SETTING the rich, North-Eastern dialect singing of Becky and Rachel Unthank against a brass band was an inspired move.
Diversions is easily the band’s best and most mature album to date, shifting gracefully from a delicate reading of The King Of Rome, a ballad popularised by June Tabor and arguably the finest song ever written about a racing pigeon, to the beautiful Father’s Suite.
This four-part composition, written by Rachel’s partner Adrian McNally, in celebration of their first child, is oddly reminiscent of late-period Prefab Sprout.
Maybe they could do a Diversions album with Paddy MacAloon ? For the time being, The Unthanks just get better and better.
Definitely an album of the year.
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