Kern - The Left & The Leaving (2019)

The Left and The Leaving is the second album from critically-admired Irish contemporary folk trio Kern. The band comprises champion fiddle player Barry Kieran, uilleann piper extraordinaire Brendan McCreanor and critically acclaimed songwriter and singer SJ McArdle. As on the band’s debut, False Deceiver, this album is a blend of original songs and tunes written by the band members themselves alongside traditional material from their home county of Louth. The tracks were once again produced by Trevor Hutchinson and feature the Lúnasa/Waterboys man on double bass throughout. Kern have been hard at work since the extensive press and radio coverage which accompanied the first album’s release, clocking up the miles on Ireland’s highways and byways and playing shows in Germany, Canada and the US, including at Milwaukee Irish Fest and Folk Alliance International in Montréal. The band also won the 2018 Temple Bar TradFest showcase.

"A solid grasp of traditional and contemporary forms. Rich sonorous blending of uilleann pipes and fiddles lift the instrumentals while SJ McArdle's gritty voice and dexterous songs add an interesting extra lustre"