A UNIQUE crossover between the worlds of literature and music is being made by acclaimed author and singer/songwriter Malachy Tallack.
He has created a companion album to his new novel to give readers the chance to immerse themselves in the life of a fictional character in an entirely new way.
The new album contains songs written for and featured in the novel, ostensibly written by the main character Jack – a man in his mid-60s who lives in Shetland.
Musically, the tracks combine country, bluegrass and Americana styles, while lyrically, the songs reference the land and seascapes of the Shetland Islands with occasional nods to events and preoccupations from the main character’s life.
While the idea of Shetland country music may rouse curiosity for those not in the know, the genre has been enormously popular in the islands since the 1940s.
Tallack wrote the album over the course of a year, all while writing his novel, which is set for publication on the same day by Canongate Books.
The crossover continues on Tallack’s forthcoming book tour, which will see him play songs from the novel at locations across the UK and beyond this autumn. It will follow a career-defining concert for Tallack, who opened for Elvis Costello at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal earlier this month.
A who’s who host of talented Scottish musicians play alongside Tallack on the album, including fellow Shetlanders Andrew Gifford and Jenna Reid, with Laura-Beth Salter of Kinnaris Quintet on mandolin and vocals and additional playing from Mark Scobbie of Mànran and Conor Smith of Rose Room.
Tallack said: “It was hugely exciting to be able to bring part of the fictional world of this novel to life, to take the words of this character and put them to music.
“Previously, writing books and writing songs have been completely separate for me but I couldn’t resist the chance to bring them together on this album. Having the opportunity to work with these incredible musicians made it all the more special for me.
“That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz is a multi-sensory experience for literature and music lovers alike and its release is a landmark moment in my career as an artist.”
Tallack’s most recent book, Illuminated By Water, was shortlisted for the Richard Jefferies Award for nature writing in 2022, while his novel, The Valley At The Centre Of The World, was shortlisted for the Highland Book Prize and longlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize in 2018.
That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz will be available to purchase as a limited-edition vinyl record and to stream and download on all major platforms from October 24.
