A warming celebration of winter traditions from trailblazing Massachusetts vocal quartet, Windborne.
Release Date: 31st January 2025
Label: Wand’ring Feet Records
Formats: CD / Digital
A THIRD ALBUM
Just a few days ago, we shared the news that trailblazing Massachusetts vocal quartet, Windborne will be visiting these shores between mid-January and early February for a run of shows (see full details here). Now, we’re pleased to share our enthusiasm for the group’s new album, To Warm The Winter Hearth.
To Warm The Winter Hearth is Windborne’s third album. It follows their 2017 debut, Song On The Times and the 2022 follow-up Of Hard Times And Harmony. As the album’s title suggests, it’s a collection of winter songs. Wassails, songs of solstice and music for midwinter, not just sung in English, but also in Lithuanian and Occitan (the neo-Latin language still spoken in areas of Southern France, Northern Italy and Catalonia).
Before getting too carried away in our explanation of what the album is all about let’s remind ourselves about Windborne. With a twenty-year background studying polyphonic music from around the world, Lauren Breunig (vocals, jaw harp), Jeremy Carter-Gordon (vocals, banjo, drum), Lynn Rowan (vocals, kanklės, jaw harp, feet) and Will Rowan (vocals, guitar, drum) effortlessly shift between different types of music on a journey that spans continents and centuries, illuminating and expanding upon the power and variation of the human voice.
MUSIC YOU’D NEVER HEAR AT THE MALL
As always, the quartet’s signature four-part harmonies are the star attraction on To Warm the Winter Hearth. Several of the songs also enjoy the embellishment provided by guitar, banjo, Lynn’s kanklės (a Lithuanian lap harp – it’s pronounced ‘KAHN-klace) and help from guests Yann Falquet (accordion) and Katie McNally (fiddle).
Speaking of the inspiration behind the album, band member Jeremy Carter-Gordon explains: “As we have developed our own holiday traditions, we have felt particularly drawn towards the music that connects us to friends, community, and nature. This album is not an exhaustive catalogue of all the celebrations that happen in midwinter. Rather, it’s a collection of songs that represent some of the folklore and rituals that are meaningful to us.“
TRADITION BEARERS
“We are deeply grateful to the tradition-bearers who came before us ,” he continues. “The countless known and unknown people who sang these songs in their homes and in pubs, down country lanes, and on concert stages. They gave us the customs that we hold dear today. This album is an homage to all of them. These are songs for celebration and reflection, festivity and wonder, and we hope they will become part of the cycle of your year as they have for us.”
“The season of midwinter was rich with song and tradition in the folk communities of New England where we were raised. Friends would gather to celebrate the light and warmth of sharing space with one another, and to revel in the sound of voices raised in harmony. In our households, putting on the “holiday music” meant albums filled with wassails, songs of the Winter Solstice, old English carols, and other music you’d never hear at the mall. Music came from a variety of midwinter customs like house-to-house visiting and singing back the sun on Solstice morning as we marked the turning of the year.”
If a summary like that one doesn’t make you want to nestle beside a log fire, with a warming glass of rich red wine to hand, whilst you listen to the treats on offer, maybe you’re made of ice yourself! It’s a sumptuous package, too. The album comes complete with a songbook. Beautifully illustrated by artist Matt Spencer’s watercolours really add to the fireside warmth that the twelve songs of To Warm The Winter Hearth so readily invoke.
Picture: Michelle Frehsee
A NEW DIMENSION TO AN OLD FAVOURITE
Windborne learned opening track, Here We Come A-Wassailing, from the singing of The Watersons. It’s a well-known song, and they do it proud. The stunning richness of the vocal harmonies sound more like they’re being generated by a full-blown choir, rather than by a four-piece ensemble and the Massachusetts accents add an interesting new dimension to a song that’s so deeply embedded in English traditions.
The Boar’s Head Carol dates back to the 15th century, when it was sung to accompany the serving of a roast boar at the Christmas Day banquet at Queen’s College, Oxford. It’s another well-loved Christmas song and many listeners will be familiar with the version recorded by Steeleye Span back in 1977. Windborne’s version is lush and stately – almost operatic in presentation – and Will’s guitar, Yann’s fiddle and Katie’s accordion add just the right amount of additional depth.
