Ellen Mary McGee - The Crescent Sun

Considering its rich history of local legends, it’s a shame that Nottingham’s typical media portrayal is more This Is England than Robin Hood. Ellen Mary McGee, hailing from a syringe-laden Nottingham estate, but full of tales of mythological figures, may well change some of that. Returning to the folk songs that she learnt while teaching herself guitar, McGee draws upon mythology for lyrical inspiration, but never sounds twee; Acoltyes is underpinned by unnervingly atonal banjo, and you could hardly call references to Theseus and Sisyphus whimsical. Anyone who appreciates the art of folk storytelling will no doubt be impressed by this album, with the suicide-note tale of The Winterling, equal parts morbid and touching, being the highlight. Like a youthful version of Norma Waterson, McGee’s wavering vocal harks back to a genuine folk tradition, avoiding any explicit references to 21st century life, yet still managing to sound relevant to the modern day.