Brona McVittie - The Woman in the Moon

by Nicky Crewe

published: 26 / 11 / 2022

Label: Company of Corkbots
Format: CD

Latest album from Brona McVittie continues her exploration of the possibilities of Celtic-lore inspired folk through original and traditional songs, with ongoing musical collaborations and new experimental arrangements

Review

Since the release of her acclaimed albums, 'We Are The Wildlife' (2018) and 'The Man in The Mountains' (2020), Brona McVittie has been establishing a reputation as one of the most interesting singer songwriters to emerge from the contemporary Celtic folk scene. Inspired by W.B. Yeats’ concept of the Celtic phantasmagoria, these songs are an other worldly exploration of the music that arises from this source. The album opens with a new and experimental version of the traditional song, 'The Star of the County Down;. Slow paced, beautifully sung and accompanied by synthesisers it’s an imaginative arrangement. Long time collaborator Myles Cochran plays steel guitar on the album version of 'The Woman in the Moon'. The album closes with a second version, remastered and released as a single. The guest musicians on this album contribute influences that expand the range of sounds, with transcendental melodies and unexpected rhythms. Another traditional song, 'Tiocfaidh an Samhradh (Summer Will Come)' is sung in Irish Gaelic and is a haunting tale of unrequited love. Seasons feature once more in In The Winter, an original song about hope and adversity. 'The Fairy Glen' and 'I left My Heart on the Misty Mountain' take us into the realms of the faery kingdom and the natural world. There’s a lockdown ballad, 'Looking', inspired by a childhood photograph, a reminder of another life. There are instrumentals as well as lyrical songs. 'Pushing Up The Daisies' is about how precious life is. 'Phantasmagoria' includes the early morning songs of the robin and the thrush, playing call and response with the harp. I’m reluctant to attach labels to Brona McVittie’s individual voice, but Celtic psych folk might cover it, with comparisons to be made with Alice Coltrane, Cara Dillon and Vashti Bunyan. Funded partly by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, it’s heartening to see that artists of the talent and stature of Brona McVittie are receiving this kind of financial support.

Track Listing:-

1 Star of the County Down
2 Living Without You
3 The Woman in the Moon (Album Version)
4 Tiocfaidh an Samhradh (Summer Will Come)
5 Your Heart Wants to Go
6 The Fairy Glen
7 I Left My Heart on the Misty Mountain
8 In the Winter
9 Pushing Up the Daisies
10 Looking
11 Phantasmagoria
12 The Woman in the Moon (Single Version)