Eliza Carthy released her new album Neptune through HemHem Records this Monday 9th May. Recorded at Castle Studios, Edinburgh and co-produced by Dave Wah and Eliza Carthy, Neptune is the solo follow up to 2008?s Dreams of Breathing Underwater and the first record to be released through her own label, HemHem Records. Last years album Gift (a collaboration with her mother Norma Waterson), received widespread critical acclaim and picked up Best Album and Best Traditional Track accolades at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Having recently toured with folk collective The Imagined Village, Carthy embarks on shows with her own band in May and June.Watch the video for the brilliant album track “Britain is a Car Park” live from the Buxton Opera House below!
This album is a step on from the Ben-Hur-style, everything with extra horse, seven years to make approach we had to the last one, explains Eliza. Me and my lovely, talented and stylish band in a room playing together, like the Romans did, in a couple of weeks. Ah the good old days.
Neptune relates to an astrological reading I had done by a friend of the family, recalls Eliza. The material on the album is ordered chronologically and is about the last ten years of my life. Its a story about ending relationships and beginning new ones with their own imperfections, and is about the thought that nothing is perfect, even when written in the stars. Im still an old romantic though and partial to odd quotes from old television programmes.
Displaying Carthys trademark eclectic flair and lush vocals, Neptune is brimming with poignant observations on British life. Britain is a Car Park is a song that imagines a near and possible future where we from our tiny island have all moved to Spain, and left our cars behind to be looked after by people who cant afford to move to Spain…then we all enjoy the unique local food, with chips, naturally.
Neptune track listing:
1. Blood on my Boots 6. Revolution
2. War 7. Britain is a Car Park
3. Write a letter 8. Romeo
4. Tea at Five 9. Hansel (Breadcrumbs)
5. Monkey 10. Thursday
Eliza Carthy is undoubtedly one of the most impressive and engaging performers of her generation. Twice nominated for the Mercury Prize and winner of innumerable other accolades over a 15 year career, Eliza has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists including, Paul Weller, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Nick Cave, Patrick Wolf and Bob Neuwirth. More than most, Eliza Carthy has revitalised folk music and captured the most hardened of dissenters with intelligent, charismatic and boundary-crossing performance.
Eliza grew up immersed in the world of traditional music. She still divides her time between touring and recording with her legendary parents, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson as well as engaging in numerous pioneering solo and band projects, including work with Pere Ubu and Melanie Challenger, an artist in residence in Antarctica.
In what has become something of a parallel career, Eliza has co-presented the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, been a regular guest-presenter on the BBC Radio 2 Mark Radcliffe Show and has made many appearances on BBC TVs Later with Jools. In her own right, Eliza has been the subject of an hour long ITV documentary (Heaven & Earth) and My Music on Channel 5.
Comedian and writer Stewart Lee describes Eliza as Not the Messiah, but a very naughty girl. Championed from an early age by John Peel, Andy Kershaw and Billy Bragg, Michael Eavis claimed to have discovered her when she played the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2001.
May Tour:
Weds 11th London Shepherds Bush Empire
(with Spiers & Boden)
Thurs 12th Norfolk Norfolk & Norwich Festival
01603 766400 www.nnfestival.org.uk
Fri 13th Bridport Arts Centre
01308 424204 www.bridport-arts.com
Sat 14th London Southbank (special guest to Martin Carthy)
Tues 17th Bracknell South Hill Park Arts Centre
01344 484123 www.southhillpark.org.uk
Thurs 19th London Cargo
08444 771000 www.cargo-london.com
Fri 20th Bolton Albert Halls
01204 334400 www.alberthalls-bolton.co.uk
Sat 21st Durham Gala Theatre
0191 332 4041 www.galadurham.co.uk
Sun 22nd Braziers Park Wood Festival, Oxon
0115 959 7908 www.thisistruck.com
Tues 24th Taunton The Brewhouse
01823 283244 www.thebrewhouse.net
Weds 25th Cambridge The Junction
01223 511511 www.junction.co.uk
Thurs 26th Warwick Arts Centre
0247 652 4524 www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Fri 27th Sheffield The Greystones
0114 256 5567 www.arenaticketshop.co.uk
Sat 28th Hertford Corn Exchange
01992 44299 www.hertfordcornexchange.co.uk
June
Thurs 2nd Exeter Phoenix
01392 667080 www.exeterphoenix.org.uk
Fri 3rd Hay-on-Wye Hay Festival
01497 822629 www.hayfestival.com
Sat 4th Pontardawe Arts Centre
01792 863722 www.pontardaweartscentre.com
Sun 5th Cheltenham Wychwood Festival
01993 772580 www.wychwoodfestival.com
Weds 8th Aberdeen Lemon Tree
01224 641122 www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
Thurs 9th Glasgow The Arches
0141 565 1000 www.thearches.co.uk
Sat 11th Edinburgh The Voodoo Rooms
0131 556 7060 www.thevoodoorooms.com
www.eliza-carthy.com
