DL's Media/Reviews
ANGE HARDY &
LUKAS DRINKWATER
FINDINGS
Findings are the parts used to join jewellery components together to form a completed article. This album is about daughters and their homelands, wives and their husbands, sisters and their brothers, children and their parents, fathers and their grandfathers, mothers and their families, parting and joining.
It's also about Ange and Lukas performing as a duo.
This album contains a selection of loved traditional songs as well as verses and lines from them. Perhaps, in another sense, these are also their findings.
Ange was born in Somerset, England. After spending a short part of her life moving from different sides of the family, she ended up separated and in a foster home. At the age of 14, a series of events prompted her to run away, travel around England and Wales then partaking with a crew sailing over to Ireland. From there, she found her calling.
Lukas comes from Cornwall. "Lukas Drinkwater has previously been seen performing in a duo with regular BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominated Jim Causley, as one half of Jacob and Drinkwater, with European festival favourites Tankus the Henge and 3 Daft Monkeys, playing Jazz percussion for Lisa Marini, performing with The Little Unsaid and recording countless sessions with esteemed funk & soul producer Lack of Afro. Lauren Laverne recently called him “the hardest working musician of Glastonbury Festival” on BBC Radio 6.
Ange and Lukas formed as a duo in December 2015. Bringing them together creates totally new music that neither of them could have created on their own. Despite the prolific musicality of Luka's past, this is the first time he has stepped fully forward into the spotlight as a writer, arranger and producer of songs in his own right.
The members of the band include Ange Hardy (vocals, guitar, harp and whistle), Lukas Drinkwater (vocals, guitar and double bass), Archie Churchill-Moss (diatonic accordion), Ciaran Algar (fiddle), Evan Carson (percussion, backing vocals), Steve Pleger (backing vocals) Nancy Kerr (guest vocals) and Kathryn Roberts (guest vocals).
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Daughters of Watchet - The song is sung about 3 women and their men. "The small town of Watchet is linked to the iron ore mines in the Brendon Hills by the West Somerset Mineral Railway - the Mineral Line. The tune at the end is a nod to a local Watchet celebration." ~ Lukas
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The Pleading Sister (Little Boy Blue, Roud 19703) - From what we understand there is just the one verse to Little Boy Blue. What work may he have been avoiding while sleeping? Ange wrote the surrounding story of his pleading sister who suffers the consequenses. Beautiful harmonies.
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The Trees They Do Grow High (Roud 31) - This was the first traditional song that Ange and Lukas arranged together as a duo working in their own arrangement. Guitar with Ange's vocals. Added instruments are gently incorporated.
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Far Away From Land (The Sea, Roud V4673) - This song was based on a news story during their 2016 EFDSS residency. Manfred Fritz Bajorat chose to leave behind the harsh winters of Germany and live his life at sea aboard the Sayo. Over time he lost contact with friends and family, they not knowing what had become of him. Then in February 2016 he was found drifting off the coast of Barobo having died in the hull slumped over his radio. The weather had mummified his body. Sea shanty.
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By The Tides - This song was written in response to the tragedy surrounding the massive loss of life in the Mediterranean Sea throughout 2015 and 2016. Gentle song with feeling. Duo harmonies.
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My Grandfathers / Bearded Ted of Raddington - Ange wrote this song in response to conflicted ideas from another musician. It is in honour of her own grandfather with the fondest of memories. Sung in single sea shanty style then going into musical rhythm.
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True Are The Mothers (featuring Nancy Kerr and Kathryn Roberts) - Mothers are depicted as firmly rooted trees and the roles they play in life and folklore. Intricate harp flute and harmonies. Vocals of varied female artists.
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The Berkshire Tragedy (Roud 8) - A traditional song inspired by countless recordings and variations. This version is one of many of The Two Sisters. Sharp guitar tightly played. Sad song with beauty. Haunting vocals. It's one of my favorite tunes.
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The Widow - This song started out about Ange's brother, Steve, who died of meningitis at the age of 15. It proved to be too painful to write so she took those first thoughts and constructed a story around it. It's an exquisite instrumental composition that hits home to the heart.
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Bonny Lighter-Boy (Roud 843) - Arranged on Ange and Lukas's own version soley based on the lyrics resulting in the way the song sounded to them. Guitar has a strong beat. Harmonies are so engaging and loving. Violin and flute carry the melody.
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Invisible Child - This is another song Ange and Lukas wrote during their 2016 EFDSS residency. The papers referenced more than 10,000 young carers between the ages of 5 and 7 in England and Wales. Often those young ones are unsupported because no one expects them to be taking on adult responsibilities. This song tells the story of one such carer. A gently played story.
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Daughter Dear Daughter - Ange wrote this song for her daughter Amy in the year 2013. It had never made it to her previous albums but it kept calling her back. Amy is now at the age that Ange was when she was living on the streets in Ireland. A folk tune sung with loving care.
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The Parting Lullaby (The Parting Glass, Roud 3004) - Weaving traditional elements into their own songs. This version is The Parting Glass sung from a mother to a child and framed within a lullaby. Sung to a child at night time to help them go to sleep and not be afraid of the dark.
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Fall Away (Epilogue) - This song draws the story of the Daughters of Watchet to a conclusion and as in every ending the story must fall away or be continued in the next installment. The parting is sung in folk sweetness.
Nominated at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and celebrated by The Telegraph as “one of Britain’s top folk musicians” Ange Hardy has grabbed the attention of the traditional folk music world by writing new material and embracing modern technologies whilst maintaining a traditional feel. Lukas's presence adds a much needed complexity and works well with this album's richness.
Maizy
To order Findings and to find out more about Ange Hardy and her collaboration with Lukas Drinkwater go to:
Denise L. @DL7855 2016