The album is undoubtedly one of Eliza’s most adventurous and accomplished works to date, and the outfit’s live show, which features a who’s who of names in the folk world, is equally as impressive, ambitious and exhilarating.
First assembled in 2013 by British folk powerhouse Eliza to explore new avenues in what is already a long and varied career, The Wayward Band loved playing together so much it seemed inevitable that this 12-piece would eventually set about recording an album. In early 2016, they did just that. And now we see the triumphant result.
Produced by Jim Sutherland, “Big Machine” represents a healthy slice of everything positive happening in traditional music, spanning a sparkling spectrum of sound…
It features three contemporary tunes: Eliza’s own “You Know Me” featuring MC Dizraeli, a powerful cover of Ewan MacColl’s radio ballad “The Fitter’s Song”, and an affectionate rework of “Hug You Like a Mountain”, re-imagined here as a duet with Teddy Thompson.
There are also several examples of the Broadside Ballads collection being given a fresh twist, as well as a couple of searing instrumentals and a heart-breaking traditional ballad “I Wish that the Wars were all Over”, featuring Irish superstar Damien Dempsey.