Hidden by Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight

“We all have things we hide, whether we know it or not...”

Decisively moving out of the shadow of their mother - folk legend Lal Waterson – with the arrival of long-gestated ‘The Days That Shaped Me’ album (“the potential to be a lifelong companion. It’s that good.” IoS) - for which they were nominated a BBC Folk Award - Marry & Oliver readied a second album, ‘Hidden’.

Differing markedly from the very personally felt themes of their debut, ‘Hidden’ finds brilliant expression through the vivid characters and stories inhabiting its 11 songs. “I realized pretty early on that I was writing about many different characters” says Marry, “but all with similar traits - concealment, deception and avoidance.” Musically too, it is a more diverse set than its predecessor with forays into ragtime, music hall - even ska, as well as the more traditional folk styles that one might associate with the pair.

Marry outlines an approach to the recording whereby the songs are personified by musical style and tone. “I wanted the songs to reflect the characters” she explains. “Hence Scarlet Starlet - exposing the vulnerability hidden behind bravado of a stage performer - had to be Music Hall piano. Something heavy was required to convey a heavy subject in Gormandizer - who hides her truth behind food and Professional Confessionals – depicting teenage angst and altered egos -needed to sound relevant to the genre - it would have been ridiculous any other way.”

To which end a cast of A-list musicians was assembled: multi-instrumentalist Reuben Taylor (The Athletes) providing Music Hall Piano and Trippy Organ, Cello to make your heart burst from Barney Morse Brown (The Imagined Village), Ska drum beats from Pete Flood (Bellowhead) and Double Bass from Miranda Sykes (Show Of Hands).

‘Hidden’ also boasts special guest appearances from Martin Carthy (Benign), Andrew Sisters style harmonies from Eliza Carthy (Going, Going, Gone) and a further dusting of vocal magic from acapella trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson on Russian Dolls.

Look out for a re-mix of Yolk Yellow-Legged - the song James Yorkston and Marry wrote for ‘The Days That Shaped Me’. Marry returns the favour, collaborating with James again on a Lal Waterson-penned number, Black Horse White. Both songs appear on different formats of his forthcoming album, ‘I Was A Cat From A Book’.

Singer-songwriter, animator & member of the Waterson family musical dynasty.

"One of the UK’s most talented folk singers, songwriters and video artists " -The Guardian

"The whole nine yards"-Iggy Pop.

"Truly beautiful, strange and unique"-Mojo.

marrywaterson.com