As if to prove that 2021 is to be no less bizarre that 2020, the year’s first great musical trend has seen the Victorian sea shanty take video-sharing social media website TikTok by storm.
We’ve been expecting a decent metal version to arrive for some time, and although it’s a little surprising that pirate metal pioneers Alestorm didn’t get there first, we can at least relax, safe in the knowledge that we can all move on to something else.
For The Wellerman, Moracchioli adopts a nautical moustache, a jumper of the kind favoured by people who attend pirate-themed fancy dress parties but don’t want to spend any money, and a captain’s hat. And while critics may question the authenticity of Moracchioli’s costume, the performance cannot be faulted. You can almost smell the blubber.
As for Evans, the man who started this whole farrago, he’s signed a record deal with Universal, who refer to him as the “King Of Sea Shanty” and claim that they “look forward to working more with Nathan and his team and are excited to see what comes next.”
They’re probably more excited than we are, to be honest.