Congratulations to Malinky who’s album Far Better Days has been nominated in Album of the Year (sponsored by Birnam CD) in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2015. Vote now!
We asked Malinky about their album Far Better Days.
In summer 2014, under the guidance of producer and long-time friend of the band, Donald Shaw of Capercaillie, Malinky took to the Gorbals Studio in Glasgow to record their fifth release, Far Better Days, this time on their own label, with support from Creative Scotland, after a decade with Greentrax Recordings.
The album features songs from Scotland’s north-east including “Tarves Parish” and “Term Time” from the landmark Greig-Duncan Folksong Collection, as well as songs from the classic ballad repertoire, flexing the band’s trad credentials with Fiona Hunter having learned the ballad “Son David” from Andy Hunter (no relation), a pupil of the acclaimed Traveller singer Jeannie Robertson.
The album further demonstrates Fiona’s commitment to and expertise in the songs of Scotland’s Travellers, with “Lady Mary Ann” from the singing of Lizzie Higgins and “The Bonnie Hoose o Airlie” from Belle Stewart. Fiona played a major role in the recent orchestration of Martyn Bennett’s GRIT at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections, broadcast on BBC 2, singing the songs of Lizzie Higgins and Sheila Stewart. Now a Malinky member for 10 years, having originally been brought in to replace Karine Polwart, Hunter has surely established her place as a natural heir to the tradition of clear-voiced, authoritative singers in the same vein.
Steve Byrne’s work as an archivist in recent years has unearthed gems such as “Edzell’s Bonnie Braes”, a relatively unknown song in the tradition from his native Angus, via his work as a song cataloguer for the Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches archive digitisation project. Byrne’s song-craft is again to the fore in his Scots-language translation of a Swedish version of the “Twa Sisters” ballad.
Mark Dunlop’s Antrim roots are given voice in his choice of material from the Sam Henry Collection, with “The Fairy King’s Courtship” and “Long Cookstown” making a mark for his Ulster song heritage. With his recent work “In the Wake of Neil Gunn” garnering rave reviews, Mike Vass’ ascending reputation as composer and arranger – in the The Guardian’s words, “a classy, thoughtful musician” with “a great ear for atmosphere” – is showcased through his contribution of original tunes and delicate orchestration underpinning the songs with characteristic charm and expression, both on fiddle and tenor guitar introduced to the Malinky mix for the first time.
All the while a sense of place exudes, resonating with the individual and collective backgrounds of a band at home with itself, none more so than in Byrne’s rendition of the Angus classic “The Wild Geese”, from the pen of Violet Jacob and Jim Reid, rounding off a thoroughly modern take on the Scots song tradition – in rude health in Malinky’s hands.
Reviews for Far Better Days:
★★★★★
“Magnificent…a masterclass in arrangement… another great release from one of Scotland’s finest” R2 magazine
★★★★ BBC Music Magazine
“Fantastic…a very strong early contender for record of the year” The Living Tradition
“Full of grit and passion…a sweet and beautiful album” Songlines
“A satisfying aural treat…an assured and mature work” English Dance & Song (EDS)
“★★★★ Premier Scots folk quartet returns with a vengeance” The Scotsman
“One of the most exciting Scottish bands out there” Rock Society
“A really satisfying return” The Herald
“Magnificent from beginning to end…pure, unadulterated folk treasure… life-changing stuff!” FATEA webzine
“The sonic equivalent of a much-anticipated birthday present” fRoots
“A perfect balance in retaining authenticity whilst remaining innovative and fresh…an
album of timeless quality that will call you back time and time again.” Folk Radio UK
“Sublime” Boston Irish Reporter
“A cracker…one of the finest purveyors of traditional and trad-influenced song ever to come out of Scotland” Penguin Eggs, Canada
About Malinky
Since forming out of the Edinburgh session scene of the late ’90s Malinky has, for the past 15 years, been the leading group focusing on traditional Scots song. With four acclaimed albums under their belt and an extensive tour roster across the globe, Malinky has become one of the most distinctive and accomplished bands on the Scottish folk scene. 2015 finds the band emerging refreshed and renewed from an enforced touring and recording hiatus in recent years with their highly anticipated new release, Far Better Days.
Folk Band of the Year in 2010’s Scots Trad Music Awards, Malinky’s hallmark song-based repertoire is performed by three superb lead vocalists and arrayed with tastefully inventive instrumentation, uniting seasoned maturity with sparkling freshness. With two folklore and traditional music graduates amongst their ranks, Malinky combine a deep knowledge of tradition with a subtly creative approach, described by Scotland on Sunday as “one of the most imaginative of Scots-language bands”, breathing new life into centuries-old ballads from Scotland’s north-east, alongside original song-writing and tunes.
Their touring schedule has seen the band regularly entertain crowds in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as Ireland and the UK, alongside multiple tours of the USA and Canada. In the process Malinky were described as “maybe the finest young Scottish band since Silly Wizard” (Boston Globe), performing “Scots music at its most evocative” (Mojo).
With their “beautiful gentle delivery” (Irish Music Magazine) and commitment to understated acoustic instrumentation, Malinky need no gimmicks, preferring to trust in the strength and power of traditional songs in themselves to communicate their stories.
fRoots labelled Malinky, “a class act, and they achieve the quality of musical accomplishment previously associated with the likes of Ossian, the Whistlebinkies and Ceolbeg.” Perhaps R2 (Rock’n’Reel) hit the nail on the head in the conclusion to its five-star review of the band’s 2008 release, Flower & Iron: “If indeed it is the destiny of every child born in Scotland to be a folk musician, Malinky should be added to the milk.”
Malinky website: http://www.malinky.com
You can listen to Far Better Days here.
Buy a ticket for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 5th December in Dundee Caird Hall, start time 7pm. You’ll have a great time!
