Wing of Evening

The vocal percussion on the Scottish whaling song ‘Greenland’ that opens this album typifies the raw beauty that is exhibited throughout. This is the debut from a trio of English folk musicians who are already well established. Wiltshire folk singer Rosie Hood is currently a BBC Performing Arts Fellow with the English Folk Dance & Song Society. Concertina player Matt Quinn and guitarist Jamie Roberts are veterans of numerous folk groups including Kerfuffle, The Mighty Quinns and the Eliza Carthy Ceilidh Band.

This collection draws on their respective Wiltshire and Yorkshire traditions, focusing particularly on songs collected by Alfred Williams in southern England. Eight English folk songs include the moving military tales ‘The Rose of York’ and ‘The Lady and the Soldier’. This trio has a wonderfully cohesive sound and their combined vocal talents contribute to the album's depth and texture. Three tracks take us further afield – the aforementioned Scottish opener, a French Canadian tune set and an epic American folk song about the death of a young girl on a freezing night. The latter's haunting melody will stay with you long after the music fades.