Three Galleys – the debut album from Holly and the Reivers…

Three Galleys reaches into the depths of the darker side of folk song and brings forth the messages in the songs that are deeply rooted in human experience through history. Each track has been meticulously arranged to help interlace the story with a musical setting that enthrals listeners to submit and be swept away in a journey of rich storytelling.

The album was recorded over four days at Blank studios in Newcastle upon Tyne , an incredible creative hub for the musicians of the city.

Although they all work on solo careers and other projects they came together to form Holly and the Reivers  in 2017 with a shared love for and taking inspiration from groups like Lankum and the Furrow Collective . Their music came to the attention of Sage Gateshead in 2019 and they supported the legendary Billy Bragg at Folk on the Tyne festival.

Though firmly rooted in the folk song tradition the trio has a signature sound that comprises of their individual roots within old time music, supernatural ballads, political songs, Scottish fiddle and Welsh song. It is in these Border lands of the Folk genre that they thrive creatively without boundaries.

Holly Clarke (voice/guitar), Merle Harbron (voice/fiddle) and Bertie Armstrong (voice/banjo) weave their arrangements around these old songs, bring their voices together and create a soundscape to accompany these old stories. This soundscape approach comes from the prolific influence of folk horror cinema. They view this as a muse for their sound both in a metaphorical and musical sense. Whether it be a murmuring fiddle heralding the arrival of a vengeful ghost or the powerful voices rising that embodies the message of a political song, Holly and the Reivers hold the story at the very centre of what they do.

“Brilliant musical storytellers, the Reivers – a class act from start to finish” Nancy Kerr

Upcoming gigs

• Walthamstow folk club, London. 19th November 2023

• The Lake District Folk and Acoustic Club, Cumbria. 12th April 2024

With more dates to be announced for 2024

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