Karine Polwart will release her new album Karine Polwart’s Scottish Songbook on August 2. The album features eleven songs which were written by Scottish artists performed in her own style.

While she’s generally considered to work in a folk idiom, these songs generally come from the rock scene over the last fifty years (though Gerry Rafferty and John Martyn would be considered to have had a connection with the folk scene). The album tracklisting is as follows:

The Whole Of The Moon (originally performed by The Waterboys)

From Rags To Riches (The Blue Nile)

Dignity (Deacon Blue)

Since Yesterday (Strawberry Switchblade)

Swim Until You Can’t See Land (Frightened Rabbit)

Chance (Big Country)

The Mother We Share (Chvrches)

Don’t Want To Know (John Martyn)

Whatever’s Written In Your Heart (Gerry Rafferty)

Machines (Biffy Clyro)

Women Of The World (Ivor Cutler)

The album was recorded at Chem 19, the studio owned and operated by the Delgados, where numerous Scottish artists (and firm favourites of 17 Seconds), including the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Mogwai and Arab Strap have recorded.

There will also be live dates around November:

14 November ABERDEEN Music Hall
15 November PERTH Concert Hall
16 November EDINBURGH Usher Hall
27 November LONDON Barbican

Some of the tracks are available to listen to already:

‘Women Of The World’ by Ivor Cutler has been covered by other artists including YACHT and Jim O’ Rourke.

‘Dignity’ by Deacon Blue is one of those songs that has become a classic, despite only being a small hit at the time. The album artwork references their debut, Raintown.

The album opens with Karine’s version of the Waterboys ‘The Whole Of The Moon.’ Radically different from theirs (no trumpets here), the prettiness of the essence of the song comes through.

Finally, Big Country’s heartbreaking ‘Chance’ is handled gently, dealing with concerns that are still very vivid in the minds of many people in this part of the world.