A CORSICAN TWIST…
Come And I Will Sing You, a song that shares its origins with Green Grow The Rushes-O, was taught to Lauren by her father, Fred, a member of the folk band, Nowell Sing We Clear. Driven along by a galloping percussive rhythm, Windborne put a lot of joy into their breathless delivery of the song, before they return to the inspiration of The Watersons for a magical interpretation of Malpas Wassail. The song’s origins are in the Cornish village of Malpas and there’s certainly an element of Cornish shanty-ing in Windborne’s delivery. There’s also a special twist in the imaginative harmonies that the band credit to their love of Corsican music.
…AND A LITHUANIAN CELEBRATION
To Warm the Winter Hearth does not confine its inspirations to English-speaking cultures and I was intrigued to discover that the rituals of Kalėda – the ancient Lithuanian midwinter holiday – share many similarities with the English wassailing tradition. Windbourne bring that Lithuanian tradition to vivid life with Aisim Bernai Kalėdaut (Come On Boys, Sing Kalėda!) The song is grand and dramatic and Windbourne’s harmonies take on a slightly sinister edge, as the accompanying drum provides added gravitas.
Lynn’s kanklės brings a genuine medieval feel to The Holy Holly, a version of The Holly and the Ivy, sung to a tune composed by Scottish musician Ali Burns. Once again, the four vocalists combine to create a sound that is far bigger than its component parts. Their voices truly evoke a scene of snow-bedecked holly trees.
For The Cherry Tree Carol, Windborne have adopted the tune from the English ballad, Searching For Lambs. The resulting delivery sounds less like a hymn and more like a folk song and lends focus to the song’s lyrics and the story being told. As the song reaches its climatic final verse, the vocalists apply a series of overlapping phrases. It creates a dreamy chant-like incantation that emphasizes the shift in the story from the human realm to the supernatural.
OCCITAN TRIUMPHALISM
The number of Occitan speakers who get to enjoy To Warm the Winter Half might constitute a fairly small minority of listeners. That’s not really important as a working knowledge of the language isn’t necessary for the pleasure and triumphalism in the lyrics to Satan Es Ben Estonat/Lo Paure Satan (Satan Was Very Surprised/Poor Satan) to be appreciated. The track combines a pair of carols written by 16th century monks in Avignon, France. In the first of the carols, Satan throws a temper tantrum in reaction to the celebrations of Christmas. The second says: “Poor Satan he’s cooked like a chicken! He looks like a sad fish! He’s in such a bad state that you won’t hear from him anymore – he’ll only be seen in paintings.” Female voices lead the jeering, and drums and percussion underpin the fun that’s being had at Old Beelzebub’s expense.
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
Windborne like to include a measure of social commentary in their songs and they’ve chosen the 19th century broadsheet ballad, Time to Remember The Poor, to serve that purpose here. It’s a melancholy song, sung with respect and sympathy. Windborne bring a dash of 21st century relevance by including an additional final verse, in which they ask: “Whose lives have worth? Is it those by the fireside, or those in the street? Should it be all the luck of your birth?” Listeners are encouraged to consider that question and respond.
As a former resident of Derbyshire and with two sons born in the City of Derby, the song, The Derby Ram has always held a particular personal relevance. Windborne have taken Mike Waterson’s popular version of the song and added a generous dose of their own special magic. The result is a well-imagined interpretation that they’re clearly enjoying singing. The violin, banjo and jaw harp all help to make this one the folkiest songs on the album.
FIREY CELEBRATIONS OF THE NEW YEAR
Written by Windborne friend and confidant, Zoe Mulford, Welcome In Another Year takes its inspiration from the New Year traditions of China, Iran and Celtic pagan rites. The song, with lyrics like: “Build up the bonfire, light the candles bright – all the hungry spirits will be coming by tonight” evokes images of wild pagan celebration. The joy of the occasion is palpable.
This wonderful album is brought to its close by what must be the most succinct expression of hope and optimism for a New Year heard in a long, long time. Written during the pandemic by Jannifer Cutting, another of Windborne’s special friends, the song acknowledges that pain and loss can be entwined with hope and celebration. “We live in hope, we pray for peace. We meet with joy the new year’s lease.” With inspirational advice like that, we can tackle these dark times together.
Listen to The Boar’s Head Carol, a track from the album, here:
Windborne online: Website / Facebook / Instagram
Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube