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Burd Ellen stand outside a multicoloured festival tent, both wearing sunglasses and staring straight into the camera.
Burd Ellen. Photo credit: Paul Cross

Burd Ellen announce third album, A Tarot of the Green Wood’

A new album is, quite literally, on the cards for Burd Ellen. 'A Tarot of the Green Wood' arrives on Halloween via Mavis Recordings.

A Tarot of the Green Wood, cover art for the Burd Ellen album by Kieran Milne
Release Date
31 October 2022
Burd Ellen, A Tarot of the Green Wood
The third album from Burd Ellen is based around ideas of transmission, memory and hidden meaning, and explores the parallels between interpretation of traditional song and the art of divination.

Drone-folk exemplars, Burd Ellen, have set their third album, A Tarot of the Green Wood, to pre-release, and we encourage you to click this link and joyfully trouble your credit cards once more.

For those not in the know, Burd Ellen are a Glasgow-based duo made up of Debbie Armour (Alasdair Roberts, Green Ribbons) and Gayle Brogan (Pefkin, Electroscope). They initially caught the attention of the tradfolk world in 2019, when their debut album, Silver Came, featured a shimmering version of ‘Sweet Lemany’ [Roud 193] that several artists have since described as a notable moment of inspiration.

The new album follows the much-loved winter collection, Says the Never Beyond, (with the exception of two fine singles in between), and is being released on Debbie Armour’s brand new label, Mavis Recordings. Seven tracks in length, six are based on traditional songs, with the seventh being an expansive reworking of an Alasdair Roberts song.

A Tarot of the Green Wood flickered into existence during a residency at the Sage Gateshead. Armour explains that it, “explores ideas of transmission, memory and hidden meaning,” and, as the title might suggest, reflects her interest in the medieval cards.

“I’m a long-time collector and lover of tarot,” Armour says, “and I’ve recently become drawn to the idea of finding parallels between interpretation of traditional song and the art of divination. Gayle and I have brought together a new collection of songs that reflect the ideas, archetypes and imagery of the Major Arcana.”

Released on Halloween, October 31st, A Tarot of the Green Wood comes in two formats: CD, or CD plus nine tarot cards (the latter being a limited edition release). By pre-ordering, you will receive downloads of two tracks (‘The High Priestess & The Hierophant’ and ‘The Hermit’) immediately, The artwork and the cards were designed by Kieran Milne. Pre-order now by clicking here, and look out for our review of the album in the coming weeks.

Burd Ellen: A Tarot of the Green Wood – tracklisting

  1. The Fool [Roud 3396]
  2. The High Priestess & The Hierophant [Roud 42]
  3. The Lovers [based on a Scots translation of a Danish ballad]
  4. The Chariot [Roud 2]
  5. The Hermit [Roud 136]
  6. Death [from a collection of Shape Note hymns called The Shenandoah Harmony]
  7. Under No Enchantment (The Star & The Moon)