This is not our first encounter with Bristol-based creative Old Moll: back in 2023, we proudly celebrated her debut effort, ‘Winter in the Summer Country’, as an “incredibly cathartic listening experience”. We stand by our words: the talented songstress has mastered the art of hypnotic writing, drawing from the British folk tradition with spiritual curiosity and ethereal confidence. Fast forward to today, and Old Moll has returned with another slice of aural bliss, ‘Silver Hare’. Things have slightly changed, but not really.
Let us explain: while the project’s heartfelt dive into legendary folk imagery has certainly not subsided, Old Moll has now embraced a more expansive sonic ethos, swapping her tender acoustic guitar for a wider full-band character. Of course, the mood is still tender and kind, if ever a tad melancholic. ‘Silver Hare’ is particularly rooted in the folklore of her home country, also relating to her own moniker: a ‘witch-hare’ is a prominent figure in British and European folklore, representing a witch, shapeshifter, or supernatural entity capable of transforming into a hare to perform mischief… Old Moll immerses herself in all of those stories, especially in the Old Moll of Chagford, looking at them with modern critical thinking.
Delving deeper into ‘Silver Hare’, Old Moll explains: “This particular story from Dartmoor fascinated me because it’s a rare example of a witch-hare story where the woman escapes at the end. I loved the idea of the hare living on and on, roaming across the moors and appearing in the night to women who need her. By focusing on a folk story with a hare, an animal that sits in folk memory alongside witches, magic, grief, and persecution, I hope the song calls to mind our collective power as women, and our ability to create change and a better future for us all.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Silver Hare’ now: