FAERIE FOLK – Faerie Folk (Tree Temple Music)

Faerie Folk are a band from Portland, Oregon who play Irish and Scandinavian music. They were formed by pianist and composer Troll Hart and are nominally a duo although four musicians appear in their videos. Troll is well-regarded in avant-garde and death metal circles so although their eponymous debut album starts off sounding traditionally Irish by the end it has taken you on a journey through a whole musical spectrum – although, in this case, not death metal – while never losing sight of its root.

The album begins with a traditional reel, ‘The Boyne Hunt’, opening with piano (possibly prepared) before settling down with guitar and whistle which then give way to a rather extraordinary fiddle sound. As the tune approaches its end the piano is back, this time with a bluesy/barrelhouse feel. A pretty good start to the record. Next is another traditional reel, ‘The Musical Priest’, on piano and whistle. So far so traditional.

The first song is a sprightly take on ‘Star Of The County Down’ with piano and fiddle and a whistle solo. ‘Fermoy Lassies’ (that’s how The Dubliners spelled it) is another traditional reel led by whistle – I think we can take the piano for granted now, although Troll’s playing can be very dynamic and exciting and is the key part of the Faerie Folk sound. ‘Rory O’Moore’ is a jig, perhaps better known as ‘Haste To The Wedding’, paired here with ‘Saddle The Pony’.

After ‘The Maids Of Mitchelstown’ – hinting at jazz in places – comes ‘Queen Of The Forgotten Meadow’ which I suspect is a Hart original. The album is beginning to remind me of the story of the frog in the pan of water – it’s pleasantly chill when the frog is put in the pan and it doesn’t notice as the temperature rises until it’s too late. By the point we have reached in this discussion you realise that this isn’t your standard set of Irish tunes and there are exciting new vistas ahead. Even ‘Donegal Reel’ doesn’t sound quite as you might expect.

‘Sporting Paddy’ is led first by whistle and then by fiddle and then comes the second song and the album’s outlier, a medieval Swedish ballad called ‘Vanner Och Frander’. I opens with Joy’s echo-laden unaccompanied voice and I would have been happy for it to continue in that vein but that’s the way of the Faerie Folk and it develops with a full-blown accompaniment. Finally, we have ‘Joy’s’ which I suspect is another original and which almost brings us back down to earth again.

This album may seem like an oddity at first glance but it is really good and a rewarding listen.

Dai Jeffries

Artists’ website: https://www.treetemplemusic.com/

‘The Boyne Hunt’ – official video:

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