The Unthanks, “John Dead”

“Near the middle of their set, Northumbrian sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank step away from their microphones to sing unamplified, taking advantage of the airy acoustics of the semi-sacred space of Brighton’s St.George’s Church. The tune is ‘John Dead,’ a sea song ‘collected’ — as they say in folk circles — from St Vincent in the Windward Isles. It was handed down to the Unthanks by shanty singers the Keelers, who count Rachel and Becky’s father, George, in their number.”
 — The Guardian’s Kitty Empire put it well back in her 2010 concert review, although YouTube footage has only surfaced somewhat recently. (The singing starts at 1:00 if you’re game for sea shanties but don’t have time for [charming] stage banter.)

More on The Unthanks, if you’re interested but unfamiliar (from their website): “Known for their timeless, unsentimental and quietly subversive tales of loss, fear, booze, brawls, abuse and sorrow, siblings Rachel and Becky Unthank are honest, young storytellers outside of time, forging links between folk worlds old, new and other.” (!)

They have five albums, the latest being The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons, Live from The Union Chapel (Diversions Vol 1.) — about which Robert Wyatt himself said, “Quite simply, Antony & The Johnsons and I have been blessed by angels. If I had to take a single summary of what Alfie and I have being doing over the years to the proverbial desert island, I wouldn’t take one of our own records. I’d take the crystal clear interpretations of The Unthanks.”

And this all comes to The Hairpin by way of reader Helen, who says, “The whole band is wonderful, but for me they are at their most touching when it’s just Becky and Rachel singing together.” Indeed.

(“John Dead” is available as a single track for $0.89 on Amazon, and The Unthanks are also on Twitter.)