14 culture APRIL 11 McNally talk to talk McNally Adrian husband and Unthank Rachel style. epic new a and engagement an pregnancy, a homecoming, a marks Unthanks The by new elegant An hs lu.Rte ta eln lk it like feeling music than Rather with album. this deal you changes. way the grow change, and you mature as a person it is “As natural that says. she ing,” recordingperform- about and nervous hunger off staves and pangs latté with lemon cake. a Rachel, with BBC. the who is six for months pregnant, warms up Tyne River the they after have spent a chilly afternoon filming on Café Down Settle castle’s brass. muted and drumming gentle strings, an- luscious provide musicians eight other album, fourth their of rangements ar- musical ambitious the furnish help ing of intimate sibling harmonies but to Keegan playing Niopha fiddle. member” guitar family “adopted on and Price Chris friend childhood close-knit a affair with Adrian McNally on piano, his became and Unthanks over thrown The was Winterset The Tender metamorphosis. a The heralded Here’s Coming, album, third EMI, the with deal a and following mitted ing a nomination, a com- gain- after but cupboards in recordings band also featuring piano and fiddle. with The musical Winterset, a four-piece female of were two first Their reinvention. powers impressive have T dance The last Ifl ofdn bu u on for sound our about confident felt “I very were we out started we “When New- at Adrian and Rachel meet I pair- equal an remainson focus The DIY shoestring sparse, were These aldy u fl singers Unthank Becky folk and in Rachel Northumbrian but rooted balladry, be traditional may hey Tamzin Lewis Lewis Tamzin ers dsponmn i every- is “disappointment reprise the featuring Redfern, Jon songwriter Heart is a cover by English folk singer- ing for coal. min- of cost human terrible the about Glasgow’s Close the Coalhouse Door, prog-rock band King 70s Crimson. and Waits Tom singer-songwriter American by tunes also Ower but Up Sits Late Laddie My and Elliot bie traditional songs such as Canny Hob- ancholy on Last. It includes trademark usually miserable and tragic. told me how their favourite songs were inter- years ago first five at their Becky mum’s house in I Ryton and they Rachel When viewed same. the mains Sufjan Stevens. singer-songwriter the American visionary like contemporaries by in- fluenced cinematic, increasingly become moved on.” we have thrown the formula away and then Since instruments. few and bass a drums, no as with act Bairns female four-piece The album second Prize Mercury with a for nominated were to stand still. ours of music to explore, it seems lazy col- many so Thereare thing. joyous a is music of types different of variety manager and producer. He says: “The band’s the is a who Adrian, by steered like feels it venture, new natural progression.” a was h sieciln Gv Aa Your Away Give spine-chilling The Alex of version poignant a is There mel- shortage of no is there And re- Unthanks The of soul the But has Unthanks The of sound The Winterset The & Unthank “Rachel been has progression natural The about Last. about challenging and challenging natural way towaynatural sing is for two for is sing c o m m u n i c a te p re s s u r i s e d . For me the me For people to people re c o rd i n g Unthanks, far I find I Above, The album Last right, the iea raiepoest i down sit to process creative a as time can get the best out of and a song.” harmonies then on they get life. You have to see if you work we search, hr w gtCny obe Elliott Hobbie Canny f got we where Minstrelsy went Northumbrian we the always to get back As to do. meant and have around we that for songs looked and resources our trawled Becky and Me Last. for from choose again. make the same mistakes over and over to manages mankind composition, why asks original which an Last, track, our times.to tune theme a be could and Iraq of invasion Britain's to over response disillusionment in written was It where”. ro h ad: W ue h recording the use “We adds: She re- our from emerge songs “The ahl as “e a 4 og to songs 34 had “We says: Rachel title album's the is there then And m . e iné, olntsn u t a to due sing couldn’t fiancée, her now who lives in Yorkshire’s Becky, baby; with first her with pregnant was she discovered make. Rachel to record challenging a proved comfort- more bitable.” a it makes home bit a two false singing for recordingit for find and being at is I communicate. sing to people to way natural the me For pressurised. and challenging Adrian’s cottageand Rachel in the Tyneof Valley.cupboard under-stairs the in vocals recording Last, for again home” “go to decided band the dio”, stu- “fancy a in Coming Tender The the through music.” story the tell and to them have We songs. work out how we are going to arrange the explore and u dsiete oeies it homeliness, the despite But quite recording find “I says: Rachel Here’s album third recording After alse h leug Festival Aldeburgh the es- tablished Britten Benjamin composer the Snape Maltings concert hall by in influenced Su ffolk where was Last of ity to “like a symphony due orchestra”.sound which it made acoustics hall, remarkable village local the crafting on other getting songs”, Adrian were says. we reality sing so we had to hang on.” couldn’trecordingShe the period. of a stomach upset for two months. stay to and our sound engineer coming thought I had kept People fancy. its took it whenever morning, the in just not trimester; first the during day in Novemberfreeze big had them the all snowedand in. infection; chest n the atmosphericcrucial qual-And The string quartet was recording in “in but well, boded this of None most for action of out was “Becky every sick was “I says: 32, Rachel,

15 culture APRIL 11