Entertainment
Sowing Acorns the second album from Limerick singer-songwriter Emma Langford
Sowing Acorns is a collection of 13 warm and reflective songs, lovingly embedded against a folk-imbued backdrop of strings and percussion.
Sowing Acorns the second album from Limerick singer-songwriter Emma Langford
Limerick’s Emma Langford will officially launch her album Sowing Acorns on September 18.
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The versatile singer-songwriter from Caherdavin launches her long-awaited second record following a rigorous three-year-run of gigs, tours and collaborations since her hugely successful debut in 2017 with Quiet Giant.
Arguably one of the finest songwriters and vocalists to emerge from Ireland in recent years, Emma won the title of Best Emerging Artist at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards in 2018. Never one to rest on laurels, she has risen to that mantle and delivered consistently since. As part of an international tour, 2019 saw Langford make her US debut at the world’s biggest celebration of Celtic music, Milwaukee Irish Fest, with a show-stopping closing-night performance in tribute to Dolores O’Riordan before eleven thousand festival-goers.
Langford’s latest project is steeped in the musical influences of Joni Mitchell, The Staves, Lisa Hannigan and Anaïs Mitchell. Sowing Acorns is a collection of 13 warm and reflective songs, lovingly embedded against a folk-imbued backdrop of strings and percussion.
While her 2017 release Quiet Giant could be said to be a coming-of-age record, Sowing Acorns is very much a declaration of who Emma Langford is and intends to be, the woman and the artist. The songs on this album pivot on an axis of female strength and empowerment (Birdsong), but never shy away from vulnerability; she openly delves into personal encounters with grief (The Winding Way Down to Kells Bay), ambition (Song For My Younger Self), and broken relationships (You Are Not Mine), while touching on other loose themes along the way. Regardless of whether the song drifts toward a folk or a soul sensibility, the common denominator throughout is Emma’s vocal range and tone, combined with strikingly observational and incisive lyrics.
Langford (pictured above) has a small number of dates lined up to celebrate its release into the world. Picture: Conor Kerr
Sowing Acorns was recorded between Golden Egg Studios in Laois and The Production Suite on Lad Lane, Dublin, with Grammy-nominated producers Graham Murphy & Chris O’Brien – the same production team behind Quiet Giant.
The album lands amid the disquieting lull of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Langford has a small number of dates lined up to celebrate its release into the world including shows at the Triskel in Cork; the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre, Castlebar; the Whale Theatre in Greystones; and a special full-band virtual concert live from Limerick on release day as part of Limerick’s Culture Night programme.
Sowing Acorns will be available to purchase digitally and on CD and vinyl HERE from the 18 of September, and across all online stores from the 21.
Catch Emma perform songs from the album and old favourites live at her upcoming shows:
Culture Night – 8pm, Friday 18 Sept – Album Launch virtual concert; an intimate advance preview of some of the songs from Sowing Acorns ahead of the album’s official launch concert sometime later this year. Emma is joined by friends Alec Brown on cello, Ray Yrure on percussion, Lucia MacPartlin and Niamh Varian Barry on violins, and Ann Blake on bass.
In the spirit of Culture Night, this virtual concert is free to view, but viewers are invited to make a donation via PayPal HERE
All donors of €20 or more will receive a copy of Emma’s new album on CD
Upcoming Performances
Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, duo show, 26 September, 7.45 & 9.30pm – SOLD OUT
Whale Theatre, Greystones, trio show, 9 October 2020
+ additional dates to be announced soon.
Find out more about Emma Langford:
Web: HERE
Patreon: HERE
Listen to Emma’s Music on Spotify HERE
Tracklisting:
- Birdsong (02:57mins) **Recommended for radio
- Sailor’s Wife (03:01mins)
- He Came from The Sea (04:08mins)
- The Winding Way down to Kells Bay (03:51mins) **Recommended for radio
- Port na BPúcaí (Alec Brown) (02:29mins)
- Sowing Acorns (04:16mins) **Recommended for radio
- Mariana (04:10mins) **Recommended for radio
- A Song for My Younger Self (01:37mins)
- Ready – O (02:49mins)
- Goodbye Hawaii (03:47mins) **Recommended for radio
- Demon, Darling (03:14mins)
- Free to Fall (03:24mins)
- You Are Not Mine (This song isn’t about you you lying bollix) (03:47mins)
For more stories about Emma Langford, click HERE
