Black is the Colour

Released February 2002; reissued with bonus track, April 2008

This is a limited edition digitally remastered reissue which quickly sold out on its first release in 2002. It’s now available again! Beautifully filmic, these performances of folk songs from Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Mexico and France have a dark and timeless quality. This reissue also includes a bonus track, a stunning version of the Sandy Denny classic ‘Who knows where the time goes’.

Sally’s warm and pure voice is sometimes accompanied by just Spanish guitar and flute and at others by piano, rich cellos and violins.

“Quite unlike any other ‘folk’ record currently out there. The restrained use of Spanish guitars, Indian percussion, piano, cellos, clarinet and Sally’s occasional Eastern vocal intonations invest the album with a spiritual and soulful hue. Dark and haunting, ‘Black is the Colour’ is as absorbing as it is beautiful”—Get Rhythm, UK

”Only a voice as sublime as that of Sally Doherty’s has the ability to take on ‘Black is the Colour’: a superb collection”—Blow Up, Italy

”A precious gift to all lovers of stirring music and essential purity. My special recommendation”—Zinnober, Germany

 

Tracklisting: Black is the Colour • Los bilbilicos • I Held My Love • The Praities • The Selkie of Sule Skerry • My Lagan Love • La llorona • Neither Fire Bright Nor Candle Light • L’on dit q’amors est dolce chose • The Bonny Boy • Requiem Waltz • The Low Lowlands of Holland • Who Knows Where the Time Goes (bonus track)

To order a copy see the shop page. For more information and reviews click here.

Also available from CDbaby.com. Distributed in Germany through Dark Vinyl and in Italy through Audioglobe. Sally's other releases are also now available in these territories. Also available as a download from iTunes.

“This CD is a bit of a mixture for me. It combines my nostalgia with my desire to visit new musical territories. My aim was to interpret these folk songs (and one 12th century song) in a way that would not jeopardise their original beauty and would also allow space for me to maintain my own sound.

A lot of these songs are songs that my mum used to sing, accompanied by my dad on guitar, in their folk band when I was tiny. I remember one song in particular, ‘The Praities’, very clearly, but I couldn’t really recall the others until now. Revisiting these songs has been very significant for me.

Of course most of the songs are quite sad as the sad folk songs always seem to have the most beautiful melodies. As a result, lyrically, the CD will have quite a melancholic atmosphere, although hopefully the music will feel uplifting. There are also a few contrasting moods. ‘Black is the Colour’ stands out as it is a love song. This song has quite a timeless sound to it and I hope that people who already know it will enjoy my interpretation of it. The first version that I heard was sung by Nina Simone and that was stunning, in my opinion.

Two of the songs are sung in Spanish; ‘Los bilbilicos’, from Spain and ‘La llorona’ from Mexico; one is in early French. This song, ‘L’on dit q’amors est dolce chose’, was written by an anonymous female poet in the 12th century.”

Hear this release

Black is the Colour (excerpt; 0'49", 756kb)

Los bilbilicos (excerpt; 1'19", 1.2MB)

My Lagan Love (excerpt; 1'01"; 960k)

La Llorona (excerpt; 1'29"; 1.3MB)

The Low Lowlands of Holland (excerpt; 1'54"; 1.7MB)

Who Knows Where the Time Goes (excerpt; 0'39"; 600kb)

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