Floyds Row - The Carlisle Sessions

​Floyds Row

The Carlisle Sessions
Big Round Records; 2026

​By Dino DiMuro

Years ago my uncle used to stage a reading of the Gettysburg Address on Lincoln's birthday, and he booked a group to play Civil War-era music on authentic instruments. That band was so good I hired them myself for a party, and they were the first thing I thought of when I played the music of Floyds Row: not so much for the eras (though they are close) but for the celebration of a distant and receding musical heritage. Their new EP is titled The Carlisle Sessions.

Floyds Row was formed as a folk collective to "seek out the old, forgotten and obscure. The group unearths and brushes the dust off of musical relics and freshens them anew with contemporary folk-classical flair." The group began with a series of concerts at the University of Oxford, leading to their debut recording "The Oxford Sessions." They now tour both the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

Emily Noël (soprano) has a lovely, era-specific voice that defines many of these songs. The string section of Andrew Arceci (viola da gamba/upright bass) and Asako Takeuchi (violin) give the tracks a distinct medieval-baroque flavor. No less impressive are George Lykogiannis (accordion), Chris Ferebee (cittern/guitar/mandolin) and the energetic hand drums of George Lernis. A good comparison for this group would be Steeleye Span.

"George Washington's Favorite Cotillion" feels like an Irish jig (right time, different continent!). It's an 18th-century traditional dance tune more accurately titled "G. Washingtons Favourite" though using Washington's name was a way to honor him musically and doesn't mean he actually danced to it (though it's fun to imagine!). A Cotillion was a precursor to square dancing, as many a pimply kid my age may recall. The stars of this tune are the accordion of George Lykogiannis (played a bit like Irish Ullieann pipes) and the percussion of George Lernis.

“Henry Martin” is a traditional English and Scottish folk song, perhaps best known for appearing on Joan Baez’s debut album. (and when you hear it, you'll totally get the connection). This is the first track with Emily Noël on lead vocals, singing about three brothers in Scotland drawing lots to see who gets to become a pirate to support the three of them financially (and it doesn't end well for an unlucky merchant ship). As in all the tracks, Chris Ferebee plays the cittern, a kind of mandolin with a flat back that has a bright sound like a banjo. Ferebee's finger picking also stands out on "Jackaroe" alongside another impassioned vocal by Noël on vocals. This song was originally titled "Jack Munro" and is a folk ballad from the 19th century about a wealthy merchant's daughter who disguises herself as a man to follow her true love into war.

"Maiden Lane / Kettle Drum" is another instrumental that begins as a kind of mournful lament, with the strings almost weeping. It's a feint, though, as the song itself is a traditional English country dance tune from 1651, and this one feels particularly Irish. If you're not dancing yourself, you'll definitely note the amazing kettle drum solo by George Lernis.

The Song of Robin Hood & his Huntes-men" is the only track credited to a band member (Chris Ferebee, playing stellar acoustic guitar) and not to "Anonymous" yet it feels every bit as authentic as the others. The strings play in such a manner that they sound like a DAW stutter plug in, but it's all live, Good Sir! And of course Emily Noël leads us by the hand to the celebratory conclusion.

By now you've sussed out if you find this kind of music interesting, I'd strongly encourage stretching your boundaries if you're curious, because it's as alive and compelling as anything we have right now!


bigroundrecords.com/catalog/br9000

floydsrow.com

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