Sing Yonder 2 - Track by Track
In which I ruminate at length about the artists on the forthcoming album, Sing Yonder 2
I started thinking about this album about a year ago, after the success of Sing Yonder 1. Sometimes the second album is difficult and painful. This has been anything but that - the artists involved have really gone beyond anything I could have hoped for, and I’m proud and delighted to be delivering an album that is so magnificently varied and beautiful - a real cross section of what is going on with the interpretation and performance of traditional song today.
Roud 11: Clear Away the Morning Dew
by Matt Quinn
Hopefully everyone should know Matt Quinn for his tireless work on the UK traditional folk scene - a regular participant in many of our major traditional folk festivals, Matt also has an impressive array of recording projects. He has recently produced a great album with George Sansome, one of my favourites from the last couple of years. He also has a new vocal trio with Lizzie Hardingham (who also provided a brilliant track on Sing Yonder 1) and Seb Stone, called Culverake. His solo work is also not to be missed. If that’s not enough, he puts on gigs, sessions and ceilidhs around the Sheffield area. And last but by no means least, you should check out his brilliant podcast, In The Roud, in which he is working his own way through the Roud index in podcast form (plus lots of fascinating bonus episodes on his Patreon), and a more thoroughly researched and expertly presented podcast on traditional song you will not find - check it out on all the usual podcast platforms.
For Sing Yonder 2, Matt recorded a beautiful version of Roud 11, often known as The Baffled Knight, in which a rather forward gentleman attempts, unsuccessfully, to seduce a beautiful maiden, and ends up flailing around hopelessly in the river for his troubles. Matt’s simple and direct approach, with great storytelling verve, was exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to start the album with.
Roud 12: The Tri-Coloured House
by Satnam Galsian
I learned about Satnam when I stumbled across her brilliantly non-standard versions of well known folk standards Black is the Colour and She Moved Through the Fair, which she recorded with her trio Kinaara - they are striking and original interpretations that fuse traditional song, with the sounds and textures of Indian raga and prog folk rock instrumentation. I love it when traditional song is taken out of its usual confines and fused with other cultures - it really is for me one of the best things about being human. We are all stronger together, in life and in music. Also make sure to check out her beautiful solo work here.
With this in mind I asked her to be part of Sing Yonder 2. Thankfully she agreed, and recorded, with her producer Mac Volpe on guitar, a unique and mesmerising version of The Tri-Coloured House (often better known as Scarborough Fair).
Roud 13: Yarrow
by Lunatraktors
Back in 2024, I saw the lovely Lunatraktors play in Cafe #9, a tiny but utterly magical venue nestled in the tree-lined suburbs of Sheffield. How can you describe them? I’m not sure I can adequately, you will have to see them for yourselves. Their show is a kind of percussive audio-visual folk-art spectacular, heavily infused with earthy spirituality and dark magic - it really is like nothing you will have seen or heard before.
I was so happy when they agreed to work on something for Sing Yonder 2, and, predictably and much to my delight, I had no idea what to expect. They really pulled out all the stops - their track is filled with environmental sounds, booming percussion and overflowing with their trademark visceral vocal passion, which really takes the listener on a journey. I adored the way they took the time to research and reinterpret the song so it fit so comfortably in their own souls. I love them with all my heart, and I hope you will too - make sure you buy all their albums.
Roud 14: The Demon Lover
by Cath and Phil Tyler
I have been a big fan of Cath and Phil Tyler for many years. Cath’s American heritage brings a rich, raw US folk flavour to their songs, and Phil’s imaginative and powerful instrumentation on guitar and banjo really gives their music a majestic drive and depth. And their harmonies are profoundly beautiful, really maximising the emotional impact of their ballad singing. If I was forced to pick my favourite folk albums of all time, their 2018 “The Ox and the Ax” would easily be in the top 5.
So I almost couldn’t believe it when they agreed to make a track for Sing Yonder 2 - and they delivered a simply recorded but utterly beautiful version of The Demon Lover (more commonly known in the US as The House Carpenter) - Cath’s distinctive richly textured vocal style making a really well known ballad reach new heights of emotion. I love it so much.
