Virtuoso improv-folk duo The Ciderhouse Rebellion are quickly gaining a reputation for their astonishing prolificness: hot on the heels of their debut album ‘The Untold’ (reviewed here) Adam Summerhayes (fiddle) and Murray Grainger (accordion) produced two further albums in 2020, the remotely recorded ‘InCider Sessions’, and the spoken-word collaboration (as the trio Words Of a Fiddler’s Daughter with poet Jessie Summerhayes) ‘Runian’.
Never ones to stand still The Ciderhouse Rebellion are now pleased to announce their first music of 2021 with the release of an animated video for the tune ‘The Skinny Orphan’.
Originally commissioned by the winner of a ‘Folk Corona’ fundraising auction on Facebook, The Skinny Orphan is based on an ancient Sorbian melody and was recorded when the UK was in the first full lockdown.
Needing to hear and react to each other’s playing in order to realise their improvised pieces, Murray concocted an elaborate recording system based on the seemingly archaic landline telephone that relied upon ingenious use of microphones, deconstructed handsets, and gaffer tape.
Despite the audio limitations of this Heath-Robinson-esque setup, Adam and Murray embraced their situation to produce several beautiful recordings, The Skinny Orphan included.
When the time came to release the work into the world, the duo once again found themselves constrained by the ongoing pandemic restrictions in lockdown 3.0 and so, unable to record a traditional performance video, Adam took it upon himself to combine his videography and illustration skills to produce an animated video.
The result is a charming, if slightly unnerving, twist on the Little Red Riding Hood folk tale, mirroring the manner in which The Ciderhouse Rebellion have taken this old folk melody and arrived at something fresh and new.
This time last year The Ciderhouse Rebellion were looking forward to a run of performances in support of their debut album The Untold. Of course, as it happened, 2020 became a year in which their self-sufficient inventiveness became not only the seed of their musical collaborations, but the way in which they overcame the physical boundaries that have kept them apart whilst continuing to produce incredible art throughout these troubling times.
With plans afoot for even more exciting projects throughout 2021, the well of talent that these two master musicians possess remains full and flowing, an inspiration for other musicians and fans alike.
The Skinny Orphan will be available from Bandcamp and all the usual digital outlets from Friday 19th February – https://theciderhouserebellion.bandcamp.com/track/the-skinny-orphan
Website: https://theciderhouserebellion.com/