I was recently in Utrecht to see Lankum, an Irish group that's been the talk of last year in music magazines: their latest album topped end-of-the-year lists by Uncut and The Guardian, rose to No.3 in MOJO's list and No.2 here in The Netherlands (in OOR's list) - I can't remember another folk group ever receiving such honors! Nobody knew them before, and even now no-one I told about the concert had heard their name. But apparently the hype works, because Tivoli's grote zaal was sold out. The band justified all the great reviews, with a mesmerizing performance of their latest album - in sequence. Usually I don't care for concerts where the artist only focuses on their latest work, but this was billed as Lankum presents False Lankum, so I knew what I was getting into. The band played sitting down; theirs isn't music to dance to. If my mentioning Irish music had you thinking Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance, you couldn't have been further from the truth. But they had great rapport with the audience: I can't remember another band getting such a warm reception in years, and they also chatted with the crowd like with old friends - their heavy Irish accent hampering communication only a tiny bit.
The concert started as starkly as the album does, with Radie Peat's enchanting voice singing the hair-rising lyrics acapella "Go dig my grave/ Both wide and deep/ Place a marble stone/ At my head and feet". Not exactly "Seven Drunken Nights", but as I already said, Lankum are drawn to the more somber side of Irish traditional music - and that's a pretty rich seam to mine. As the song progresses, other instruments join the singer's voice, the funereal drum and hollow drone dominating the second part of the song. In concert, the audience held their breath during the 8+ minute opener and the subdued follow up "Clear Away in the Morning", erupting in thunderous applause only after the medley (also including short instrumental "Fugue I") ended. These are followed by a seemingly traditional-style reel called "Master Crowley's". As Lankum are prone to do, halfway through the track they add a cacophony of screeching noises which lend a threatening tone to this simple instrumental tune. I don't know exactly how the droning background sound is produced; they feed the hurdy gurdy, concertina, and keyboards through a console which somehow distorts the sound, while during the concert they also had another guy at the sound desk, adding electronic effects - if I understood correctly, that was False Lankum producer John Murphy. In contrast to the disquieting instrumental that preceded it, "Newcastle" charms us with the fragile beauty of Radie Peat's lead vocal and excellent band harmonies. By the end of the concert, each member (apart from the drummer) had sung lead at least in one song; Radie isn't the only good singer in the band, and their ability to harmonize is among their greatest strengths. "Netta Perseus" begins with gentle acoustic guitar and violin, again descending into noise. This was, for me, the first misstep in the album; I felt that they ruined a perfectly good song by unnecessarily adding their trademark effects which not every tune calls for. "The New York Trader" now, yes. That story of a murdering captain, stormy seas, and mutinous crew calls for darkness and Lankum offer it plenty. The switch among light and dark continues, with the pastoral folk of "Lord Abore and Mary Flynn" and "On a Monday Morning" alternating with more intense tracks like instrumental "Fugue III" and marathon closer "The Turn" which starts off with soothing harmonies but ends in dissonant feedback and electronic noise. This approach may not benefit each and every song, but it's Lankum's personal touch. It adds an extra layer of intensity to their otherwise morose song choices, it helped them rejuvenate traditional folk, and endeared them to both critics and fans of avantgarde/drone/math rock who wouldn't otherwise have come into contact with the treasure trove of the traditional Irish songbook. Despite its moments of spellbinding beauty and fierce intensity, False Lankum still makes for demanding listen. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but the accolades it received were undeniably well deserved.
***** for Go Dig My Grave, Clear Away in the Morning, Newcastle, The New York Trader
**** for Master Crowley's, Lord Abore and Mary Flynn, On a Monday Morning, The Turn
*** for Fugue I, Fugue II, Netta Perseus, Fugue III
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