On first listen to The Carrivick Sisters new album From the Fields you could easily be fooled into assuming they hail from America. They are in fact from South Devon and their music is inspired by the landscape and stories they have experienced in the South West. The Carrivick Sisters are twins Laura and Charlotte Carrivick and these 21 year olds have acheived a lot in a very short space of time, releasing their first CD, My Own Two Feet in 2006, Better Than 6 Cakes in 2007 and Jupiter’s Corner in 2009.
They began busking in 2006 before turning professional after leaving school in 2007. Fate played its hand when they won the South West Busker’s and Street Entertainer’s Competition in 2007 which landed them a spot at Glastonbury Festival. Laura also went on to achieve 2nd place at the RockyGrass Fiddle Contest in America and they were both finalists in the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards.
The musicianship on From the Fields is incredible and also has a great depth spirit and character. Between them they play guitar, mandolin, banjo, dobro and fiddle. They also have a number of guest musicians joing them to provide a richer sound:
John Breese (Banjo)
BJ Cole (Pedal Steel)
Eleanor Cross (Double Bass)
Matt Crum (Melodeon)
David Kosky (Guitar)
All except one of the ten songs and one instrumental are written by The Carrivick Sisters which is pretty amazing as they all have that timeless quality which you more often find in older folk songs. One such track Charlotte Dymond tells the well known tale of the servant girl, Charlotte Dymond, who was based at Penhale Farm, on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Her jealous lover Matthew Weeks later murdered her, he was later hung after her body was discovered.
I tried to hide it
Tried to save my own skin
But the mistress turned against me
With all her kith and kin
I know that I must Suffer
For this dreadful sin
Now the gallows await me
Hell’s gate says welcome in
Not all songs are based on folklore or the past. The wonderful If I had Time offers a shared sentiment of many who would love to leave their fast paced lives:
If I had time
I’d always travel the backroads
Going slow so I could see the view
If I had time
I’d meet the minds behind the faces
In the places I pass through
The songmanship is very mature and connected to the land and its people in a folkloric sense, they cover all angles of mankind that you’d expect in folk songs: love, loss and murder.
The one instrumental The Mouse, The Bird and The Sausage, inspired by a story from ‘Household Tales’ by Brothers Grimm has a crossover feel contrasting British and American folk in places, making you wonder what else they are capable of. These two young women have a long and fruitful career ahead of them and they will be appearing at many festivals this year so keep an eye out for them!
The album was produced by Joe Rusby (Kate Rusby’s brother) at Pure Record Studios and will be released in August 2011 but you can hear it on Folk Radio UK.
Video
Tracks
Tour Dates
2nd-3rd July – Cleckheaton Folk Festival
Cleckheaton, Yorkshire
Tickets: 01274 879761
4th July – Hebden Bridge Arts Festival
The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
Tickets: 01422 842684
5th July – The Brown Cow
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Tickets: 01623 825382
10th July – Quest Festival
Newton Abbot Race Course, Devon
16th July – Private Function
17th July – Private Function
17th July – The Green Note with Dry Bones Band and Thomas Bailey
Camden, London
Tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/120519
18th July – The Village Club, Nettlebed
Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire
Tickets: www.nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk
26th July – Dartford Folk Club
Dartford Working Men’s Club, Kent
Tickets: 01322 222553
30th July – Cambridge Folk Festival
The Club Tent, Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge
9th-10th August – Broadstairs Folk Week
Broadstairs, Kent
Tickets: www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk
25th August – Private Function
28th August – Purbeck Folk Festival
Langton Matravers, near Swanage, Dorset
Tickets: www.purbeckfolk.co.uk
2nd-3rd September – Didmarton Bluegrass Festival
Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire
Tickets: www.didmarton-bluegrass.co.uk
4th September – Burnham on Sea Folk Festival
Burnham on Sea, Somerset
Tickets: www.folkfest.co.uk
4th September – Moseley Folk Festival
Moseley, West Midlands
Tickets: www.moseleyfolk.co.uk
19th September – Colchester Arts Centre
Colchester, Essex
Tickets: 01206 500900
21st September – Edinburgh Folk Club
Edinburgh, Scotland
Tickets: 0131 650 2458 or ebort@ed.ac.uk
23rd September – Northwich Folk Club
Harlequin Theatre, Northwich, Cheshire
Tickets: 01565 733197 or tickets@northwichfolk.co.uk
24th September – Shammick Acoustic
The Pack O’ Cards, Coombe Martin, Devon
Tickets: 01271 882 300
14th October – Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre with the Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys
Taunton, Somerset
15th October – The Old Chapel
Calstock, Cornwall
Tickets: 01822 834465 or info@calstockarts.org
20th October – The Ritz Acoustic Club
Burnham on Sea, Somerset
Tickets: 01278 794 414
10th November – Farncombe Music Club @ St John’s Church Room
Farncombe, Surrey
Tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/julianlewrymusic
11th November – Stompin’ Dave Acoustic Roots Nights
RMA Tavern, Eastney, Hampshire
Tickets: 02392 820896
17th November – Square Sessions at the Folly Wine Bar
10-12 College Street, Petersfield, Hampshire
Tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/120039
18th November – The Village Pump
The Lamb Inn, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Tickets: 01225 707346
19th November – Weston Music Society Presents
Weston Parish Church, Hertfordshire
Tickets: details to follow
Artist Link
thecarrivicksisters.wordpress.com