This Earthly Spell

new album - 'this earthly spell' - from the ever popular karine polwart. the chiming opening track, a gorgeous vocal setting of a lyric by eminent scots poet edwin morgan, gives way to the steely, swampy 'sorry', whilst the delightful jazz inflected whimsy of 'the news' contrasts the anti-nuclear political bite of 'better things' and the incisive 'painted it white'. ' but it's the eerie and atmospheric parable 'tongue that cannot lie' that, most of all, betrays polwart's background as a former philosophy teacher, and her ongoing fascination with moral ambivalence. inspired by the supernatural legend surrounding thirteenth century scottish borders poet and prophet thomas the rhymer, it also distinguishes her as an ambitious and captivating storyteller.