The Unthanks

**Paulrus** · 07-15-2016

I'm late to discovering this amazing English "folk" group (centered around sisters Becky and Rachel Unthank), and I have a feeling they've been discussed within other threads but I wanted to start one devoted just to them.

I'm a newcomer who discovered them via their cover of "Starless" (they've also covered Robert Wyatt), but a deeper dig revealed a remarkable group of musicians. At times Rachel reminds me of Maddy Prior and I'd kill to hear her in a folk rock context.

Any fans out there?

**dpt3** · 07-15-2016

Completely love them! One of my favorite discoveries of the past few years!

**moecurlythanu** · 07-15-2016

I like them, and think they're very talented, but they're not among my favorites or anything like that.

**winkersnufs** · 07-15-2016

.... Some fine performance there for sure..... Interesting!

Carry On
Chris Buckley

**PeterG** · 07-15-2016

Only love for these wonders of Northumbrian music.

**cannygoodlike** · 07-15-2016

Originally Posted by Paulrus

I'm a newcomer who discovered them via their cover of "Starless"

I had the same experience - I heard that on the radio and bought the album on the strength of it (believe it or not, although I have owned various King Crimson albums for decades, I wasn't familiar with Starless at the time I heard their cover). I wasn't sure that I would like the rest of the album - I'm not a huge folk fan outside of 60s type acid folk/folk rock - but I loved it and have been hooked since.

**ChrisXymphonia** · 07-15-2016

I think they are amazing especially when they go a bit beyond the folk idiom. Their most recent album Mount The Air is superb. Saw them a few months ago in their smaller configuration in a nice theatre and was spellbound. Their harmonies are spinetingling. Going to see them in a few months again and hopefully they bring the big group (they can expand to a 10 person ensemble).

**ChrisXymphonia** · 07-15-2016

I love the album they did with a brass band with stunning result on this folk classic:

**cannygoodlike** · 07-15-2016

Originally Posted by ChrisXymphonia

Saw them a few months ago in their smaller configuration in a nice theatre and was spellbound. Their harmonies are spinetingling. Going to see them in a few months again and hopefully they bring the big group (they can expand to a 10 person ensemble).

I still haven't managed to see them. I've been keeping an eye out for the last two or three years to see if they were playing somewhere near me. Then I took my eye off the ball and earlier this year I found out they had played down the road a few weeks previously. Was gutted!

**JKL2000** · 07-16-2016

Only had a quick listen but they seem pretty good.

**Sturgeon's Lawyer** · 07-18-2016

Lest we forget...

**jkelman** · 07-21-2016

I"m a huge fan. Last year's Mount the Air was a groundbreaking piece of music that married traditional British folk music with a number of other contexts. A wonderful record...I've got everything dating back to when they were Rachel Unthank and the Wintersets, and reviewed The Bairns, which has a wonderful rendition of Robert Wyatt's "Sea Song." As the Unthanks, they went on to make three live recordings, including one where about half the album is interpretations of Wyatt songs....and it's wonderful.

Of the current trad folks, the Unthanks, Lau, The Gloaming, Martin Green (who collaborates, on two of his albums, with Becky Unthank), Sam Lee and Bellowhead are some of my favourite of the up-and-coming British artists...though I believe that Bellowhead called it quits earlier this year....

**ChrisXymphonia** · 07-22-2016

Yep, Bellowhead are no more. Thankfully saw them last year at Towersey festival as part of their farewell tour. BTW, people should do well to check out Bellowhead's Jon Boden dystopian folk concept album Songs From The Floodplain. It is a song cycle set in the future where the songs relate what has happened in the not so distant past of that future i.e. that past is our not so distant future. Society has broken down, government has retreated to a few bastions, gasoline supply has broken down, communities are thrown back to fend for themselves. Jon sings and plays all the instruments himself on this gem of an album.

**jkelman** · 07-23-2016

Originally Posted by ChrisXymphonia

Yep, Bellowhead are no more. Thankfully saw them last year at Towersey festival as part of their farewell tour. BTW, people should do well to check out Bellowhead's Jon Boden dystopian folk concept album Songs From The Floodplain. It is a song cycle set in the future where the songs relate what has happened in the not so distant past of that future i.e. that past is our not so distant future. Society has broken down, government has retreated to a few bastions, gasoline supply has broken down, communities are thrown back to fend for themselves. Jon sings and plays all the instruments himself on this gem of an album.

Thanks for the tip!! Ordering now....

**ChrisXymphonia** · 07-25-2016

Originally Posted by jkelman

Thanks for the tip!! Ordering now....

I think it is his best work to date. I love it that throughout the album the lyrics have these little clues on what happened to cause the crises and its repercussions that lies at the heart of the album. Took me a while to figure it out and even to this day I still find new stuff in it.

**Smörgåsbord** · 08-26-2017

I got their Starless cover for the obvious

reason many years ago and sort of forgot to explore them further. The other day I listened to the album Mount The Air and was completely floored. It's complexity in simplicity is absolutely genious. The title track is stunning as the video clip shows.

Check them out, folks!

**thedunno** · 02-19-2023

Any opinions on their latest 'Sorrows Away'?

Got tickets to see them in 2 weeks but haven't checked out their new rekkid.

**rcarlberg** · 02-19-2023

For me their best album -- because they're perfectly suited to it -- is the one of Robert Wyatt songs.

**adap2it** · 02-20-2023

Originally Posted by thedunno

Any opinions on their latest 'Sorrows Away'?

Got tickets to see them in 2 weeks but haven't checked out their new rekkid.

I'm envious...I love their music including Sorrows Away, however, I believe that they must be seen live to be really appreciated.

**thedunno** · 03-01-2023

The Unthanks were great last night. Small emsemble this time, only 5 people on stage. All the more space for those amazing vocal harmonies.

I have heared Sorrows Away now a few times and I think its on par with Mount the Air and Last.