The Unthanks On World Cafe | WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source


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English folk group The Unthanks, formerly known as Rachel Unthank and The Winterset, has been leading the neo-folk renaissance since its acclaimed debut in 2005. The band's third album,


_Here's the Tender Coming_, was released in 2009 to similar praise. Led by namesake sisters Rachel and Becky, the quintet mixes classic folk with lush instrumentation -- and sometimes


morbid, thought-provoking lyricism. With many awards to their belt -- 2005's _Cruel Sister_ was awarded folk album of the year by the British music magazine _Mojo_ -- the Unthank


sisters are as dedicated to creating dreamy backings as they are to playing traditional folk. It's no surprise that the group counts among its fans Radiohead, Robert Wyatt and


Portishead. Here, Rachel and Becky Unthank play live songs from _Here's the Tender Coming_ and discuss what it's like to be hated on by "the folk police." Accompanying


the Unthank sisters in the studio on this visit are Niopha Keegan on fiddle, Jo Silverstein on cello, Rachel's husband Adrian McNally on piano, Chris Price on guitar and bass, and Dean


Ravera on drums and double bass. Copyright 2010 XPN