The New Murrey and Blue blog

Here is a review of the latest album from The Legendary Ten Seconds ‘A Ricardian Argosy’, which will be available in May.

1. The Kingmaker’s Wife – The gentle acoustic music is a good fit for the story of Anne Beauchamp and her betrothal and marriage to Richard Neville, the Kingmaker. The backing vocals blend well with Ian’s lead vocals and the tune is pleasant and upbeat.
2. Edward of Middleham – this starts off with a simple guitar riff and then a deep building foreboding electronic interlude as Edward’s untimely death is mentioned. It carries on in a more upbeat fashion, with a nice rhythm.
3. In St John’s Chapel – the intro starts with dramatic drums and the music is electronic and interesting, the lyrics describing the coronation of Richard III, with very good backing vocals and excellent guitar breaks. I really like this one.
4. The Boar Lay Slain – this is a remix of one of my all-time favourite LTS tracks. It dramatically describes the death of Richard III and the subsequent Tudor reign. Richard is depicted heroically and dying valiantly, while Tudor, the dragon, is described as ‘With poison tongue and crooked hand’. The track continues describing Richard’s ‘resurrection’ in modern times, referring to his reputation. I recommend this one.
5. The Dun Cow Banner – The track starts off slowly, suggesting a plodding cow (the banner of Coventry), and describes the three banners that Henry took back to London after the Battle of Bosworth (St George, the Welsh dragon and the Dun Cow). A solid track.
6. Her Household – this track begins with an acapella vocal by Ian, with female backing vocals joining in, which is very effective. Then the music joins in, describing the household needs of a lady. I’m not sure to whom it refers, but it certainly stimulates the imagination – all kinds of produce and goods are listed ‘but not the love her heart desires’. And the box with the moeny to pay for it all is lacking funds. Could it be Elizabeth of York, being kept short of money by Tudor?
7. Yorkist Archer – This is melodic remix of another excellent song from the LTS, describing the three generations of a family who all fought in battle: at Towton for Edward IV, at Bosworth for Richard and at Flodden field for the Tudors (‘although in my heart, I’m a Yorkist’).
8. The Bones in the Urn – A lovely mellow guitar begins this and then a rhythmic beat begins, taking us on a trip via Stoke Field and describing the reasons the bones are not the princes in the Tower. There is a great bass guitar backing and lovely riffs.
9. One Evening in Northwood – This describes the founding of the Richard III Society as the Fellowship of the White Boar by Saxon Barton. It has a nice melody and good production.
10. King in the Car Park – This is another old favourite of mine – the tune is great and the lyrics are dramatic, describing King Richard lying, waiting to be rediscovered, under the car park, while feet walk above oblivious to what lies just a few feet beneath.
11. How Do You Rebury A King (2025) – A remix of another popular track, great guitar breaks, some of which are new, nice backing vocals and, as with all of Ian’s songs, a good story.
12. Tewkesbury Banners – This starts with a bass riff and then an acoustic guitar joins in, then Ian’s vocals. He describes the Battle of Tewkesbury and all the heraldry present in the coats of arms of those who fought there.
13. Song For Philippa – A slower, rhythmic song, describing Philippa Langley’s amazing discovery of Richard’s remains, including a mention of the film The Lost King. Nice harmonies to finish with.
14. That Noble King (Version Two) – This has a female lead vocal for a change and describes the treatment of Richard by the Tudor, his ignominious burial and the display of his body.

Bonus tracks available on Bandcamp:

1. Fatal Match – Starting with a medieval-sounding melody intro, this describes the marriage between Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, which led to fatal consequences for the Duke of York. It has a nice chorus with acapella vocals.
2. Richard the Three – This is a remix of a previously recorded track and has a catchy chorus. It relates the journey of Richard and his army to Bosworth and it’s quite lighthearted, mentioning IKEA and with a spoken sention of two women gossiping.

All in all this is very polished album, with a good mix of remixes of old favourites and new offerings. I especially like the electronic aspects of some of the tracks and the drums. There are also some lovely harmonies. If you haven’t heard the LTS before, give them a go – they are very catchy tunes.

This is their current biography:

The Legendary Ten Seconds is the solo music project of Ian Churchward who is the former guitarist of The Morrisons, who were featured on John Peel’s Radio One show in 1987.

Ian has a deep passion for blending rich historical narratives with his distinctive sound. His musical project took on new life in 2013 when Lord Zarquon joined forces with Ian, bringing additional depth to the recordings. Since then, a talented roster of guest musicians and vocalists have stepped in to contribute to the studio projects, the most recent being Jay Brown, who co-composed and recorded the evocative time travel track called the Time Stream.

Critically Acclaimed for Historical Folk-Rock
As The Legendary Ten Seconds Ian has made a name for himself in the folk-rock genre, notably for his historically inspired albums. He has received critical acclaim for the work chronicling the Wars of the Roses and the life of Richard III, focusing on England’s 15th century. The music is more than just entertainment; it’s a dedication to keeping history alive through story-driven songs that resonate with modern listeners.
Giving Back Through Music
In addition to crafting meticulously researched and artistically compelling albums, Ian has donated part of the proceeds from his music sales to a scoliosis charity.
Commissions and Collaborations
In 2018 he took the historical work to new heights with the release of the Mer de Mort album, commissioned by the Mortimer History Society in honour of its tenth anniversary. This album is a historically accurate collection of songs that delve into the fascinating and impactful history of the Mortimer family, from their roots in Normandy before the Battle of Hastings to their role in the 15th century. The album features narrative interludes read by the late actor John Challis—known for his iconic role as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses—who was a proud patron of the Mortimer History Society.
New Album on the Horizon
Ian has released numerous albums and his latest endeavour called ‘A Ricardian Argosy’ is due for release in May 2025. He continues his exploration of storytelling through music.
Contact:
For more information, interviews, or promotional material, please contact:
Ian Churchward:

Email: legendarytenseconds@gmail.com

Website: The Legendary Ten Seconds
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The Legendary Ten Seconds’ music is available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Bandcamp, as well as various other digital platforms.