Roud 15: The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter
by Harp and a Monkey
My favourite folk acts often seem to have something in common - they respect and value the traditional repertoire, while poking at it mischievously from unexpected directions. Harp and a Monkey are a great example of that approach. I can’t think of another band, folk or otherwise, that regularly uses both a glockenspiel and electronic looped sounds. They are true innovators. They are also wonderful storytellers; every gig I have been to (and that is quite a few as they operate in roughly the same geographic area as me) has been both an inspiration and an education, as well as full of sublime musical delight. They were one of the first people I thought of asking for this album.
The version of The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter they have delivered for Sing Yonder is filled with an elegiac doom-laden atmosphere, befitting the song perfectly, with lovely rich string accompaniments. It’s a very common song, and this is a confidently unique addition to all the versions out there, absolutely wonderful stuff.
Roud 16: The Frog and the Mouse
by Bity Booker
I can’t remember where and how I first heard London-based singer-songwriter Bity (pronounced bee-tee) Booker, but her unique voice stayed with me, and when I was thinking about people to contribute to the album, I had to ask her. She chose this brilliant little song, and I’m so glad she did because it fits perfectly. It’s such an interesting story; seemingly on the surface it’s a simple children’s song about animals having a wedding party, and then ending with their slaughter, but it has hidden depths, as covered on the episode of the aforementioned Matt Quinn’s In The Roud podcast episode. The particular version that Bity sings is quite faithful to the one given in the book, although she respectfully glosses over the more gruesome aspects. Older versions of the song have a “nonsense” chorus, and then, as I wrote in the book, Sing Yonder vol. 2:
…a Cheshire farmer called Leslie Haworth reclaimed it in the 1950s and made his own hyper-local version that tells the original animal story, but also helpfully extols the virtues of Cheshire farm produce in its rousing chorus. He taught it to Pete Seeger and thus gained a very specific kind of immortality, for both himself and for Cheshire cheese.
I love Bity’s take on this. I hope you do too. If you do, make sure you check out her other music, you will not be disappointed.
Roud 17: The Three Butchers
by Alice Jones
Alice hails from West Yorkshire - a fact you can’t avoid when you first hear her singing with her distinctive accent; a beguiling sound that is the audio version of honey dripping off toast. She is also a brilliant dancer and multi-instrumentalist, and wearer of some spectacular sparkly outfits. I’m so glad she sent me a version of The Three Butchers for this album - it starts with the usual lovely singing and tenor guitar playing fans of Alice might be familiar with, and then at the perfect moment the foreboding harmonium kicks in (how she manages to do both at once is a mystery that will only be solved if you go and see her live - and I insist that you do - whether it’s a solo gig or her duo concerts with fellow Yorkshire singer and Sing Yonder 1 alumnus Bryony Griffith).
Roud 18: In Brunton Town
by Frankie Archer
Frankie has been on a real journey in the last year or so. I saw her in my local town in a tiny guitar shop, to an audience of about 25 people. She was incredible, weaving musical spells with her voice, fiddle, and a small table brimming with electronic wizardry; the small room was totally bewitched. It felt such a privilege to be there, I immediately knew I would love her to be on an album. So I asked her and to my absolute delight she agreed. The next thing I know, there she was on the actual telly, performing brilliantly her song Oxford City for the nation with Jools Holland and Take That for an audience. And then there she was on a huge stage at Glastonbury, and then supporting The Last Dinner Party at big gigs… I felt so lucky she had agreed to join the Sing Yonder gang, like Tom Cruise had agreed to be in my school play.
Frankie chose the song In Bruton Town to record for the album. This ballad is about a young woman falling in love with someone below her social status, and the sadly dire consequences that followed. Frankie took the song and applied her own twist, adding creepy and discordant tones, the whole thing has an uncomfortable, disturbing air, with Frankie’s beautiful voice shimmering over the top. What a gift. Amazing.
Side note: You may be wondering why Frankie sings “Brunton” instead of “Bruton”. Well, this is the folk process in action. If you know anything about traditional song, you should know it’s a process of wearing away at some undefined original material, changes being made through the generations due to forgetfulness, imperfect transcriptions, and deliberate changes to reflect changing geography, artistic preference or social moods. Often we have no idea when, where or why these changes occur. In this case, Frankie just misread it, and by the time she realised this, it was too late to record it again. And it turns out, she prefers it, and so do I. Not just because it sounds more percussive and blunt, but also because it’s a perfect insight into the oral folk tradition, and we get to experience the transmogrification of a traditional song, live and in the flesh. For me, a perfect outcome.
