Track Premiere: Little Filly “Sleepers Awake”

Little Filly is the solo recording name for Lily Sexton, who is probably best known for being an integral part of Mamma’s Marmalade where she adds lead vocals and fiddle to a sound that blends bluegrass and rock & roll. On the new EP release ‘Sleeper’s Awake‘ Lily Sexton steps back somewhat and digs into the feel of the 1960’s folk on which she was raised.  There’s a specific family connection through one instrument – a 1949 Gibson J-45 – which is a major contributor to the EP, as Sexton explains: “My grandad bought it when he left the Air Force.  My mom and my uncle both taught themselves to play on it, as did I. It’s a huge instrument; the “J” stands for “Jumbo”. ”  Of the feel of the recording Sexton adds “Poetry is important to me, I love sparse instrumentation, and a focus on really beautiful tone and simplicity.

Lily Sexton told Americana UK that “On ‘Sleeper’s Awake’, I set a poem by A. C. Harwood to an arranged melody inspired by the Sibelius hymn “Finlandia”. The poem illustrates a scene of the world progressing into winter’s dark beauty, imploring people everywhere to awaken to a long night illuminated by stars. These metaphors speak strongly to me, as a New Englander who spends half the year in a cold climate, doing daily battle with the challenges of winter.

About Jonathan Aird 2838 Articles
Sure, I could climb high in a tree, or go to Skye on my holiday. I could be happy. All I really want is the excitement of first hearing The Byrds, the amazement of decades of Dylan's music, or the thrill of seeing a band like The Long Ryders live. That's not much to ask, is it?
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