Eliza Carthy has announced the release of her new solo album ‘Restitute’ (to be released on 14th February 2019). Available as a deluxe Ltd Edition Double CD via her website, the release will help to raise the much-needed funds for her band. In the video below, she talks about some of the issues they faced around the release of Big Machine including the loss of funds during the recording before being rescued by Topic Records. She stated the following on her website:
Every loving note played on this album, and every penny raised from this Limited Edition, is dedicated to paying the members of the (UK) Wayward Band in restitution for the monumental con they suffered in 2016. It cannot be stated strongly enough what an honourable and hardworking bunch they are, and how much they and we did not deserve what happened.
I very much hope that this album, my first traditional ‘solo’ album in fourteen years, will help us all heal.
Eliza wanted to make the album sound like it was recorded at home “that feels like it’s doing something good for the right reasons”, with this in mind she decided to record the album in her bedroom, at her home in Robin Hood’s Bay. She will not be completely alone as special guests include Martin Carthy, Jon Boden, Dave DeLarre, Ben Somers & Ben Seal who also recorded the album. She managed to cram five people into the bedroom during the recording which she admits was a funny experience.
Most of the album is live with little editing. Ben Seal explains in the video that they wanted to achieve an authentic recording. The album promises to resonate the warmth that was captured in the room during the recording. Eliza explains “I feel you can hear the real warmth in the room, it’s important to me that it recognises my home and that it recognises what we’re trying to do, and what we’re trying to do is about family”.
In the true English folk tradition, all the songs are about loneliness, betrayal or death…Eliza explains that the album is about a pilgrimage towards friendship from a dark place. Some of the songs will be familiar to fans including two songs sung with Jon Boden which they have performed live for many years such as Dream of Napoleon, a ballad Eliza learned from her family which has never been recorded before. The Slave’s Lament, which appeared on the first Waterson:Carthy album, also makes an appearance. It’s a song Eliza has been performing for some time but this recording better reflects the way she performs it live, especially the way she plays the violin.
The Limited Edition release features artwork in the form of hand-drawn exclusive art cards and a surprising element…a second disc…an audiobook ‘The Announcer’s Daughter’ read by Eliza with original music written by Eliza and played by Eliza and Ben Seal. The story was originally broadcast on Radio 4 (Stories from Composers) in 2014 as an abridged version so you can hear it in its full glory for the first time which Eliza recommends is great for bedtime listening.
Pre-Order Restitue (out on 14th Feb) here http://www.eliza-carthy.com/restitute/