Roud 19: The Nobleman and the Thresher
by The Wilderness Yet
All three members of brilliant Sheffield-based trio The Wilderness Yet (Rowan Piggott, Rosie Hodgson and Philippe Barnes) are musical geniuses in their own right. When they come together magic happens. They took the rough demo I published in the Sing Yonder book and arranged an exquisite unaccompanied harmony version of this relatively rarely performed paean to the joys of farming life, and it is performed immaculately here. I’m so glad they were involved; it’s so great to have just the pure unadulterated beauty of the human voice in amongst every other varied approach on the album. Divine. Buy their music here.
Roud 20: False Knight on the Road
by Lazlo Baby
These are great locally-based pals of mine, I have the pleasure and honour to have frequent and various musical adventures with them. They are the most fun band to have at any event, totally uplifting and boppable balkan ska, punk-folk and brilliant self-penned songs. I happened to know they are also big fans of traditional song, and I knew they could do something imaginative and jolly in the face of almost any source material. I was delighted when they decided to provide a version of False Knight on the Road, and couldn’t wait to see what they came up with. And they absolutely delivered.
They took what is often a presented as a very serious and devout riddle ballad and turned it into a happy, groovy tale of a child unperturbed by some strange interloper trying to quiz him, when he just wants to go and see his dog. (Yes, they are as uncomfortable about singing about God as me, a fellow heathen, so why not change it?) With their lovely little instrumental flourishes, and the weaving of the dance tune The Balquhidder Lasses through the song, I couldn’t imagine a more joyfully rambunctious way to end the album.
The track was recorded and mixed by bass plucking supremo and my Gally Canters band mate Eddie Pitman.
EXCEPT…
That’s not quite the end. After the people I ask to be on the album have chosen nine of the songs, I ventured to social media and asked anyone out there to have a go at the last one. This time I was sent three lovely versions of the The Three Butchers to offer as bonus tracks on the album. I’m so grateful for anyone who spends their time doing this, nothing is more exciting than a mystery WAV file winging its way through my digital letterbox. Thank you so much for being part of it. So, I’m proud to present to you:
BONUS 1 - Roud 17: The Three Butchers
by Liz Hassack
Liz is a singer songwriter based in Australia. Playing guitar, uke and occasionally bodhran and kalimba, she sings folk songs from past and present as well as writing her own folk inspired songs. Some of her recent songs have been about Anne Bonny, the Fisherrow Fishwives and a Malevolent Mermaid in Blakemere.
Liz can be found on the usual social media platforms; on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
BONUS 2 - Roud 17: The Three Butchers
by Cooper and Toller
Cooper and Toller are a trad folk duo based in Bristol.
Website: www.cooperandtoller.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cooperandtoller
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cooperandtoller/
and on Spotify.
BONUS 3 - Roud 17: The Three Butchers
by Kate Campbell-Green
“I played citole and ukulele on the track and sang too. I wanted to reflect the subject matter of the song by changing the key from major to minor. The drone of the citole is there to add a sense of foreboding and inevitability. I'm a classically trained musician turned self taught multi instrumentalist. I mainly sing, write songs and facilitate musical opportunities for all ages.
“My SoundCloud is https://on.soundcloud.com/ZeQovRb24RkqXtLx9 “
AND FINALLY…
A huge part of making all these wildly varied and diversely recorded tracks work as a coherent whole is the brilliant Bon Holloway from High Peak Recordings. Don’t ask me how he does it, but I’m fairly certain that in order to achieve this unearthly feat there’s some kind of dark magic at work, so it’s better we don’t know. However it’s achieved, the first album sounded amazing considering some of the recordings were made on mobile phones in noisy environments. This time all the recordings are great quality, so the listening experience should be superb. Thank you Bon.
That’s it. Thanks again to everyone who has been involved in creating this album and making my dreams come true.
Click here to preorder the album. It will be exclusively available on Bandcamp, and not on any streaming services. All the proceeds are distributed equally between the artists, so you will be directly supporting them to make more great music like this, and me to go through the sometimes tortuous process of putting it all together. The preorders really help with production costs, so thank you so much to everyone that has ordered so far. Please note: paid subscribers to this newsletter will receive a digital copy of the album for free as part of their subscription.