Our Song of the Day is The High Priestess and the Hierophant, the new single from Burd Ellen which is out 26th November on Thread Recordings. The single, backed by Mother, Go and Make My Bed, is available digitally and as a limited edition 7″ single. Burd Ellen is a Glasgow-based project featuring Debbie Armour (Alasdair Roberts, Green Ribbons) and Gayle Brogan (Pefkin, Electroscope).
The High Priestess along with the Hierophant are tarot cards, and, as with all tarot readings is open to interpretation, especially when cards are placed together as they are here. The High Priestess often represents wisdom and spirituality while the Hierophant often relates to dogma, tradition, convention and authority, themes which tie-in strongly with Debbie’s comments below:
“I’m a long-time collector and lover of tarot, and I’ve recently become drawn to the idea of finding parallels between interpretation of traditional song and the art of divination. Gayle and I are bringing together a new collection of songs that reflect the ideas, archetypes and imagery of the Major Arcana. ‘The High Priestess and the Hierophant’ is the first of these works. It’s a version of ‘Fair Annie’ (Child 62), a song which looks at patriarchy, arranged marriage, the complexities of maternal love and the bonds of sisterhood”.
As with all Burd Ellen creations, there is a beautiful ethereal quality to voice and music that draws you back, time and again. It sounds both timeless and contemporary but on a much deeper level, what’s more incredible, is how they manage to breathe new life into the old, aided by tarot cards, a form of divination that originates from the late 14th or early 15th century.
Pre-Order The High Priestess and the Hierophant via Bandcamp: https://burdellen.bandcamp.com/track/the-high-priestess-and-the-hierophant
Burd Ellen Live Dates
FRI 1 OCTOBER – Ravenous Cafe, Norwich
SAT 2 OCTOBER – Bobik’s, Newcastle Upon Tyne
SUN 3 OCTOBER – Bishops House, Sheffield
Tickets: https://www.burdellen.com/live