''Lines (Parts One, Two & Three)'', a

trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...

of albums with a poetic theme by English folk group

the Unthanks The Unthanks (until 2009 called Rachel Unthank and the Winterset) are an English folk group known for their eclectic approach in combining traditional English folk, particularly Northumbrian folk music, with other musical genres."They may cal ...

, was pre-released on the band's website in November 2018, on 10" vinyl, CD and download, prior to their official release on 22 February 2019. They were made available as three separate albums and also packaged together in a

slipcase A slipcase is a five-sided box, usually made of high-quality cardboard, into which binders, books or book sets are ''slipped'' for protection, leaving the spine exposed. Special editions of books are often slipcased for a stylish appearance when ...

. ''Lines Part One: Lillian Bilocca'' is about the 1968 trawler disaster in Kingston upon Hull in which 58 men died. The songs were written by actor and writer

Maxine Peake Maxine Peake (born 14 July 1974) is an English actress and narrator. She is known for her roles as Twinkle in the BBC One sitcom '' dinnerladies'' (1998–2000), Veronica Ball in the hit Channel 4 comedy drama '' Shameless'' (2004–2007), Mart ...

, with music by

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 ...

. They were originally performed live by the Unthanks in '' The Last Testament of

Lillian Bilocca Lillian Bilocca (née Marshall; 26 May 1929 – 3 August 1988) was a British fisheries worker and campaigner for improved safety in the fishing fleet as leader of the "headscarf revolutionaries" – a group of fishermen's family members. Spurred ...

'', a theatrical event written by Peake. ''Lines Part Two: World War One'' is about the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Its songs were originally conceived for a live audio-visual project in 2014, ''A Time and a Place''. One of the songs, "Roland and Vera", is adapted from letters between the writer

Vera Brittain Vera Mary Brittain (29 December 1893 – 29 March 1970) was an English Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse, writer, feminist, socialist and pacifist. Her best-selling 1933 memoir ''Testament of Youth'' recounted her experiences during the First ...

who was a

Voluntary Aid Detachment The Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) was a voluntary unit of civilians providing nursing care for military personnel in the United Kingdom and various other countries in the British Empire. The most important periods of operation for these units we ...

nurse in the war, and her fiancé

Roland Leighton Roland Aubrey Leighton (27 March 1895 – 23 December 1915) was a British poet and soldier, made posthumously famous by his fiancée Vera Brittain's memoir, '' Testament of Youth''. Life and career His parents, Robert Leighton and Marie Conno ...

, a poet, who died from a gunshot wound sustained on the war front. ''Lines Part Three: Emily Brontë'' consists of ten poems by

Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...

, set to music by Adrian McNally. The songs were commissioned by the Brontë Society to mark the 200th anniversary of her birth.

Reception

The album received a four-starred review in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' from Neil Spencer. Also writing in ''The Guardian'',

Jude Rogers Jude Rogers (born 1978) is a Welsh journalist, lecturer, arts critic and broadcaster. She is a music critic for ''The Guardian'' and also regularly writes features and articles for ''The Observer'', ''New Statesman'' and women's magazines such a ...

said that "The Unthanks continue to experiment ravenously and joyously". However, Robert Peacock, in a three-starred review for ''The Wee Review'', said that the Unthanks' voices, "solo or in harmony, remain one of the most captivating sounds in contemporary music and McNally’s measured, minor key piano balladry makes a great setting for them. But because it’s effectively soundtrack work, the charms of Lines are often understated and brief. Each of these ongsis crying out to be experienced live, with verbal explanation, or accompanying their original inspirations. Cold, in recorded form, they’re harder to digest, and three courses of Lines are too much in one sitting."

Track listing

''Part One: Lillian Bilocca''

*"Lillian (Prelude)" (Adrian McNally) * "A Whistling Woman" (words: Maxine Peake / music: Adrian McNally and Becky Unthank) * "The Sea is a Woman" (words: Maxine Peake / music: Adrian McNally) * "Lonesome Cowboy" (

Claude Bolling Claude Bolling (10 April 1930 – 29 December 2020) was a French jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and occasional actor. Biography He was born in Cannes, France, and studied at the Conservatory of Nice, Nice Conservatory, and then in Paris. A c ...

/ Jack Fishman) * "Lillian II (The Banqueting Hall Scene)" (Adrian McNally)

''Part Two: World War One''

*"Roland and Vera" ( Sam Lee, Nico Brown,

Cosmo Sheldrake Cosmo Christopher Sheldrake is an English musician, composer, and producer. He is the son of parapsychologist Rupert Sheldrake and voice teacher Jill Purce, and the brother of biologist Merlin Sheldrake. He released his first single, "The Moss ...

, Gwendolen Chatfield, Adrian McNally) *"Everyone Sang" (Tim Dalling) *"War Film" (words: Teresa Hooley / music: Adrian McNally) *"Breakfast" (words: Wilfred Wilson Gibson / music: Adrian McNally) *"Suicide in the Trenches" (words:

Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English war poet, writer, and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both describ ...

/ music: Adrian McNally) *"Socks" (words:

Jessie Pope Jessie Pope (18 March 1868 – 14 December 1941) was an English poet, writer, and journalist, who remains best known for her patriotic, motivational poems published during World War I.''Minds at War'' the Poetry and Experience of the First worl ...

/ music: Adrian McNally)

''Part Three: Emily Brontë''

*"The Parsonage" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"Shall Earth No More Inspire Thee" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"High Waving Heather" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"She Dried Her Tears and They Did Smile" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"The Night is Darkening Round Me" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"Deep Deep Down in the Silent Grave" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"Lines" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"Remembrance" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Rachel Unthank / Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank, Becky Unthank, based on a traditional tune) *"O Evening Why" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank) *"I'm Happiest When Most Away" (words: Emily Brontë / music: Adrian McNally, arranged by Adrian McNally, Rachel Unthank and Becky Unthank)

Personnel

* Rachel Unthank – voice * Becky Unthank – voice * Niopha Keegan – violin, voice, harmonium * Adrian McNally – piano, voice * Chris Price – double bass, electric bass, lap steel guitar, voice * Martin Douglas – drums

Production

The album's cover artwork is by Natalie Rae Reid.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lines 2019 albums Albums produced by Adrian McNally History of Kingston upon Hull Poetry by Emily Brontë Songs about World War I The Unthanks albums