How time flies, it seems only a few years ago that Kris Drever enriched the folk music world with his debut album Black Water. It’s been longer than I imagined as he has just announced a brand new studio album If Wishes Were Horses. The album will be released by Reveal Records on March 28th 2016 and will mark his first decade as an acclaimed solo artist and songwriter. This will be his first solo album in six years. Of course, in those intervening years he’s been busy with his band Lau who have established themselves as one of the most unique and musically progressive trios on the British folk music scene. Their daring approach has done a lot to help make it the vibrant scene it is today. Of course, anyone who has their finger on the pulse will also know that Kris regularly features on other albums as a guest musician and vocalist, especially on the British folk scene, so I’m amazed, but very thankful, that he’s found the time to head back to the studio.
According to his website If Wishes Were Horses is a collection of semi-biographical songs covering the universal, and not so universal, themes of education, politics, sex, love, ennui, self-employment, social migration and Shetland. Drever’s recent outpouring of songs stems from a move back to the Northern Isles, Shetland this time rather than his native Orkney and the discovery of new lyrical voices to describe his life, times and wild new surroundings.
Joining Kris is famed guitarist extraordinaire Ian Carr who Kris once declared “Everyone pinches Ian’s harmonies and techniques and Rhythmic thinking.” Ian’s album Who He? was a Featured Album on Folk Radio UK (you can read the review of the album here).
Also joining him is bassist Euan Burton and Admiral Fallow frontman Louis Abbott on drums and vocals.
Kris is also making a call to fans: Alongside the new material from If Wishes Were Horses, Kris will revist old songs from across his back catalogue playing many outside of the recording studio for the first time. Fans can get involved by posting, on his Facebook page, old songs they would like to hear; Kris will then pick from those selections. You can find Kris Drever’s Facebook page here.
Pre-Order signed deluxe edition
Also, in order to help fund its recording fans can now pre-order the signed deluxe edition (includes bonus songs) from the Kris Drever store: Pre-order If Wishes Were Horses here.
Tour Dates
2016 Tour Dates have also been announced, see below: