Laura Cannell invites Stewart Lee, foghorn fetishist Jennifer Lucy Allen, Irish cellist Kate Ellis, and musician/writer Polly Wright to the table for a suite of haunting, real and imagined musical lanndscapes
Laura’s follow-up to her superb ‘Sing As The Crow Flies’ album with Polly Wright, and unexpected synth-pops as Hunteress for our Documenting Sound series, ‘These Feral Lands, Vol.1’ tells tales recorded in the respective isolation during lockdown. It notably features Lee finding his voice as a folk story teller and possessed scarecrow, nervily set to bleeding raw string dissonance and black country blues, and wickedly contrasting with the more dreamlike and lamenting works, all brought to life by Cannell, Ellis, and Wright’s remarkably descriptive instrumentals.
Writer and researcher Jennifer Lucy Allen recites a poem to Laura’s swirling fiddle on a highlight, ‘Vessel’, and we’re rapt by the two solo instrumental pieces, Kate Ellis’ keening elegy ‘Inhabited: The Last Wild Wolf In Ireland’, and the A Field In England-esque doom to Polly’s ‘Gather The Villagers’. But it’s really all held together by Stewart Lee’s turns with Cannell & Ellis, shapeshifting from Wyatt-like, to spoken word, and Worzel-ish across the album, reflecting on his roots in the Welsh marshes and the Norfolk/Suffolk borders, with equally were-like backing.
When Brexit kicks in and we’re down to 2 hours of leccie a day, we can only hope people start making more music like this.
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter