Radie Peat’s solo debut gives traditional songs fresh emotional force
Radie Peat’s debut solo album, *No Human Tongue Can Tell*, reworks traditional songs about women’s struggle, suffering, strength and endurance. The Lankum singer’s restrained, stark arrangements and emotionally charged performances give the old material fresh urgency, making the album a standout in this year’s folk music.
The record opens with Peat singing “Hares on the Mountain” over sparse keys, then builds its sound with Mellotron, Wurlitzer and other textures. Highlights include a sorrowful “Willow Garden”, the unsettling “Still I Love Him” and Liam Weldon’s political lament “Dark Horse on the Wind”; producer John “Spud” Murphy’s work brings out details such as concertina breaths and Eleanor Myler’s drums.
In short
- Radie Peat’s debut gives traditional songs fresh emotional force.
- The album centres on women’s struggle, strength and endurance.
- Stark arrangements and detailed production make it a folk standout.
Explained simply
Traditional songs are passed down and reinterpreted over time, often carrying stories of work, hardship, relationships and social change. Many were sung by women and describe the limits placed on them, as well as their resilience.
Radie Peat is an Irish singer and a member of the folk group Lankum. Her solo recording draws on this older repertoire, bringing together songs with different histories and themes.
Reworking traditional material can keep it in circulation while changing how listeners hear it. The album’s arrangements and performances connect these inherited songs with contemporary audiences.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Radie Peat: No Human Tongue Can Tell review – Lankum singer’s solo debut is the year’s best folk album”.