The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons
Encyclopedia
The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons, the fifth album by English folk
group The Unthanks, was released on 28 November 2011. Its extended title is: Diversions, Vol. 1: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons - Live from the Union Chapel, London. Recorded at Union Chapel
, Islington, London, on 8 and 9 December 2010, it is The Unthanks' only live album to date.
Writing in The Independent on 27 November 2011, Nick Coleman said that "The Hegarty songs respond slightly better to the treatment than do Wyatt's, with the exception of 'Sea Song'." MusicOmH said: "In a largely flawless set, the Antony & The Johnsons songs in particular are luminously beautiful, perfectly suited to the sisters’ passionate, breathy vocals and McNally’s elegant arrangements" but felt that The Unthanks are "at their best when providing a mixed palette of the centuries-old music of their native county and their own unique takes on the work of some of today’s most interesting performers. Just focusing on the latter, they’re marginally less interesting."
Additional musicians
Folk music of England
Folk music of England refers to various types of traditionally based music, often contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music, for which evidence exists from the later medieval period. It has been preserved and transmitted orally, through print and later through recordings...
group The Unthanks, was released on 28 November 2011. Its extended title is: Diversions, Vol. 1: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons - Live from the Union Chapel, London. Recorded at Union Chapel
Union Chapel
-United States:National Register of Historical Places*Pine Orchard Union Chapel, Branford, CT, listed on the NRHP in Connecticut*East Raymond Union Chapel, East Raymond, ME, listed on the NRHP in Maine...
, Islington, London, on 8 and 9 December 2010, it is The Unthanks' only live album to date.
Reception
In a four-starred review, The Guardian called the album "A triumphant excursion".Writing in The Independent on 27 November 2011, Nick Coleman said that "The Hegarty songs respond slightly better to the treatment than do Wyatt's, with the exception of 'Sea Song'." MusicOmH said: "In a largely flawless set, the Antony & The Johnsons songs in particular are luminously beautiful, perfectly suited to the sisters’ passionate, breathy vocals and McNally’s elegant arrangements" but felt that The Unthanks are "at their best when providing a mixed palette of the centuries-old music of their native county and their own unique takes on the work of some of today’s most interesting performers. Just focusing on the latter, they’re marginally less interesting."
Track listing
Personnel
The Unthanks- Rachel Unthank – voice, feet, dulcitoneDulcitoneA dulcitone is a keyboard instrument in which sound is produced by a range of tuning forks, which vibrate when struck by felt-covered hammers activated by the keyboard....
- Becky Unthank – voice, feet
- Adrian McNally – piano on Robert Wyatt set, drums on Antony set, harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, voice - Chris Price – drums on Robert Wyatt set, electric bass on Antony set, voice
- Niopha Keegan – violin, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, voice
Additional musicians
- Ros Stephen – violin, voice
- Becca Spencer – viola, voice
- Jo Silverston – cello, voice
- Lizzie Jones – trumpet, voice
- Dean Rivera – double bass
- Jonny KearneyJonny Kearney & Lucy FarrellJonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell are a contemporary English folk duo. Although they play some traditional songs, most of the songs they sing are their own compositions influenced by the folk tradition, but also songs by other artists such as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Cole Porter, Brian Wilson and The...
– piano on Antony set
Arrangements
- Strings on Antony set transcribed by Niopha Keegan
- Strings on "Lisp Service" by Jo Silverston
- Strings on "Out of the Blue" by Becca Spencer and Lizzie Jones
- Strings on "Stay Tuned" by Niopha Keegan