Critically acclaimed Irish quartet Lankum announced that their fourth album, False Lankum, will be released on March 24, 2023 on Rough Trade Records. News of False Lankum is accompanied by new single ‘Go Dig My Grave’.
‘Go Dig My Grave’ was discovered by Lankum’s Radie Peat who discovered this version of the song on the album Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson at Folk City (1963). It is a member of a family of songs largely comprised of ‘floating verses’, originally composed as stanzas of various different ballads, some of which date back as far as the 17th century.
“’Our interpretation of the traditional song’Go Dig My Grave’ is one that centres around the emotion of grief – all-consuming, unbearable and absolute” explain Lankum, “A visceral physical reaction to something that the body and mind are almost incapable of processing. The second part of the song is inspired by the Irish tradition of keening (from the Irish caoineadh) – a traditional form of lament for the deceased. Regarded by some as opening up ‘perilous channels of communication with the dead’, the practice came under severe censure from the catholic church in Ireland from the 17th century on.”
As well as their versions of traditional songs False Lankum also features two original tracks, ‘Netta Perseus’ and ‘The Turn’, both penned by the group’s Daragh Lynch. Lankum have also announced series of live dates in Ireland including ytwo nights in Vicar Street this May. Full details and tracklisting below.
01) Go Dig My Grave
02) Clear Away In the Morning
03) Fugue I
04) Master Crowley’s
05) Newcastle
06) Fugue II
07) Netta Perseus
08) The New York Trader
09) Lord Abore and Mary Flynn
10) Fugue III
11) On a Monday Morning
12) The Turn
pre-order HERE
NEW LIVE DATES
19th May – Mandela Hall, Belfast
20th May – Cork Opera House, Cork
30th May – Vicar Street, Dublin
31st May – Vicar Street, Dublin
4th August – All Together Now Festival, Co Waterford
Lankum at Vicar Street. Tickets €35.00 (including booking fee) on general sale Friday 3rd February at 11:00.