Folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lisa Knapp, Marry Waterson (“the Patti Smith of the folk world”) and Nathaniel Mann (of the experimental folk ensemble Dead Rat Orchestra) are each known for their unique approach to folk music. This lot was doing leftfield before it became popular, and anything they are involved in is always a breath of fresh air. So imagine what they are capable of together…
The three of them have joined forces as Hack-Poet’s Guild and have released their debut single today.
Enter…the Daring Highwayman…(Roud 1553)
You have heard nothing like this! With Gerry Diver on production, they have concocted an edgy lead single that grabs you from the off. Where we’re usually used to hearing Lisa Knapp coursing through the high notes, this finds her taking it down to a street-level, almost punk delivery. It’s totally awesome and our song of the day.
It helps that Marry Waterson is also one of the most in-demand video animators out there…I’ve lost count of how many videos she is responsible for. Watch her accompanying video for Daring Highwayman, which is also our Song of the Day.
Their debut album, Blackletter Garland, is out on 10th March, and their new single is out now – https://hack-poetsguild.lnk.to/daring-highwayman. Their debut album is described as a high-concept album that boasts twelve fascinating interpretations and original compositions that tell intricate tales of birth, love, conflict and death, with all the imagination of the folklore from which they’re based.
The album is inspired by historic broadside ballads; the trio rejuvenate and reinvent these stories, bringing them vividly to life for a new generation. Following an invite to the Bodleian Library by Sound UK Arts, the disposable song sheets (that would’ve once sold for pence, and were the forerunners of modern news media) gave a rare insight into the past whilst striking a chord with themes still relevant today. Celebrated film composer and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Diver helped in their exploration as a producer, and in adding fresh ideas to these past texts.
Across the LP anecdotal, descriptive yarns are spun to a backdrop of atmospheric strings, rustic instrumentation and elegant vocal harmonies used precisely to communicate the victims as easily as they do the villains. The result is a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable balance between the traditional and contemporary.
They will be touring in March 2023: https://sounduk.net/events/hack-poets-guild/ and will be joined by band members Duotone and Laurence Hunt
Live dates 2023
17th March – Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds
18th March – More Music, Morecambe
19th March – Social, Hull
23rd March – Cecil Sharpe House, London
24th March – North Wall, Oxford (OCM)
25th March – Folk House, Bristol
26th March – Exeter, Phoenix
Track listing
- Ten Tongues
- Daring Highwayman
- The Devil’s Cruelty
- Laying The Ghost
- Birds Of Harmony
- Hemp & Flax
- Something To Love Me
- Meat For Worms
- The Troubles Of This World
- Rare Receipts
- Be Kind To Each Other
- Cruel Mother
Pre-Order the album – Bandcamp | OLI Records
More: https://hackpoetsguild.com/
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