The Raven, The Thief & The Hangman

Stories inspire songs. Words inspire music.

People have been writing songs based on stories for thousands of years. Many of these songs are passed down from generation to generation, evolving and changing over time. They tell stories of lost love, merriment, revenge and the many trials and tribulations of the world. They are both beautiful and hideous, the Jekyll and Hyde of humanity. In fact, they can all be summed up as passion, death and joy.

So, what happens when a young, exciting folk band gather together traditional folk words and stories but take an entirely fresh look at the music?

For the last two years, Rusty Shackle have been researching folk music - trawling through libraries, manuscripts and interviews, gathering together stories from through the ages. Reading the words and stories, they set about writing music, inspired by what they read.

The result is ‘The Raven, The Thief & The Hangman’. A mix of traditional folk lyrics from around the world, with brand new music and melodies written for them. From the subtle to the sweet, the bombastic to the brooding, the haunting to the hallowed; the album is a genuinely fresh look at how stories can inspire music and push the boundaries of folk music at the same time.