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In 2025, The Shackleton Trio will celebrate ten years of making music together, and what a decade it’s been! From releasing three brilliant studio albums and countless more live records, singles, and EPs to playing festivals from Cambridge to Rotterdam, the trio (comprising Georgia Shackleton, Aaren Bennett, and Nic Zuppardi) has built up an extensive international following and made waves across the live circuit since forming during their uni-days in Newcastle. Their latest release, the eponymously titled ‘The Shackleton Trio’, is not just a collection of masterfully re-worked versions of some of their very finest work to date; it’s a sonic smorgasbord that also offers fresh contributions which give a tantalising taste of what these three have in store for us over the next ten years…
The record kicks off on a somewhat ominous note with Bows of London. This is the oft-told tale of the “two sisters”, one of whom (spoiler alert) drowns the other out of jealousy. Produced as a commission for Karl Sinfield’s ‘Sing Yonder’ project in 2023 and no doubt taking inspiration from Martin Carthy’s esteemed rendition, this version sees the drowned woman’s body parts made into a fiddle, which subsequently tells the secret of her sister’s betrayal when played. Shackleton’s exceptional storytelling talent is immediately on display, and the use of drones alongside the plucked string accompaniment gives the track a haunting air befitting of such a grizzly yet captivating tale. What is most brilliant about this unique version, speaking volumes for the group’s musical and storytelling ingenuity, is the fact that, in the final verse, when the fiddle is played before the king and queen and advises them of the betrayal of the murderous sister, Shackleton’s rich vocals take over entirely from the fiddle accompaniment which had previously been dominant. Her voice becomes that of the fiddle, directly mirroring the story. It’s cleverly conceived and perfectly executed.
Next up, we have Two Hundred Days, an original track which tells the story of Bobbie the Wonder Dog, who returned to his family after a six-month, 3,000-mile journey across America, prompting much joy and celebration. Being just one of several animal protagonists on the record, Bobbie is captured beautifully as part of Zuppardi’s exquisite linocut album cover, alongside many other furry, feathered, and scaly friends who later make an appearance. The track’s tone could not be more different to the opener, with the lively strings giving more of an Americana feel to the tune, showcasing the sheer breadth of the trio’s talents. Topped off by her strong, soaring vocals, Shackleton’s songwriting highlights her unique ability to unearth deeply buried historical treasures and give them a new lease of life. And, on the subject of unwashed dogs returning after a long time, this track is closely followed up by the delightful 2016 favourite, The Dog Who Would Not Be Washed, a staple of the group’s live sets to date, and seamlessly coupled here with Pierre Schryer’s Cape Breton. As with all the other tracks, this is a live recording, despite the slickness and precision of the pieces giving the whole album a studio feel, all thanks to Bennett’s masterful engineering.
Just as the pace and tone of the album undulate dramatically from cheery and mellow to sombre and brooding, so do the treacherous roads of the Norfolk fenlands twist and turn in unpredictable ways, a sobering reality which forms the basis of the next track, The Black Sluice. An original broadsheet ballad written by Shackleton (who is continually inspired by the bewitching landscapes of her native East Anglia) and based on one of many similar true stories, this haunting track about an ill-fated car journey is something of a cautionary tale. In this case, the dog does not meet with such a happy ending despite travelling only a relatively short distance to the local fish and chip shop and back. Although a tragic tale, the musical feel of this one is almost jaunty, which works well by invoking conspiratorial activities between the road and water, which are anthropomorphised and portrayed as working “hand in hand, their one and only aim to take the life of man”. As someone who constantly listens to music in the car, the thought of blasting out this one whilst driving (with extreme caution) across the “flat and lonely” fens is simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating…
Frost Fair marks yet another transformation in tone and pace, introducing an almost cosy, festive feel into the mix with the story of the fairs traditionally held on the banks of the frozen River Thames until the early nineteenth century. This track, about the final fair, held in 1817, even features the elephant that walked across the ice that year, making it “creak and groan” (but fortunately not crack!). It seems this was just one of many spectacles to be enjoyed, though, with the fairs also incorporating everything from kite flying to horse racing. The rhymes and half-rhymes cleverly interwoven throughout this one add to the catchiness and merriment of the whole. It is another fine example of a track that sounds as old as the fairs yet is gratifyingly contemporary. The album continues on this celebratory note with Cabin Fever Set, a jubilant fiddle and mandolin duet penned by Shackleton. Although the title of the track has all the clues we need that this was written during lockdown, its contents display no symptoms at all of The Shackleton Trio deteriorating in any way, shape, or form – indeed, quite the opposite – although they were no doubt itching to get back out on the road and delight audiences with a live rendition of this one at the time!
Two further animal-inspired tracks bring the album to a close. In Lonesome George, Shackleton reflects upon what it might have felt like to be George, the last remaining Pinta Island tortoise on the Galapagos Islands, who had no tortoise friends, mates, or children and was utterly alone in the world until he died in 2012. The trio takes the pace down a notch or several here, which feels thoroughly appropriate given the subject matter. The heart-wrenching refrain of “I’m the only lonely tortoise that I know”, particularly at the end of the song, when Geroge’s realisation of the true extent of his loneliness is musically reflected in the quieting of the backing strings and further slowing of the pace, hammers home a strong environmental message. George’s relatives were wiped out by human carelessness and, indeed, George became an icon of the environmental movement during his long lifetime. Here, his legacy lives on through this affecting song in the most beautiful and powerful way. Shackleton once again demonstrates her unparalleled ability to embody the voices and spirits of her protagonists, be they human or otherwise.
War Pigeon also reflects on a true story, telling the tale of Cher Ami, a pigeon who saved around 200 lives during the Battle of the Somme by overcoming multiple hardships (including losing her sight and almost her leg, and being shot at repeatedly) to deliver a crucial message to the US 77th Division. The breakneck pace of Shackleton’s vocals and the lively string accompaniment, which builds up gradually, give an almost Bluegrass feel to this final number, and Zuppardi’s plucky mandolin cleverly puts one in mind of a determinedly, albeit slightly comically flapping pigeon. At the same time, the palpable admiration surrounding the little bird, in light of her bravery, conveyed by the repeated refrain, “Cher Ami, oh my, I love you”, is borderline tear-jerking. In the final verse, the pigeon – now a decorated war veteran – looks back on her adventures many years before. Hopefully, The Shackleton Trio don’t also feel “weary… tired and blue” after ten years on the road, but the reflective quality here certainly strikes me as being very fitting, especially when coupled with the fact that this track was taken from ‘The Dog Who Would Not Be Washed’, the trio’s 2016 debut album. Over the past eight tracks – and nine years – The Shackleton Trio have given voices to the voiceless, bringing those lost to history into the brilliant light of day with their wonderfully uplifting trademark sound. This album is a nostalgic blast from the past for longtime fans and a perfect, pocket-sized introduction for those who have yet to experience the pure magic of their storytelling.
The Shackleton Trio (6th September 2024) Self Released
Bandcamp: https://shackletontrio.bandcamp.com/album/the-shackleton-trio
Live Dates: https://www.shackletontrio.co.uk/
