In Gowan Ring
In Gowan Ring is an American folk band that was founded in the early 90s by singer and multi-instrumentalist Bobin Eirth (B'eirth for short). B'eirth spent much of his youth in Salt Lake City , Utah , and his maternal ancestors were Mormon religious . As the head of the band, he likes to present himself as a modern form of a troubadour who moves from place to place making music without a permanent residence. Today, however, the band is based in Portland , Oregon .
The music In Gowan Rings can be characterized on the one hand by a fragile, melancholic ballad style, on the other hand by a cross-fading of acoustic and electronic sounds. B'eirth plays the frequently used acoustic guitar and the like. a. Zither, harp and flute. Various guest musicians (including Annabel Lee and Michael Moynihan ) occasionally support him on the violin and on various percussion instruments. The acoustic side is complemented by subtle keyboard background music, on the album "The Glinting Spade" but also by sweeping drone sounds. The folk side of the band, which is most strongly expressed on the album "Hazel Steps Through A Weathered Home", is more oriented towards the English folk tradition, individual compositions even slightly remind of medieval music. B'eirth, who got to know most of the instruments through autodidactic studies, also builds specially designed sound generators, e.g. B. the often associated with the band “Stringed Spade”, a guitar with two necks.
Many of the band's texts are characterized by a hermetic visual language and private symbolism. Often, areas of the image of the animal and plant world are used here. B'eirth has also been running a solo project called Birch Book since 2005 , which is more in the American tradition and also differs from In Gowan Ring by more conventional lyrics.
Publications (selection)
- Love Charms (1994)
- The Twin Trees (1997)
- The Glinting Spade (1999)
- Compendium 1994-2000 (2000)
- Exists And Entrances - Volume One: Vernal Equinox 2002 (2002)
- Exists And Entrances - Volume Two: Autumnal Equinox 2002 (2002)
- Hazel Steps Through A Weathered Home (2002)
- Exists And Entrances - Volume Four: Autumnal Equinox 2003 (2003)
- Exists And Entrances - Volume Three: Vernal Equinox 2003 (2003)