The Dark Island has never sounded so good in hands of the Coaltown Daisies
Fife’s favourite folk duo The Coaltown Daisies have released a new single this week called The Dark Island.
This song is already legendary but given a haunting new arrangement by the duo. With Vivienne Bern on vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion and snare she is joined by Lynzy Moutter on vocals, acoustic guitar, piano and percussion. David Macfarlane plays fiddle, engineered the single and co-produced the release with the band. Tim Edey plays melodeon, Ross Ainslie plays low whistle and Chris Small is on bass guitar. Recorded at Teleharmonic Studios in Perth, the recording was mastered by Chris Waite.
The Dark Island has never sounded so good.
The girls’ harmonies form an evocative theme redolent of a bygone age and drawn from the music’s history. The instrumental break leads us through the mist before a short section of just voice bursts into an energetic finish.
As an instrumental it was first heard as the theme to a long-lost BBC six part television series in 1962 and while all episodes have been lost, a radio series from 1969 still crops up on retro sites. The song itself was originally called Dr. Mackay's Farewell to Creagorry by its composer, Iain MacLachlan and written in 1958. Such was its appeal at least two sets of lyrics have been published.
It has been recorded by Calum Kennedy, Daniel O’Donnell, Mary Duff, Kenneth McKellar and in 1969 by the Alexander Brothers.
Last weekend The Coaltown Daisies were in Tarbet for the Scottish Series and next weekend are off to Feis Ile Whisky Festival in Islay. In July they have two shows in Portmahomack at their Randan Festival, but tickets are selling fast for their return to the King’s Kirkcaldy on Sunday June 7 from 3:00pm. Also on the bill will be David Latto, Craig Harley Brown and Teddy Paton and the Midnight Sensation for The Little Bird Revue.