Whilst all the songs on Bird in the Belly’s forthcoming debut album ‘The Crowing’ share a similar thread – being old forgotten British stories re-imagined as modern folk songs – the band’s latest offering ‘Versus on Daniel Good’ (our Song of the Day) stands-out for chilling reasons.
Whilst predecessors ‘Horace in Brighton’ (November 2017) and ‘Give Me Back My Heart Again’ (February 2018) were based on forms of 18th-century fiction, ‘Verses on Daniel Good’ tells the real-life story of the murder of Jane Jones by her lover Daniel Good. The story, dating back to 1842, has all the markings of a dark English folk song, an affair gone wrong, an unwanted child, a very grizzly murder and an execution. It’s the first single from Bird in the Belly where alt-folk artist Jinnwoo has taken the lead with vocals and his distinctive voice weaved with the gentle tones of Laura Ward of Hickory Signals brings to life the song’s haunting tale, whilst the multi-instrumental crescendos offer a dramatic flair befitting of the dark subject matter.
Bird in the Belly are formed of aforementioned alt-folk artist Jinnwoo and traditional folk duo Hickory Signals, plus multi-instrumentalist and producer Tom Pryor and visual artist and musician Epha Roe. Indicative of the band’s debut album ‘The Crowing’ from which it is taken, ‘Versus on Daniel Good’ is a raw and visceral folk song that sounds both contemporary and ancient simultaneously, with a 60’s folk revival sound courtesy of being mastered by legendary folk label Fellside Records.
‘Verses on Daniel Green’ was released digitally on 16 March, with Bird in the Belly’s debut album ‘The Crowing’ following on 23 March both released via GFM Records.
Bird in the Belly Live:
22 March: Lantern Society, London
8 July: The Sail Lot Folk Club, Essex
https://www.facebook.com/birdinthebelly