A mystical and impassioned offering from The Furrow Collective powered by the energy of the moon.

Release Date: 27th November 2023

Label:  Hudson Records

Format: CD / LP / Digital

The Furrow Collective are a well-known and highly regarded name on the English folk circuit having been on the road since 2013 and with a BBC 2 Folk Award under their belt (Best Band in 2017) and 2 further nominations (for Best Group and Best Traditional Track in 2015).  The troupe are also individually well known in their own rights, with firm solo and collaborative careers, having built up reputations as strong performers outside of The Furrow Collective.  Together, Lucy Farrell (viola, voice, saw), Rachel Newton (harp, fiddle, voice), Emily Portman (banjo, concertina, voice) and Alasdair Roberts (guitars, vocals) are a force to behold; their music is wholesome, thought-provoking and captivating. They tell traditional folk stories and are an enthralling live band who dare you to not be enraptured by the stories they are presenting through song.  

For their latest album the group has teamed up with producer, Andy Bell who is also a household name in the English folk scene.  He’s worked with folk superstars, Bellowhead, Seasick Steve and Eliza Carthy to name a few.  They’ve certainly not pulled any punches with this record; it’s clear, clean and beautifully arranged.  

With this work set to be released on the full moon, the opening track, The Moon Shines Bright lures you quickly into the theme of the album; the dulcet tones and measured vocals in this song hypnotising and bewitching you through a dark tale depicting the fickleness of life itself.  The traditional harmonies are the perfect accompaniment, melding together flawlessly.  We slip fluidly into the 2nd track, The Moon Shined On My Bed Last Night which has a resemblance to the melody of another song The Lakes Of Ponchartrain made famous by Planxty and Paul Brady and I enjoyed the familiarity of that shared ground.  This song has a beautiful lilt accompanied by the banjo’s subtle and rolling tones, adding the perfect undertone to this number.   Another familiar folk staple, The Wife Of Usher’s Well is a spine-chilling story of a mother’s loss and hits you to the core with the raw grief of this story; the angular violin, emotionally charged vocal delivery and otherworldly sounds of this song really dive deep into the sadness of this tale.  

The album highlights the individuality of these musicians; their eclectic vocal style only adding to the diversity of sounds received through this listening journey. This by no means indicates this is not a cohesive album, it absolutely is. This anthology is a journey and the varying vocal styles and instrumental accompaniments only add to the sonic voyage. The linguistic diversity showcased here is also impressive with songs in English, Gaelic and German.

The dusky and mysterious atmosphere of the album shines through strong, you can lose yourself in its dark and haunting echos. The ethereal power and magnetism of this lunar-themed album pulls you inward, holds you close and settles you in for wintertide.  This is the perfect accompaniment to a long winter’s evening, the darkness drawing in, cosy nights by the fire and all things hibernal.

Here’s The Moon Shined On My Bed Last Night:

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