For Folks Sake favourites The Unthanks have announced their latest release, Diversions Volume 4: The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake, set for release on May 26th 2017. Ostensibly a continuation of their exploitative work into the folk traditions, Songs of… has been described by pianist and producer Adrian McNally as being ‘our best work…the reason at the heart of that being that it is perhaps the best work we have worked on’.
The Drake surname may sound familiar. Molly Drake is the mother of Nick and Gabriella Drake, the former most well known for his own collection of songs, the latter for her work as an actress. Molly’s own compositions of poems and songs were initially recorded by her husband during the 1950’s, and with the work of The Unthanks, they have been given new orchestrations with the idea behind the release being that people will hunt down the original compositions and explore the work and life of Molly Drake for themselves.
For those who are keen to find out more, the band are touring across the UK across April and May. Tour dates are found below.
April 18 NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME New Vic Theatre 19 MANCHESTER RNCM 20 WREXHAM William Aston Hall 21 KENDAL Brewery Arts Centre 22 EDINBURGH The Queens Hall 23 BERWICK UPON TWEED Maltings Theatre 26 BIRMINGHAM The Glee Club 27 CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange 28 BASINGSTOKE The Anvil 29 CARDIFF Tramshed 30 BRADFORD ON AVON Wiltshire Music Centre
May 01 BRIGHTON The Old Market 02 SOUTHAMPTON Turner Sims 03 LONDON The Albany 06 CLITHEROE The Grand 07 BARROW IN FURNESS The Forum 10 RUNCORN Brindley 11 LEEDS City Varieties 12 LEEDS City Varieties 13 STOCKTON ON TEES ARC 14 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Theatre Royal 25 DUBLIN Vicar St 28 LONDON 3PM The Barbican Milton Court 28 LONDON 7.30PM The Barbican Milton Court
Check out the first release from Diversions Volume 4 below-a recording of ‘What can a song do to you?’