Devils Water - Treading the Marches (2017)

Devils Water hail from the border regions of Northern England. This hardy bunch of Northumbrians play an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary folk songs & tunes which mostly has its roots firmly in the waters of the Tyne. Richard Ridley (songwriter, vocals, guitar & guzouki) joined forces with Raymond Greenoaken founder of Badger In The Bag (concertina, ship's harmonium & mandola) and Ian K. Brown (Guitar, vocals)
Devils Water have now been together in one form or another for 6 years and have played at BAAfest in Northumberland, Festival On The Moor at Hutton Le Hole, Yorkshire and Scarborough Seafest 2010, 2011, Whitby Sea Festival 2012, 2013,2014, Fastnet Maritime & Folk Festival, Ballydehob Ireland 2012 & 2013 as well as a number of folk venues and a farmyard in the Northumberland. Devils Water have played at Cherryburn, Mickley The birth place of Thomas Bewick for the past 5 years.
Their CD's "Small Pictures-Tall Tales" (2013) & "The Channels" (2014)were recorded & produced by Saul Rose (Faustus, Eliza Carthy, Whapweasel)
The latest project for the Devils is a new CD entitled "Treading The Marches"
Treading The Marches is a new and ground breaking programme of songs and music drawn from the northern English Border counties—Cumbria and Northumberland. Back in the day, this territory was divided into three Marches: the Eastmarch, Middlemarch and Westmarch. Historically, it has been a wild and debatable land, fought over by the Scots and English, and pillaged by steel-helmeted bands of Border Reivers.

Devils Water have scoured local libraries, rare book shops and the online FARNE archive to pull together a programme of mostly forgotten songs and tunes just waiting to flare again into vibrant life. Historical ballads, local legends and supernatural yarns rub shoulders with comic tales and songs of toil, entwined with frisky tunes from the Northumberland Smallpipes repertoire. The traditional muse sits alongside local songmakers like Robert Anderson (“the Burns of the borders”) and Hugh Falconer, and poets of national repute such as A C Swinburne and W W Gibson.

Devils Water founder members Richard Ridley and Raymond Greenoaken were born and raised in the Tyne Valley, steeped in the local tradition and repertoire. They’re ably abetted by Sheffield-based singer and multi-tasker Patrick Walker and Steeleye Span alumni Rick Kemp and Ken Nicol, with Rick in the producer’s chair.

Tracklist:

01. Devils Water - Hughie Graeme
02. Devils Water - A Lyke Wake Song
03. Devils Water - Devils Water
04. Devils Water - Storrers & Peacocks
05. Devils Water - The Fray of Hautwessel
06. Devils Water - The Derwentwater Lights
07. Devils Water - The Buck O' Kingwatter, The Breckon O' Branton
08. Devils Water - Piper at Capheaton
09. Devils Water - The Brampton Girls Fear
10. Devils Water - Madam Jane, The Hesleyside Ride
11. Devils Water - High Germany
12. Devils Water - Three Crows Flew, Lang Stayed Away
13. Devils Water - Rap 'Er Te Bank