Today marks the release of ‘The Longest Night’, a very welcome seasonal offering from one of our favourite bands, The Furrow Collective, featuring the unmistakable voices of Rachel Newton (also on Harp), Alasdair Roberts (Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar), Lucy Farrell (Tenor Guitar, Viola) and Emily Portman (Wurlitzer, Banjo). This will be new to all except those members of the excellent Hudson Club who got to hear this last year (highly recommended).
The four songs from The Longest Night EP came together during a residency at Halsway Manor, the National Centre for Folk Arts, in November of 2021, which can be found close to Folk Radio HQ, nestled in the Quantock Hills of Somerset. The EP was recorded and mixed by Andy Bell.
In the liner notes, they add: It was the first time we had all been together in the same space for over two years. We spent many happy hours browsing their library of folk songs, getting lost in the Quantock Hills and reconnecting after so long apart. And above all else, singing! Our producer and label boss Andy Bell came to see us while we were there to record these four songs. We shared them last year with the Hudson Club members, and we’re excited to share them now with you. Four carols to guide us into the festive season.
They each take turns on lead vocals across four carols, kicking off with Lucy Farrell on the rather appropriately secular winter Halsway Carol in which they ‘sing for the coming of the longest night’, from which the EP takes its title. It’s a modern carol from two Hurdy Gurdy players – the words from Iain Frisk and the tune from Nigel Eaton (Halsway Schottische), who wrote the tune while staying at Halsway Manor. Nigel is still producing great tunes, as evidenced by a video, we recently shared here (alongside that well-known video of him stealing the show from Page and Plant in 1995 on a Gallows Pole solo). The Furrow Collective transforms the carol using beautiful atmospheric backdrops and warm harmonies that intensify that winter feel. That magic touch is applied across the whole EP…the musical equivalent of mulled wine.
Those same harmonies coat The Cherry Tree Carol with some winter magic as Alasdair Roberts takes the lead on a ballad that is thought to date back to the 15th Century (Child Ballad 54) and to which they provide a more traditional-sounding sway.
Rachel Newton takes the lead on The Lambskin Carol, another modern carol, this time from the pen of Maddy Taylor, who has been singing traditional songs and writing in the folk style since she was a teenager, which leaves Emily Portman to take the lead for the finale – The Wexford Lullaby, a traditional tune with words by the late John Renbourn.
As they say, this is an album to huddle around the fire to. So grab yourself a copy, put your feet up and pour yourself a mug of mulled wine whilst you enjoy these spine-tingling harmonies and festive carols.
You can these carols on The Furrow Collectives winter tour in London, York, Oxford, Sheffield, New Galloway and Edinburgh (see below for more details).
Order now via Bandcamp: https://thefurrowcollective.bandcamp.com/album/the-longest-night
The Furrow Collective – We Know By The Moon Winter Tour
December 20222 NCEM, York Cancelled (York is being rescheduled to next year)
8 King’s Place, London
9 Contemporary Music, Oxford
10 Live at Sam’s/LTYLR, Sheffield 11 Catstrand, New Galloway
12 Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
For details on Halsway Manor’, they put on’s regular workshops, concerts and events, visit: https://halswaymanor.org.uk/