Sarah Farrell

Our guest on 29th April 2026 was Sarah Farrell, of this parish, launching her debut album “Stoat-Hearted Woman”. From the moment the doors were opened the room filled to capacity and beyond. Mustelid mania, some called it. Only those bearing pitchforks were turned away.
With beautiful voice and dexterously-fingerpicked guitar, Sarah treated us to a delicious mixture of traditional songs, tasteful covers, and her own compositions. There was also an earnest speech, the contents of which sadly cannot be reported as your reviewer was sent to fetch fresh towels during its delivery.
Highlights among the trad numbers were an unaccompanied Sweet Lemony (pleasant and sorrowful), a slightly-reworded North Country Maid (pleasant and arboreally contentious*), a delicate Banks Of Green Willow (pleasant and disturbing), and a rousing Pleasant And Delightful (pleasant and delightful).
The eclectic selection of songs written by others ranged from early 60s material right up to the present year, all performed with captivating clarity, taking us from Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Bob Dylan, 1962) to Weary Arms (Carsie Blanton and The Burning Hell, 2026), via It’s Over (Roy Orbison, 1964), A Pair Of Brown Eyes (The Pogues, 1985), Tougher Than The Rest (Bruce Springsteen, 1987), For What Is Chatteris… (Half Man Half Biscuit, 2005), and Bottom Of The World (Tom Waits, 2006), swerving only to avoid Wonderwall (Oasis, 1995). Special mention goes to the impeccably ferocious rewrite of Love Me, I’m A Liberal (Phil Ochs, 1965).
Not one of the songs mentioned so far appears on “Stoat-Hearted Woman”, which is an album of entirely original material. From among its thirteen tracks we were treated to the righteous defiance of Wrong Of Way, the profundity of Scattering My Tarantula’s Ashes At The Recreation Ground, the life-unaffirming wisdom of (You Can’t Eat) Monkey Nuts In Bed, the pongine injustice of Joe Martin, the forlorn howl of Environment Song, and, with Steve Benford accompanying on a second guitar, the gorgeous chip-cob blues of Chip Cob Blues. Add to this the appearance of Lunch Break Blues, a gem of a song too new for the album which it was launching. All share the wit and charm of a gifted songwriter.
A swift exit-poll amid cries of “Huzzah!”, “Cracking!”, “Perfectly normal!”, and “Marvellous!” strongly suggests that we should book Sarah again. Meanwhile, fill your ears with this:
https://sarahfarrell.bandcamp.com/album/stoat-hearted-woman
Paul Carbuncle

* Ellum and rowan are available to those who choose to disbelieve in ivy trees.