Undertow

When Holly Brandon was seven she was taken to a Show of Hands gig, and was so enthralled by Phil Beer’s fiddle playing that she took up the instrument. Brandon provides fine fiddle breaks and some of the melodies on Undertow, The Magpies’ second album. Kate Griffin is an exceptional clawhammer banjo player and Bella Gaffney plays the banjo too and is an award-winning guitarist, subtly underpinning their sound. All three sing.

The Magpies define their music as ‘transatlantic folk’ and, yes, there is certainly bluegrass here, on the track ‘Fall on My Knees’ for instance There is a touch of country about the singing in ‘Pass Me By’ and pop music isn’t so far off in the title-track, but The Magpies’ music is more intriguing than this suggests. Québec, Ireland and England come together in the pacy, scrappy instrumental ‘Solstice’. Eastern Europe and India too, all make their presence felt. I wish their singing was clearer because the lyrics suggest that they have something substantial to say: ‘My body’s not my own / These bones are not my home’ and ‘You say to me what you can’t say to your wife.’ But the gorgeous melding of their voices rather disguises this.