While the world was consumed with the Ed Sheeran and Macklemore controversy, the Brothers Gillespie are clear in their position. No room for ambiguity or nuance, Kingfisher contains a track called 'Till Palestine is Free', a poignant and reflective song where nature’s metaphor poetically speaks their truth to all and any listening.
The natural world, truth and beauty weave throughout ‘Kingfisher’ the new release from siblings James and Sam Gillespie. In the style of traditional folk music, what makes this unique is the absolutely exquisite harmonies of the brothers – their voices complement each other perfectly. Think Simon and Garfunkel meets acoustic Fairport Convention on a meet up at the edge of the River Tweed.
Adhering to their traditional roots, like romantic and mystical poets gathering melodies and blending these with the mystical and the ancient memories of the earth, they often harvest from their wanderings, sleeping out in all weathers, to authentically listen and learn – then with some transformative power, create this sublimely memorable and mellow music.
Opening with the ‘Worlds Unfold’, rich in natural imagery, the turning of time, changing seasons and the stillness of dusk, with larks upon on the Tyne – if you listen very carefully you can find yourself transported to the scene. Quaintly reflective of a quieter time in a world gone mad.
‘Snowdrop Song’ is more upbeat – yet craving stillness and peace, while on the road, with expert picked guitar and sauntering melody.
The third song – dedicated to the man enshrined in legend as Ireland’s greatest poet – not Yeats or Heaney – but Oisin, warrior-poet of the Fianna. Scotland may claim he’s buried there but we know his grave can be found in the Glens of Antrim of course, a place of pilgrimage for many. ‘Oisin’s Song’ is a beautiful tune that captures the essence of the great poet and his many wanderings between the worlds, rooted in rich natural imagery and pagan, Druidic mysteries – gathering pace towards a rousing finale.
There are two tunes on the album dedicated to the River Tweed.
‘Tweed One’ reminisces on childhood memories – again steeped in the natural world, going fishing with a kindly uncle, reminiscing on a grandma and her dreams – days gone, memories tucked away but never forgotten – and how the Tweed can bring these memories to the surface once again.
Later in the album we revisit the river for ‘Tweed Two’. Boyhood memories for the brothers of the travelling people arriving with their wagons. Nostalgically autumnal, the river invokes magical memories from boyhood of leaping salmon, dragons hidden in petals, owls and hollow trees in the stillness of late September evenings, yet with the magic of fairy tales and the woodland world, memories of a loving childhood gracefully invoked in melody.
‘Anam Cara’ – which basically means ‘soul friend’ in Irish (anam meaning ‘soul, cara meaning ‘friend’)– opens with quietly spoken accidental words. One brother says ‘yea, a good place to record here, beneath the trees.’ Sung in the style of a traditional lament, a single strong male voice sings above the long low tone of the bagpipes, it tells the story of man perhaps returning home from some ancient battle, aged and battle weary, advised to stay close to the earth by another man he met along the way, who offered friendship and kindness to a soul at his lowest point.
Recorded over ten warm days in June using vintage microphones and instruments, the sounds of the room, laughter and birdsong in the mix, the brothers are occasionally joined on vocals by Jemina Thewes, Darla Eno and Daisy Martinez.
‘House of Shelter’ (and lay your burden down) seems to cross the Atlantic in tone with the banjo – just a little different from the others, yet still holding strong to the healing power of nature and community.
The album closes with the absolutely beautiful melody – ‘Humming Song’, which as you would expect, is the brothers simply humming in harmony for a full five and a half minutes – absolutely beautiful.
With delicate melodies and harmonies, fingerstyle guitar and poetic lyrics, ‘Kingfisher’ has a spiritual heart and a radical edge.