Sweden 2024

West Of Eden

Mar 20 2024 - Nov 07 2024

Sweden

ENGLISH :

26 years into their career, West Of Eden is releasing their most ambitious album to date. "Whitechapel" is a concept album that takes its inspiration from what has been referred to as 'hell on earth'. London in the 1880's.

Primarily, the album gives voice to the women who, in the autumn of 1888, would become victims of Jack The Ripper.

Did you know, for example, that Kate Eddowes wrote “The Awful Execution of Charles Christopher Robinson”, a famous murder ballad at the time? Or did you know that Elizabeth Stride was born in West Of Eden’s hometown Gothenburg in Sweden? Or that Mary Jane Kelly was heard singing the popular song “A Violet From Mother’s Grave” in her apartment, just hours before she lost her life.

In the songs on "Whitechapel" these women are not merely reduced to victims of a serial killer, but portrayed as flesh and blood individuals who lived and dreamed of a better future under the most challenging of circumstances.

Musically, West Of Eden continues to dig deep into the fertile soil of British and Irish folk music. The band, once dubbed 'The Best Of Contemporary Folk' by Irish Music Magazine, has certainly carved out a unique sound within the tradition, subtly influenced this time by the English 70's wave and bands, like Fairport Convention.

On "Whitechapel" West Of Eden is also joined by musical friends and renowned musicians such as Ron Block (Alison Krauss & Union Station), John McCusker (Mark Knopfler), Damien O’Kane (Kate Rusby), Steph Geremia (Eddi Reader) and more.

"Whitechapel" will be released Friday, March 15th, 2024.

SVENSKA :

26 år in i karriären gör West Of Eden sitt mest ambitiösa album hittills. "Whitechapel" är ett tema-album som tar avstamp i det som kallats 'helvetet på jorden'. 1880-talets London.

Albumet ger, framför allt, röst åt de kvinnor som under hösten1888 skulle komma att bli Jack The Rippers offer.

Kate Eddowes var till exempel författare till det, på den tiden, berömda skillingtrycket ”The Awful Execution Of Charles Christopher Robinson”. Elisabeth Stride föddes i Sverige och egentligen hette Elisabeth Gustavsdotter. Och Mary Jane Kelly hördes sjunga den populära låten ”A Violet From Mother’s Grave” i sin lägenhet bara timmar innan hon förlorade sitt liv.

I sångerna på ”Whitechapel” blir dessa kvinnor inte bara reducerade till offer för en seriemördare, utan människor av kött och blod som levde och drömde om en bättre framtid under de allra svåraste av omständigheter.

Musikaliskt fortsätter West Of Eden att gräva i den brittiska och irländska folkmusikmyllan. Bandet, som kallats 'The Best Of Contemporary Folk' av Irish Music Magazine, har definitivt mejslat ut ett alldeles eget sound i traditionen, vilket den här gången färgas lätt av den engelska 70-talsvågen och
band som Fairport Convention.

På "Whitechapel" gästas West Of Eden dessutom av musikaliska vänner och välrenommerade musiker som till exempel Ron Block från Alison Krauss & Union Station, och John McCusker från Mark Knopflers band.

"Whitechapel" släpps den 15:e mars, 2024.