If ever there was a collection of, by and for our times, this is it. English composer, recorder player and violinist Laura Cannell dives into the deep end of these endlessly deep ended days, in search of a connection to the folklore of her people. Her unlikely collaborator is English comedian Stewart Lee, whose conjured stories lope alongside Cannell’s sounds, inspired by feral animal sounds. A buzzard in particular, offered Cannell inspiration, but These Feral Lands sees Cannell and Lee engage in a ricocheting, jagged-edged conversation with Crash Ensemble’s Kate Ellis, harmonium player Polly Wright and broadcaster Jennifer Lucy Allan.
This is a twilight world, with surreal tales of ancient poison potions and a parson’s wife (on the standout Wellington Hearts) and knot-in-the-stomach insistent strings (Black Shuck). Think The Copper Family and Sheila Chandra meeting Chris Wood and Simon Emmerson of The Imagined Village at a crossroads.
This fevered collection hints at a subtle emotional dissonance that permeates life for many of us these days.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
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Fowkes81, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter