Traditional Irish and Folk Music
Gráinne Brady – New Single 'Newcomer' – release date June 5th 2020
Label: Cailin Records (self-released)
Publisher: PRS/MCPS
The title track, and second single from her forthcoming solo album.
Composed and arranged by Gráinne Brady, with words by Patrick MacGill.
Following up on her debut solo album The Road Across the Hills, Gráinne's second solo album Newcomer is also inspired by the work of Irish writer Patrick MacGill – namely his second novel 'The Rat-Pit'. The story follows a young Donegal woman, Norah Ryan who, upon emigrating to Scotland as a teenager, was vulnerable to poverty, sexual exploitation, and great emotional loss.
In this part of the story, Norah gives birth to a baby boy and comes to the realisation that "a women's life is always woven of dreams, sorrow, love and self-sacrifice." Also featuring, in spoken word, on this instrumental track, is Love, a poem by Patrick MacGill.
Produced and engineered by musician and composer Mike Vass, the album boasts a plethora of musicians prominent in the Scottish folk scene. Featured on this track along with Gráinne on fiddle are Tina Jordan Rees (flute), Michael Biggins (piano), Innes White (guitar), Christine MacGinley (French horn), Seonaid Aitken (violin), Sarah Leonard (viola), Su-a Lee (cello), and Jack Houston (spoken word).
Available on all the usual platforms
Love
Love will live while the pale stars glow, while the world shall last,
On the present hopes, and in hours of woe, on a dreamy past,
Love will live, while the flowers bloom, and the meadows wave;
Nor yet be quenched by the charnel tomb – the ghastly grave;
For o'er the tomb and the silver stars, to the gates above
The soul will seek in the great Afar the Endless Love.
- Patrick MacGill (1889-1963)