Music
Press
I’ve eulogised on her charms elsewhere in this issue, but it does bear repeating - ELLEN MARY McGEE, formerly of Saint Joan, has come up with a cracker for her first solo album The Crescent Sun (Midwich). Her voice is a tremulous, searing one with a hint of menace to it and the often murder ballad content of her songs is intent on showing folk music up for the powerful, unorthodox, messy beast it can be. Her rendition of ‘He Is No Earthly Man’ is one of the most potent tracks I’ve heard all year - Volcano Publishing
London-based Ellen Mary McGee, a multi-instrumentalist who specializes in stringed things like guitar, dulcimer, and zither, belongs to a small class of exquisite weirdos that also claims the great Kendra Smith, Faun Fables, and Spires That in the Sunset Rise—in other words, artists who don’t see why folk music should necessarily sound earthly. Though her music is undeniably pretty, McGee is no fragile flower; the proud resignation in her voice evokes a young Stevie Nicks. - The Chicago Reader
"Ellen Mary McGee has taken a turn for the macabre with her solo debut, a mixture of traditional ballads and self-penned material. Sparsely accompanied by acoustic guitar and banjo, she sings of the disappearance of 19th century Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin (Lord Franklin), child murdering gypsies (the fatal flower garden) and a lonely suicide (The Wintering). The body count is worthy of a Scwarzenegger film, but it’s compellingly executed, and makes a suitably dark companion piece to Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads." 4 Stars, Phil Mongredien, Q Magazine
- Emap
"Beguiling debut from Notts bred, London based singer whose 10 fluid, folk- based compositions show both a steady melodic craft and an instinctive joy in song. Lyrically McGee is at turns fanciful and realistic, navigating her sometimes shy words with a gorgeously mobile and thoroughly English voice." Plan B Magazine
- Plan B
Discography
The Crescent Sun, CD album, released July 2009 on Southern Records/ Midwich Records.
A Watch of Nightingales has been played several times on both Bethan Elfyn and Gideon Coe's shows on BBC6 Radio as well as international radio play.
Photos
Bio
Iwas born in Nottingham, England and taught myself to play guitar at 16. I joined various shoegaze/ post rock/ psyche/ folk rock bands in and around Nottingham in my late teens/ early 20s before striking out on my own a few years ago.
My debut album The Crescent Sun, received excellent reviews in the British press, with Q Magazine comparing it to Nick Cave's Murder Ballads. Tracks from the album have been played on BBC6 Radio. I believe that what sets me apart from other folk musicians is my interest in other genres of music. I am heavily influenced by music from the 60s psychedelic movement as well as movie soundtracks and post-rock. I'm a self taught musician, rather than coming from a lineage of family folk musicians which has helped to create more of a unique sound which while influenced by the past alludes to eclectic sounds from the present. I play several instruments which have been handmade by my uncle (such as my Appalachian Dulcimer) and use found sounds in my recordings as well as creating music from everyday objects. Whilst very much a song based musician I feel that my music contains many different textures.
Links
