The Eliza Carthy Trio’s ‘Conversations We’ve Had Before’, on which David Delarre and Saul Rose join Eliza, is “one of the best traditional folk releases of the year so far…an enigmatic and compelling album”.
Eliza Carthy, quite rightly, in my very humble opinion, rails against the “folk musician” label, much preferring to describe herself as a “modern English musician”. I trust, therefore, that this hot-Vimto-loving contemporary musical icon will forgive me if I state that Conversations We’ve Had Before is one of the best traditional folk releases of the year so far.
Having been privileged to have caught one of the Trio’s tour dates in April, a sold-out show in Kent, this album, their first, recorded I believe in 2020, comes close to re-living the verve and energy on display on that memorable evening, the passion and pure joie-de-vivre of the playing captured perfectly by Ben Seal.
The three musicians involved, Eliza on violin, octave violin, voice and mixing, David Delarre, guitars and voice and Saul Rose, melodeon and voice, blend with a strength akin to their geometrical shape counterpart. Indeed as with other trios, different genres, but think Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton & Ginger Baker, it is difficult to imagine this threesome with an element missing, such is the synergy between them.
Despite the potential impression suggested by the title, the release, dedicated to Paul Sartin, is no mere re-fashioning of old material into a new cloak. With one exception, the album consists entirely of traditional songs and tunes arranged by the Trio, not all of which are well known and which have been played together before but not recorded.
Knife In The Window, a bawdy version of Pretty Polly, gets things off to a rumbustious start. Thanks to the informative digital notes accompanying the Bandcamp download, Eliza informs us that she learnt this from Neill Maccoll during the filming of Thomas Vinterburg’s 2015 Far From The Madding Crowd film and that it was originally thought of for the second Wayward Band release. Sung to the tune of Hares On The Mountain, these ears detect a touch of Eastern European influence, even Klezmer in her violin playing.
The energy levels continue with Avington Pond (Roud 1654), a version of which appears in The Constant Lovers, collected by Richard Hall in 1905. It tells of a hardy band of mud-plumpers who divide their time one chilly December between dredging a freezing pond and drinking in The Plough in the titular Avington in Hampshire. It is partnered by a sparkling rendition of the Morris tune Mrs Casey.
A dramatic change of tempo and atmosphere follows as David’s cultivated guitar introduces an unhurried version of The Blind Beggar Of Bethnal Green. At just over six minutes, his playing alongside Saul’s understated and highly effective melodeon, together with Eliza’s stunning vocals and immaculate violin, exemplifies the aforementioned musical cohesion and understanding that exists between them.
There is no such dawdling on the tune set Pecket’s Black Mary / Love Lane. The former, in effect, two tunes, Peckets and Black Mary, both taken from John Offord’s John Of The Green Book, the latter the only non-trad offering on the album, composed by Eliza and her paean to a questionable pub in Newcastle in which she seemingly misspent much of her younger years.
Another fairly lengthy piece of seven and a half minutes sees The Spanish Lady’s Love, from Thomas Percy’s 1765 Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, giving Eliza ample opportunity to display her considerable vocal talents, paired with Planxty Charles Coote, a spritely Turlough O’Carolan tune discovered by David, a fascinating combination.
Away My Brave Boys is taken from the same Victorian songster and also references the Spanish Armada, although, in the accompanying notes, Eliza states that she is reminded of the Alfred Bryan song of 1915, in which a lonely mother laments the loss of her son in war. A boisterous piece, the initial regal instrumental opening, with melodeon to the fore, makes way for an a cappella three-part harmony.
Fast forward a century or so, and we are treated to The Message by John Donne set to music. The mournful violin, dolorous guitar notes and funereal melodeon provide a fitting accompaniment to the lyrics, which at a literal level in the original, refer to the author sending a message to one who has betrayed him. Still, Eliza’s rendition seems more steeped in aspects of potential revenge.
“Yet send me back my heart and eyes
That I may know, and see thy lies,
And may laugh and joy, when thou
Art in anguish
And dost languish
For some one
That will none,
Or prove as false as thou art now.”
After such a dark, atmospheric piece, things liven up again, after a decorous Saul start, with another set of tunes. Sword Dance / Cheshire Rolling Hornpipe are both taken from John Of the Green and again clock in at over seven minutes, giving all involved a chance to flex their considerable musical muscles.
Next up, Go From My Window / Whitefriars Hornpipe combines a slower song with a feisty tune learnt from Tim Van Eyken before the lullaby that is Golden Slumbers, with lyrics by Thomas Dekker from 1599, yes indeed the ones taken and changed by Paul McCartney, shows the range of Eliza’s vocal prowess and leads us to the two final and memorable tracks.
Eliza admits to learning the euphemistic-laden Bird In The Bush from the version sung by Frankie Armstrong on Topic’s 1966 anthology album The Bird In The Bush (Traditional Erotic Songs) from A.L. Lloyd, Anne Briggs & Frankie Armstrong with Alf Edwards and Dave Swarbrick. The version of the broadside, Roud 290, presented here, with its choral-like vocalisations in the background, is an inspired interpretation.
The closing track is a broadside ballad written by librettist Alfred Bunn for the 1836 opera, The Maid Of Artois, which Eliza sees as unique in addressing the issue of depression. The Light Of Other Days is delivered with an awesome but achingly chilling and desperate beauty, perfectly befitting the subject matter. It is doubtful that a more powerful and poignant five-and-a-half minutes will be heard this year.
“When winter winds are past, come hither,
To welcome back the spring
The very ivy on the ruin
In gloom full life displays
But the heart alone sees no renewing
The light of other days.”
As noted, Conversations We’ve Had Before is a digital-only release; it is to be hoped that such an enigmatic and compelling album receives the attention that it deserves.
The Eliza Carthy Trio are performing at Sidmouth Folk Festival and Bromyard Folk Festival.
More Eliza Carthy dates and ticket links here: https://eliza-carthy.com/gigs