As previously featured on Folk Radio UK, English songwriter and former Hefner frontman Darren Hayman has released another video (also our Song of the Day) from his upcoming new album Thankful Villages II. The album is the second in a trio of planned albums in which continues his journey around the United Kingdom’s 54 Thankful Villages where he intends to ‘create some visual and audio artwork in situ.’ A Thankful Village is a settlement where every soldier returned alive from World War 1. The term was coined by Arthur Mee in his ‘King’s England’ series of guides.
For the latest, he headed to Chantry in Somerset which is near Frome. He shared the following about the song:
Sometimes the songs are reflections of the villages. Other times the villages reflect my own troubles back at me. In Chanty I was glad to find the church open so just sat down and sung this into my iphone. I wrote the lyrics in the visitor book.
It was Easter and a jesus with a barbed wire crown haunted me as I sung.
Thankful Villages Vol. 2 is due out on 26 May via Rivertones. To mark the album release, Darren will be playing an album launch show on Friday 26 May at London’s Horse Hospital, which has now sold out. The great news is that due to popular demand, Darren Hayman will be playing an additional date at the same venue on Thursday 25th May. Support comes in the shape of Rivertones labelmates July Skies. Caught by the River’s ever-reliable MC John Andrews will be on hand to oversee proceedings. Tickets are £12.00, and are available here. He will also be playing a series of gigs in Thankful Villages across the country over the summer.
