Kronos Quartet - Folk Songs

Folk Songs is a studio album by American string quartet Kronos Quartet, released in June 2017 via Nonesuch Records.

Kronos Quartet was formed in 1972 by violinist David Harrington and has been in existence now for more than 40 years. Long time members include John Sherba (violin) and Hank Dutt (viola) with Sunny Yang (cello) joining the band in 2013. They have released more than 40 studio albums and specialise in contemporary classical music, and have performed more than 750 works specially commissioned for them.

This album features nine tracks drawn from American, British and French traditional songbooks with guest vocalists. The album is a follow-up to the band’s participation in a couple of festivals to celebrate Nonesuch Records 50^th Anniversary in 2014 in London and New York. Fellow Nonesuch Records label mates Sam Amidon, Olivia Chaney, Rhiannon Giddens, and Natalie Merchant participated in these live concerts, and then later recorded the songs for this album with producer Doug Petty.

The arrangements and accompaniment by the quartet are superb throughout the album and allow space for the singers voices to shine. The backing arrangement on “Factory Girl” is especially beautiful creating a wonderful atmospheric backing to draw the listener into the song and focus on the story being told in the song. The tone of the album is fairly sombre with the exception of Rhiannon Giddens take on “Lullaby”. Merchant’s take on “Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier” is beautiful rework of a haunting song about the horrors of conflict popular around the War of Independence. American folk musician, Sam Amidon brings a mournful splendour to “Oh Where”, the mountain blues with subtle guitar backing among the strings.

This is an album that adds something special to the cannon of folk and roots music.

Check out the tracks:  “Oh Where”; “Ramblin’ Boy”; “The Butcher’s Boy”; and “Factory Girl”.

This LP Record is on 140 gram black vinyl with an inner sleeve, pressed in the US.