Hope blows in with Woodpig: When The Winds Came
HARRY HAWKINS
Woodpig are a Hastings modern folk quartet made up of Harrison Caruna on bass guitar, Josh Gentle on drums, Mol Jo on backing vocals, and Al Mitchell on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. Their debut record is a testament to the power of timeless songs played well, combined with a strong sense of self-direction. The new album, When The Winds Came, is recorded, produced and designed entirely by members of the band.
As a musical directive, DIY has been in the forefront since the beginnings of punk rock and dub. Today it’s not just for garage bands: massive pop artists have also capitalised on rawer sounds and textures, whether it’s Billie Eilish or Bruce Springsteen. Conversely, the increasing availability of affordable, high-quality recording gear provides DIY musicians the opportunity for ‘bedroom projects’ to sound as polished as the (technically adept) musician wishes.
The album’s songs were initially written as a solo demo by Mitchell in 2024. You can hear these initial recordings on Bandcamp, and the quality of the songs is that produced by a seasoned songwriter and singer. The new bandmates, however, add contrast to already strong arrangements.This is most prominent in the rhythm section – Harrison provides bobbing, counterpointed bass figures, most effective and memorable on the album’s opening title track, where snaking bass leads underpin the tune. Drummer Josh adapts carefully to each song, but Angels Kneeslide’s loping, arm-swinging groove wouldn’t be the same without his splashes and snare punches, betraying his love for punk and metal. Both Harrison and Josh play for another Hastings troubadour, the exuberant Ben Maier, and some of this power has clearly transferred over.
Mol Jo’s vocals blend to Mitchell’s with weaving, subtle harmonies, so well that, vocalising together, they become their own instrument. It’s great to hear Mol take a floating lead for a verse on Skylark, and the alternating rising of her vocals on the chorus elevates the tune’s energy.
The album was recorded in the home studios of various band members, with production shared between Josh and Al, and is very loyal to the sound you can expect live from Woodpig locally. Brief flashes of Mellotron and distortion are crucially placed and put one in mind of cult heroes of lo-fi, like 90s indie-pop group Grandaddy.
The journey When the Winds Came takes isn’t linear, and many songs take unexpected routes – Chaos Set to Automatic’s skittish fingerpicked guitar and pushing train beat transition, for example, into a warm, Dylan-worthy chorus. But the contrast between the despondence of the title track, with the sense of new opportunity by the time we reach Wanna Feel Like Something On, forms a progressive build, ending on a note of optimism: “Hope is what I wanna be feeling”.
Record can be purchased digitally or on vinyl through Bandcamp. Woodpig play a sold out album release show on 29 December at The Electric Palace, High Street, Old Town, at 7.30 pm. They also play the Jenny Lind on 24th January, then support Brighton group Hutch at the Piper on 31 January 2026.
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