Words of a Fiddler’s Daughter – Ironstone Tales

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Ironstone Tales is the second part of a collaboration between the Ciderhouse Rebellion (Adam Summerhayes on violin and Murray Grainger on accordion) and Adam’s daughter, Jessie, a poet and spoken word artist. The music is created ‘in the moment’ around Jessie’s words which are, in turn, inspired by the landscape of the Rosedale Valley in Yorkshire and the stories that populated her childhood play in those places. Attempts to bring together spoken word and music, improvised or otherwise, can sometimes fall between two stools in that the virtuosity required for such partnerships can sometimes become competitive. It is an absolute pleasure to find that this does not happen here. Adam and Murray improvise their music based on the narrative content and create an ambience or soundscape that belongs to the story being told in a way that seems natural and appropriate.

Many would describe Jessie as a storyteller. Her words indeed tell stories, and there are times when I think of the Homeric tales where the stories were delivered in a declamatory style to the accompaniment of a lyre or other instrument. There have also been more modern collaborations between modern storytellers and musicians (check out ‘The Devil’s Violin’ with Daniel Mordern and Oliver Wilson-Dickson or some of the work of Hugh Lupton or Nick Hennessy). But Jessie’s work treads its own path. Like the very best poetry, there is rhyme and meter in the words that reveal themselves as the words unfold while never imposing themselves and turning the work into something predictable or formulaic. The music helps in this, but please don’t ask me to explain why. Most of these pieces are lengthy, some approaching ten minutes, and I found myself needing (and, indeed, wanting) multiple listens to really appreciate the immersive experience on offer here. Patience will be rewarded.

Each of the eight tracks, as you might expect, varies with the story being told. ‘Where Lightning Goes To Die’ was recorded near the place in Rosedale where local legend says the earliest ironstone was found. A story they describe as being of ‘lightning-struck rocks, dragons, excitation and the greed of men’. If that sounds epic, you won’t be surprised by the dramatic music and declamatory vocal delivery. It sends chills up the spine and is heavy with a sense of place. ‘Castle’ has a delightful ambience created by Adam and Murray as Jessie tells the tale of the ruins of the New Kilns that awaken from their long sleep to become a castle for a child queen. It’s the kind of piece that recalls fairytales or Tolkienesque legends. It is long, at over seven minutes, but the time passes all too quickly for me.

For me, the album’s real highlight is the wonderful ‘Asleep in My Hat’. Set to some very danceable playing, this is a strange tale. Maybe you knew (I didn’t) that the boys in the mines used to tie a string around their trousers to deter rats. Well, rats are all very well, but the mines are home to goblins, too, and here we have the gloriously imaginative story of the boy who chooses to save a rat from the goblins ‘to save his soul’, and the story ends…well, I won’t spoil it, but the title may give you a clue. It’s a hugely enjoyable track, and I bet it will go down a storm in live performance.

I enjoyed this album from beginning to end. It’s not something to dip into for a quick listen. Set aside some time and allow yourself to get lost in some fine music and terrific storytelling for a while without interruption. You would need a heart of stone not to enjoy such an immersive experience.

Ironstone Tales is out now and available to order via Bandcamp: https://wordsofafiddlersdaughter.bandcamp.com/album/ironstone-tales

Watch their new video for Be What? below:

Website: https://fiddlersdaughter.com/