Album title: Diversions Vol 4: The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake/ The Songs and Poems of Molly Drake: Extras
Artist: The Unthanks
Genre: Folk
Nationality: English
Release date: May 26
Position in Discography: Eighth
Estimated Rating:
Have I heard of this artist? No
Average RYM Score: 3.22/3.12
I guess for those of you (and I know there are a lot of you) who are into Nick Drake's music, this will mean a lot more, as this is an album of songs and poems written by his mother, but I'm not a particular fan of his. Like Elliott Smith, I think his music is okay but I don't get the sometimes almost hero-worship both receive here. That's fine: you guys do you, no problem. But just so you understand I'm not jumping up and down about the release of this album as perhaps some of you might be. So what's it like? Well, it's soft, wistful, gentle, as you'd probably expect; the two Unthanks sisters harmonising well and the piano and violins complementing them nicely. The addition of poems, spoken at the end of some of the tracks, lends the music a particular gravity and majesty.
Some, like “Martha”, are simply spoken poems without any music backing at all, and others, like the beautifully fragile “How Wild the Wind Blows”, are songs without any poetry. The album probably works best when the two are combined, but each can stand very well independent of the other. Sometimes, when used together, the song begins first and is followed by the poem (“What Can a Song Do to You?”) and sometimes the other way around, with the poem being spoken and then the music/song following (“Bird in the Blue”) but neither ever overwhelms the other, both working perfectly in concert with each other. Her poetry is spoken by Molly's daughter, Gabrielle.
Naturally, as you'd expect, it's all very low-key, quite morose and sad, and at times I found that getting to me. Misty-eyed remembrances, regrets and soulful confessions are all very well – and they're very well presented here by the Unthanks – but it can get a little wearing. In some ways, maybe, it's like listening to someone pouring out their troubles to you endlessly. You may sympathise with the person, but after a while you just want to say “Cheer up, for ****'s sake!” Not that I mean to cheapen or mock the very real emotions being expressed here, but a little light relief now and then would have been nice. Okay, well “Soft Shelled Crabs” kind of relieves the sadness and bitterness somewhat; good song with some fairly lively violin.
The album was released simultaneously with a second, smaller one subtitled “Extras”, so I'm reviewing both here at once. Seems to be more of the same, so I'm not quite sure why they bothered. If they wanted to include these then perhaps they should have just extended the album (it is, after all, a mere fifteen tracks) instead of making a separate album of these. But whatever: there are short songs, short poems, perhaps “Two Worlds” being the most personal with respect to the death of her son, as I understand it, and the harmonies on “Poor Mum” are lovely, but again it's all very downbeat and kind of depressing. Ah well, that's the Drakes for you I guess, and they had plenty to be depressed about. Interesting album, but not really for me.
Check out more from this artist? Probably not
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
Actual Rating:
