Managing to sound paradoxically old and new at the same time, it’s Cody’s voice that pulls the album back into the twentieth century. On songs such as ‘My Lady Went Home’ and ‘Quarter Century’ a Stax-era sax rasps along to a gentle paced rhythm, while accordions and all manner of other instrumentation shuffle around elsewhere.

Recorded in just four days in Paris and Brooklyn, this album draws influence from country, folk and boogie woogie. Lyrically, it harks back (or at least gives a deep bow) to Bob Dylan.

Many get compared to him – falsely, in our opinion – but the narrative structure of these songs can’t help but remind us of The Zimmerman circa Time Out Of Mind. “My stories are true, my worries are few,” from ‘Forever Forever’ could’ve easily fallen from the bards lips.

Elsewhere, on the slightly twee country love song ‘Ida Blue’, itself a Dylanesque title, we’re reminded of the chugging rhythm of Sun-era Johnny Cash.

And so, Quarter Century, for those with an inclination for strutting folk with country undertones, is a bona fide grower. It’ll slowly seep onto your CD player with increasing regularity as the lyrical plots and nuances reveal themselves. (Paul Crompton)