This is the second album by Malinky, one of the most dynamic and inventive folk bands to emerge over the last few years. Their passionate commitment to the Scottish song tradition gives them a real distinctive character. On this album their interpretations of ballads, well honed on their debut Last Leaves, are given a fuller, richer treatment through the expansion of the band to include the fine accordion player Leo McCann. This line-up produces some deft versions of traditional ballads. Highlights are a hypnotically dark rendition of the Three Ravens and a version of Billy Taylor underpinned by some wonderfully subtle box playing. Malinky are unusual in that the skilled musicians assembled in the band are as effective at accompanying song as they are at playing straight sets of tunes. But they are defined by more than the technique of their playing. There is a powerful commitment in the singing of main vocalist Karine Polwart and of Steve Byrne who sings lead on a couple of songs. Byrne's singing of the Trawlin' Trade, here becomes an angry lament for fishing communities. This is matched by a driving accompaniment based around a Breton tune. Their commitment to the power of traditional song infuses the bands' own writing. The band's main singer Karine Polwart is emerging as one of the most innovative songwriters on the contemporary folk circuit Whereas the work of some writers such as Kate Rusby often sounds like pastiche of traditional forms, the best of Polwart's writing uses these forms in creative and unsettling ways. Here this is best developed in the song 'Thaney', through which Polwart tells the story of 'one of the earliest documented rape victims in Scotland' the daughter of a sixth century Lowland King. The classic ballad structure gives the song a raw edge and it pushes at the limits of the form by confronting difficult subjects which are often only made implicit in traditional ballads. There are some fine tune sets here too, most of which are written by members of the band. My favourite being a wonderful slow reel 'The Road to Glountane'. There are some weaker moments. The song 'The Lang Road Doon' lacks the emotional intensity of Davy Steele's song 'Jimmy Waddell' which inspired it. The stark lyric of the final song 'Follow the Heron' has a slightly cloying chorus and it was the only track which I felt was overarranged. But these are minor quibbles. This is an engaging album which develops the promise of Last Leaves in many many ways and stands as a fine testament to the power, depth and continuing vitality of traditional song.
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Malinky - 3 Ravens ©2002 Dave Featherstone & Virtually Acoustic
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