Mar 3 2010 - 20:00
‘The Glamoury’ is the eagerly awaited debut of folk songstress Emily Portman. Folktales and ballads inspire this beguiling vocal-centered album of contemporary songs. These visceral visions of a darker Albion conjure landscapes where mythical sirens collide in urban backstreets. ‘The Glamoury’ weaves together a tapestry of female narratives with harmonies from Lucy Farrell and BBC Folk Award Nominee Rachel Newton. Harp, viola and guitar combine with delicate strings from Northern Sinfonia‘s cellist Gabriel Waite and Bellowhead’s own Rachael McShane.
“From the first moment I heard Emily sing, I knew that she was special. She is beautiful and charming, and with her love of the tradition and her well-chosen songs, she graces the English folk scene.”
Shirley Collins
Now based in the North East, Emily originally hails from Glastonbury, where she began songwriting at the age of six, starting out with a keyboard and a tape recorder. After a few years emersing herself in traditional music, Emily's return to songwriting has already grabbed the attention of the BBC, with Radio 3’s 'Late Junction' recently previewing Emily’s new music and ‘Words and Music’ broadcasting live performances of songs from the album at their 'Free Thinking' Festival. With a BBC Folk Award nomination for her work with harmony trio The Devil’s Interval, Emily is already an establisheed musician on the English folk scene, commended by Shirley Collins and annually touring with Waterson:Carthy. Emily was also featured as a soloist on the BBC's adaptation of 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles’. Emily has recently appeared at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall with alt-folk star Alasdair Roberts, at The Southbank Centre as part of their ‘Folk Roots, New Routes’ series and debuted her new songs at The Sage Gateshead
