Karine Polwart - Traces

Protest songs have never sounded quite so lovely as "Cover Your Eyes", the lead track from Traces (out now, U.K.) the fifth and latest album from Scottish singer/songwriter Karine Polwart. Directed at the king of righteous bluster, one Donald "You're Fired" Trump, the song celebrates a spot of Scotland targeted by The Donald in an attempt, asserts Polwart, "to buy (the locals') lives and destroy their memories in the name of executive golf." As with all of Traces, the mood is serene and thoughtful, an acoustic guitar and Polwart's sweet and airy voice -- touches of brogue and all -- set in lush, impossibly tasteful orchestration. Since winning the Best Album BBC Folk Award for her 2005 debut Faultlines, Polwart has continued to wow critics and win fans with her delicate acoustic songs that are both heartfelt and socially aware. “For me” says Polwart, “music is one of the most powerful ways of making sense of the world. It’s for celebrating, grieving, sharing, wondering. Nothing inspires me more than the realisation that any one of my songs means something to someone else”. Stream Traces here.

Karine Polwart - "Cover Your Eyes" (from Traces)

Karine Polwart - "King of Birds" (from Traces)

Banner Photo Credit: David Angel