The Furrow Collective - At Our Next Meeting (2014)

"The Furrow Collective delves into an obscure world of balladry at its darkest and quirkiest. At Our Next Meeting brings gems from the traditional repertoires of four of the finest folk musicians from both sides of the English/Scottish border. Daringly exposed, unaffected voices are accompanied by harp, guitar, viola, concertina, banjo, fiddle and musical saw. With a bold, improvisatory approach, their focus is to capture the raw edges and fleeting magic of narrative song, with storytelling at the centre.

Emily Portman and Alasdair Roberts are both celebrated for their original, folklore-influenced songwriting and have collaborated on several previous albums. Lucy Farrell and Rachel Newton are bewitching solo artists, sought-after session players and long-time members of The Emily Portman Trio.

Brooding gallows tales of hedonistic exploits are embodied in the opening duet Wild And Wicked Youth and The Outlaw Of The Hill . Epic ballads of disguise, trickery and true love are interpreted with finesse in Hind Horn and King Henry , both set against lush instrumental backdrops with rousing refrains. The atmospheric soundscapes of Skippin Barfit… , Henry Lee , Johnny my Man and Demon Lover display a refined, minimalist intensity and gripping vocal delivery. The Furrow Collective masterfully portray heartbreak and desolation in The Blantyre Explosion and an inspired interweaving of two parallel tales in Handsome Molly and Our Captain Calls . While each vocalist has their own accomplished style, their harmonies shine out in folk hymn Wondrous Love and the disarming closing track I d Rather Be Tending My Sheep .

Warmly accessible yet raw and uncompromising, At Our Next Meeting shows a breadth of Scottish and English folk traditions with four artists at the height of their powers."

TRACKLIST
01. Wild and Wicked Youth
02. King Henry
03. Skippin' Barfit Through the Heather
04. The Outlaw of the Hill
05. Henry Lee
06. Wondrous Love
07. Hind Horn
08. Handsome Molly
09. Our Captain Calls
10. Johnny My Man
11. Demon Lover
12. The Blantyre Explosion
13. I'd Rather Be Tending My Sheep