Song Premiere: Maura Shawn Scanlin, “The Good Ship”

In the opening measures of Maura Shawn Scanlin’s new single, “The Good Ship,” a mournful cello responds to the call of a high lonesome fiddle drone, evoking a heightened sense of loneliness and darkness that comes just before the light of new day or new discoveries or new accomplishments. The tune, which Scanlin composed, blossoms into an upbeat jig, with Scanlin’s fiddle lines circling around and under John Doyle’s guitar and Duncan Wickel’s cello. The tune shifts tempo briefly as it moves into a more contemplative tone on the traditional tune “The Dusty Miller” before returning to some jauntiness in the final tune, the traditional “Cucanandy.”

Scanlin says that “‘The Good Ship’ is a set of three hop jigs recorded in my basement in West Asheville last August. The first tune of the set, ‘The Good Ship,’ is a tune I composed, named for an old friend who solo rowed the Atlantic a few months ago. The following two are traditional Irish tunes known as ‘The Dusty Miller’ and ‘Cucanandy.’ This medley of tunes became the third track on my upcoming album Rule of Three, which I made with John Doyle and Duncan Wickel.”

“The Good Ship” releases today (6/25). Rule of Three will be available on July 22.