Wild Rover - The Haar

The first single release from The Haar's forthcoming album (Where Old Ghosts Meet, out 29.04.22) album is Wild Rover (out on March 17th) St Patrick’s Day. Order the album and download the single here: thehaar.bandcamp.com.
Concept and film by Molly Donnery
Dancer Grace Doyle Flaherty
Not for The Haar the bonhomie of The Dubliner. The band were struck by the idea that the prodigal son’s triumphant return, pockets laden with gold, might not be something that endeared him to everyone in the community that he returned to - jealousy, envy and covetousness are easy to imagine. A dark additional verse by Summerhayes gives the final refrains a new poignancy, turning the story on its head. Molly sang a few experimental bars in a minor key, Cormac added a few quietly ominous strikes and the band fell in love with the feel. Adam and Murray found a dark sound, imbued with hints of Arabic and klezmer music. Deciding that Molly would start alone, they hit record, and this is the result.
Matching the fresh talent of traditional Irish singer Molly Donnery with three of the most exciting instrumentalists on the folk and traditional music circuit: Cormac Byrne (Uiscedwr, Seth Lakeman), Adam Summerhayes and Murray Grainger (The Ciderhouse Rebellion, Words of a Fiddler’s Daughter), the band’s music is characterised by ‘live reactive composition’ - an improvised space from which Molly’s pure and unadulterated vocals can emerge.
As ever with The Haar, tracks originate in one creative burst, and are recorded in a single take - spontaneous and never to be repeated in exactly the same way. Their eponymous debut was heralded as "a splendid balance of swirling instrumental magic and beautifully sung narratives” by Folk Radio UK, and Where Old Ghosts Meet promises more magic across eight tracks that grew from a desire to explore old favourites, to dig into traditional Irish gems for new inspiration and insights and intuitively follow the spark of new ideas.
This is just one example of several in the forthcoming album (out April 29th) where the band, who feature not one but two FATEA Instrumentalists of the Year Award winners, take a familiar tune and turn into something fresh that mysteriously feels as if you have known it forever.
UKX8X2100002 - Trad arr. Byrne, Donnery, Grainger, Summerhayes (last verse lyrics - Adam Summerhayes)
Self published Under The Eaves Records (part of UTE006) | Recorded at Under The Eaves Studios, Rosedale

[@magdalenaportmann2431]

This is quite amazing! Discovered just as I was closing down to go to bed. Haary tune this is! Beautifully arranged. And delivered. Playing with the tune, the rhythm, the layers, the haar itself.As an accordionist, that is the kind of project i would love to engaging with.

[@MaryBethCarty]

Glad I am not the only one in the Celtic genre making spooky renditions of old songs laden with accordion and fiddle accompanied by weird oceanic videos. I LOVE YOU GUYS! Hope to see you live some day!!! ❤

[@ashencold4959]

Amazing as always!

[@TheHaar]

Thank you x