| Hill of Thieves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 26 January 2009 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
| Genre | Folk, rock, pop, Celtic | |||
| Length | 45:06 | |||
| Label | Charcoal Records | |||
| Producer | Sam Lakeman | |||
| Cara Dillon chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Limited Edition / US release cover | ||||
 | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Hot Press |   link |
| Maverick Country | [1] |
| The Guardian | link |
| MusicOMH |  link |
| The Mirror | link |
| Belfast Telegraph | link |
| CityLife | link |
| Uncut | link |
| Mojo | link |
| Irish Independent | link |
| Irish Times | link |
| Q | [1] |
Hill of Thieves is the fourth solo album by Irish folk singer Cara Dillon. It is her first full-length release on Charcoal Records, the label formed in 2008 with her musical partner and husband Sam Lakeman. The album was recorded and produced by Sam and first became available in October 2008 at their live concerts.[2] It is also the first release since she gave birth to their twin boys Noah and Colm at 26 weeks, after going into labour onstage at the Swindon Arts Centre, UK.[3] It has been the most successful of her first four albums in relation to chart performance, entering at No. 7 in the UK Indie Album Charts (see below for more.)
The album marks a return to a purer traditional production and arrangement style, with a significant absence of drums, electric guitar and bass, backing vocals & harmonies, and notably only one original composition. It features a range of guest musicians from the folk music scene, including Seth Lakeman and brother Sean, Brian Finnegan of Flook, Zoe Conway, Eamon Murray of Beoga, and John Smith. The album also features Dillon's core live band, comprising Sam Lakeman, Ed Boyd, and James O'Grady.[4]
Many of the tracks released on this album had already become part of Dillon's live setlist between 2006 and 2008. "She Moved Through The Fair" first was performed on Dillon's After The Morning Tour (2006), and following the change in the live band line-up in 2007, "P Stands For Paddy" became another constant of the live sets.[5] As well as this, "Spencer The Rover" and "False, False" were familiar songs from Dillon's 2001/2002 live set, which included Seth Lakeman on tenor guitar, violin, and backing vocals.[6] Dillon first performed the title track, "The Hill of Thieves" in Brian Finnegan's The Singing Tree at the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, as part of Celtic Connections 2008.[7]
- ^ Newry & Mourne - What's New[permanent dead link] UK Government website
- ^ "Hill of Thieves presales". caradillon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- ^ "Cara Dillon Returns". salisburyartscentre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ "Hill of Thieves Press Release" (PDF). concertedefforts.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ "Cara Dillon Setlists". cclm66.cl.funpic.de. Archived from the original on 26 November 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ "Cara Dillon Japanese Fan Page". diana.dti.ne.jp. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ "Brian Finnegan's 'The Singing Tree'". armaghpipers.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2009.