O'Hooley & Tidow - WinterFolk

The Guardian 80

(No Masters)

It’s only just November, but here come the seasonal, white-frosted songs. Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow’s festive offering is piano-drizzled and string-glistened, its sound as comforting on the ears as favourite jumpers on the body on dark, icy mornings. Comprising reimaginings of their back catalogue, plus a few traditionals and modern covers, some of its subjects are tougher than you’d expect. Winter Folk Carol is a beautiful a cappella original about loneliness and trauma, lifted by the wives’ close, rich harmonies (they’ve just celebrated a year of marriage). They also stunningly rerecord O’Hooley’s song Whitethorn from Rachel Unthank and the Winterset’s The Bairns album (O’Hooley was then in the band). Its story of her great-grandmother’s stillborn babies is made more desolate through long, sad drones. A later, slower cover of Fairytale of New York may be too syrupy for some, but warmth is at the heart of this album. Let it glow.