''Cruel Sister'', the first album by English folk group Rachel Unthank and the Winterset (later to become the Unthanks) was released on 11 May 2005 and launched at Holmfirth Festival of Folk. Described by BBC Music as "an outstanding debut", it received support from a number of DJs on

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

and was subsequently awarded Folk Album of the Year by ''

MOJO Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

''.

Songs

Most of the tracks on the album are

traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

folk songs. "Cruel Sister", the song which provides the title for the album, is a traditional murder ballad (known in some versions as " The Twa Sisters"). It tells the story of the violent rivalry between two sisters for the love of a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

. One of the sisters murders her sibling, whose bones and hair are turned into a

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

by a passing musician. The ballad was collected by Francis J. Child (

Child A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

10) and is also listed in the

Roud Folk Song Index The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of around 250,000 references to nearly 25,000 songs collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world. It is compiled by Steve Roud (born 1949), a former librarian in the London ...

. "Fair Rosamund" is about

Rosamund Clifford Rosamund Clifford (before 1150 – ), often called "The Fair Rosamund" or "Rose of the World" (Latin: ''rosa mundi''), was a medieval English noblewoman and mistress of Henry II, King of England, who became famous in English folklore. Life ...

, a mistress of King

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...

. "The Greatham Calling on Song" is from the mummers play which is performed in

Greatham, County Durham Greatham is a village and civil parish in the borough of Hartlepool (borough), Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The population of the civil parish (including Newton Bewley) was taken in the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 2,132. ...

every

Boxing Day Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It ...

.Album sleeve notes "Raven Girl" is a traditional folk song with an additional verse written by Ester Watson of

Hexham Hexham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden, Northumberland, Warden nearby, and ...

, Northumberland. "Bonny at Morn" was collected in the 19th century and published in 1882 in the

Northumbrian Minstrelsy ''Northumbrian Minstrelsy'' is a book of 18th and 19th century North East of England folk songs and pipe music, intended to be a lasting historical record. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce LL.D., F.S.A., and ...

. "John Dead" is a

sea shanty A sea shanty, chantey, or chanty () is a genre of traditional Folk music, folk song that was once commonly sung as a work song to accompany rhythmical labor aboard large Merchant vessel, merchant Sailing ship, sailing vessels. The term ''shanty ...

from the

Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth ...

, collected by

Roger D. Abrahams Roger David Abrahams (June 12, 1933 – June 20, 2017) was an American folklorist whose work focused on the expressive cultures and cultural histories of the Americas, with a specific emphasis on African American peoples and traditions. Abrahams ...

. The album also includes an acclaimed cover version, sung by Becky Unthank, of

Nick Drake Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...

's song " River Man".

Track listing

# "On a Monday Morning" ( Cyril Tawney, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank/

Belinda O'Hooley Belinda O'Hooley (born 18 July 1971) is a singer-songwriter and pianist from Yorkshire, England. Formerly a member of Rachel Unthank and the Winterset (now The Unthanks), she now records and performs as O'Hooley & Tidow with her wife Heidi Tido ...

), 3:13 # "January Man" (

Dave Goulder Dave Goulder (born 1 January 1939) is a British singer, guitarist, dry stone wall builder,Wicked Local, mountain climber, railway fireman, humorist, and composer. He is best known for his song "January Man" and for his collections of railway so ...

, arranged by Rachel Unthank), 3:31 # "

Fair Rosamund Rosamund Clifford (before 1150 – ), often called "The Fair Rosamund" or "Rose of the World" (Latin: ''rosa mundi''), was a medieval English noblewoman and mistress of Henry II, King of England, who became famous in English folklore. Life ...

" ( Roud 3729) (

Traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

, arranged by Rachel Unthank/Belinda O'Hooley), 2:57 # " Cruel Sister" ( Roud 8, Child 10) (Traditional, arranged by Rachel Unthank), 8:41 # "Rap Her to Bank" ( Roud 1786) (Traditional, arranged by Becky Unthank), 1:34 # "Raven Girl" (Unknown/Ester Watson), 2:08 # "Twenty Long Weeks" (

Alex Glasgow Alex Glasgow (14 October 1935 – 14 May 2001) was an English singer-songwriter from Low Fell, Gateshead, England. He wrote the songs and music for the musical plays ''Close the Coal House Door'' and '' On Your Way, Riley!'' by Alan Plater, and ...

, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank/Belinda O'Hooley), 3:20 # "

The Fair Flower of Northumberland "The Fair Flower of Northumberland" (Roudbr>25 Child 9) is a folk ballad. Synopsis A Scottish knight is imprisoned by the Earl of Northumberland (or another high official). The knight persuades the Earl's daughter, the titular fair flower, to ...

" ( Roud 25, Child 9) (Traditional, arranged by Rachel Unthank), 4:51 # "The Greatham Calling on Song" ( Roud 610) (Traditional, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank), 5:58 # " Riverman" (

, published by

Island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank), 5:01 # " Bonny at Morn" ( Roud 3064) (Traditional, arranged by Rachel Unthank), 4:14 # "John Dead" (Traditional, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank), 3:47 # "Troubled Waters" ( Matt McGinn, arranged by Rachel and Becky Unthank), 5:06 ''Running time: 54:30''

Personnel

;Rachel Unthank and the Winterset * Rachel Unthank – voice,

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

* Becky Unthank – voice *

– piano, voice * Jackie Oates – five-stringed

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

, voice ;Additional musicians * Ben Green – voice * Bryony Griffith – fiddle * Kevin Hall – voice * Will Hampson – melodeon * Beth Hardy – voice * Mike Hockenhull – banjo * David Kosky – guitar *

Adrian McNally Adrian McNally is a record producer, a composer/songwriter and a musician with English folk group the Unthanks, which he also manages. As well as producing all of the Unthanks' albums he has produced the compilation album ''Harbour of Songs'' for ...

– guitar, voice * Colin Mather – voice * Rosie Morton – clàrsach (Celtic harp) * Brian Pearce – voice * Chris Sherburn – concertina * Julian Sutton – melodeon * George Unthank – voice * Mat Unthank – voice * Pat Unthank – voice * John Winton – voice The Keelers – George Unthank, Jim Mageean, Alan Fitzsimmons and Peter Wood – sing vocals on the introduction to "John Dead".

Production and release

The album was produced and recorded by

and mixed and mastered at Panda Studios. The sound engineer was

Oliver Knight Oliver Knight (born 1969) is a British singer-songwriter and sound engineer. He is son to folk singer-songwriter Lal Waterson and George Knight. He is brother and stage partner to folk musician Marry Waterson. Early life Oliver Knight was born i ...

. The album cover, which was illustrated by Becky Unthank, was designed by Steven Wainwright and incorporated photographs by Stephen Redfearn and Adrian McNally. The sleeve notes were by Rachel Unthank. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 11 May 2005 on Rabble Rouser Records.

References

External links