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The Unthanks: Songs & Poems of Molly Drake.

M

Martyn Miles

pfm Member
I discovered this by accident after buying the Unthanks' Mount the Air CD.
I'd read about Molly Drake's music when I
bought a book about Nick Drake.

You can certainly hear influences on Nick's music from his mother.

Gabrielle Drake reading the poems is a bonus.
Her beautifully enunciated voice is a pleasure to listen to.

It's a real pleasure to sit down and listen...
 
Mount the Air is very good as is Here's the Tender Coming. The former though isn't on Tidal but may be on other streaming sources. I have it on vinyl although their previous output sadly isn't.
 
The concert recording they did with the Brighouse and Rastrick band is just wonderful. I know it came out in 2012 but I only discovered it and the unthanks a couple of years ago. The textures of the band are so movingly beautiful and prompted me to take up the trombone again, after a 30 odd year hiatus. I know I'm a sentimental old git, but this album has moments that regularly move me to tears.

The unthanks also have an album of Robert Wyatt covers!
 
Sean K said:
The concert recording they did with the Brighouse and Rastrick band is just wonderful. I know it came out in 2012 but I only discovered it and the unthanks a couple of years ago. The textures of the band are so movingly beautiful and prompted me to take up the trombone again, after a 30 odd year hiatus. I know I'm a sentimental old git, but this album has moments that regularly move me to tears.

The unthanks also have an album of Robert Wyatt covers!
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That’s a great album with The Brighouse, I saw them in concert together twice.
 
I was with you all till brass bands came into the frame. There is something deeply depressing about brass bands so, for me, they fall into a musical void which includes hipflop and that awful stuff with strangely stretccheed vocals. Its possible that the Unthanks manage to make it work so I won't right them off just yet. Robert Wyatt songs is another thing altogether.
 
Snufkin said:
I was with you all till brass bands came into the frame. There is something deeply depressing about brass bands so, for me, they fall into a musical void which includes hipflop and that awful stuff with strangely stretccheed vocals. Its possible that the Unthanks manage to make it work so I won't right them off just yet. Robert Wyatt songs is another thing altogether.
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I imagine what comes into most peoples' minds is something along the lines of an 'oompah' band, a naff marching band or a 3rd-rate version of a Salvation Army band doing unimaginative arrangements of Christmas carols. Apologies if I'm off the the mark here and you're more than familiar enough with brass bands to know perfectly well what you do and don't like. (I believe I've heard enough of bagpipes to know I'm not a fan. Uilleann or Northumbrian pipes, on the other hand...)

The B & R are more like a 'symphonic' concert band. To my ears, the range of emotional expression and textures is wonderful and some of these players are regarded as virtuosi. Here, I can hear the same 'voices' (voicing?) I hear in a choir, as well as the uniquely brass timbres; think of the brass chorale from Mahler's 2nd.

(possibly more of a fanfare than a chorale; a bit on the loud side, but you get the idea).

On the Unthanks album, King of Rome and their very (appropriately) emotional rendition of Gresford, stand out to me.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5MjMSMdLrxKekAtqHIfPsK?si=he2U68-RRJ-H6LZJwWNc-Q

Go on, stick it on spotify and tell me what you think!
 
bigjonny said:
That’s a great album with The Brighouse, I saw them in concert together twice.
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I'd love to have heard that. The variety of live music on offer is one the things I miss most about the UK, along with decent curry. Managed to see both funkadelic/parliament and the Halle last time I was back.
 
Sean K said:
I imagine what comes into most peoples' minds is something along the lines of an 'oompah' band, a naff marching band or a 3rd-rate version of a Salvation Army band doing unimaginative arrangements of Christmas carols. Apologies if I'm off the the mark here and you're more than familiar enough with brass bands to know perfectly well what you do and don't like. (I believe I've heard enough of bagpipes to know I'm not a fan. Uilleann or Northumbrian pipes, on the other hand...)

The B & R are more like a 'symphonic' concert band. To my ears, the range of emotional expression and textures is wonderful and some of these players are regarded as virtuosi. Here, I can hear the same 'voices' (voicing?) I hear in a choir, as well as the uniquely brass timbres; think of the brass chorale from Mahler's 2nd.

(possibly more of a fanfare than a chorale; a bit on the loud side, but you get the idea).

On the Unthanks album, King of Rome and their very (appropriately) emotional rendition of Gresford, stand out to me.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5MjMSMdLrxKekAtqHIfPsK?si=he2U68-RRJ-H6LZJwWNc-Q

Go on, stick it on spotify and tell me what you think!
Click to expand...

A great and nuanced reply, thanks. I don't 'do' spotify but I will take your word for it. I do realise that there is some music I like where brass arrangements have been used to good effect so I will have to back down a little on Brass Bands. One track that comes to mind is Tracey Thorn's version of Joni Mitchell's song River where a wonderful, if not slightly mournful, brass section is employed and its really effective.
 
GavinB said:
Flapland - can you give me an idea about how you indicate what you want via this site? I'd like a couple of the CD options but don't see a way of selecting the options.
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I think you just state what you want in the comments section when you donate. However if you drop them a email via [email protected] Becky is likely to confirm and be very helpful.

I took a punt and ended up with something I already had but happy to gift to a friend.
 
ciderglider said:
I have heard their cover of Rock Bottom, which is excellent. Did not know they had recorded a whole album of Wyatt tunes. Will have to investigate.
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I’m not trying to put you off but it’s not a whole album of Wyatt songs, there are six Anthony and the Johnsons songs.
 
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