recent listening. When the haar rolls in by James Yorkston

To complete a trio of folky delights I’d like to pick up on this stunner that I have ommitted to share with you dear reader.

I have been growing deeper in love with this record every time I hear it for over a year now and it is sublime.  The standout track is almost unclassifiable; Tortoise Regrets Hare puts the hairs on the back of my neck up every time I hear the stunning harmony that Yorkston creates with Nancy Elizabeth (or is it Elizabeth Nancy I wonder).  Its structure is bemusing and its lyrics, to say the least, are unconventional.  Basically I think it’s about jealous love.  But it is so, so beautiful.

Here it is.  Please watch.

Anyway, the rest of it is also amazingly poignant, beautiful, affecting, sad, lyrical, compelling, emotive.  I’ll stop.  I like it.  I like it very much and I think you owe it to yourself to like it too.

I would be very pleased if you did.

As would Mr Yorkston.

Oh, and by the way.  What a cover!  (Mark Bannerman)