Multi award-winning folk singer Seth Lakeman releases his new album A Pilgrims Tale on February 7th 2020, in a year that marks four centuries since The Mayflower ship departed the UK.The ship carried British and Dutch passengers with hopes of fresh settlement, and who were famously met by the Wampanoag first nation tribe upon their arrival. Bottling the spirit of the 17th century pilgrimage, Seth has written and performed a selection songs that shape a fictional narrative of the journey, informed by extensive research from text such as the journals of William Bradford, conversations with modern day ancestors of the Wampanoag people at the Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts, and information sourced at the national heritage sites that still exists in the UK.Chronicling the voyage and early settlement in these songs, Seth has created a drama that celebrates the history, but doesnt lose sight of the journeys tribulations. It stays sensitive to important facets of the story; the religious liberation that passengers were trying to achieve, the nefarious deeds enacted upon the Wampanoag, and the deaths that followed on both sides.Its a story Seth feels he is intrinsically linked to, I didnt have far to go for inspiration. The Mayflower Steps, on Plymouthscobbled Barbican streets are 20 minutes away from me. I fished from this quay as a boy, sang songs on tall ships tied up here and played music in just about every old sailors pub in this Elizabethan quarter. Furthermore, as one of the most celebrated members of British folk music, Seth is wholly qualified to replicate the trappings of traditional 17th century musical styles; whether it be through his vocals, stringed instrument arrangements, fiddle playing, or percussion.To supplement the recordings, a between-song narration was written by associate director of Plymouths Theatre Royal, Nick Stimson, and read by Paul McGann. Seth was elated to have the prestigious actor on board, As we finished the album another quite magical thing happened, when Paul agreed to voice the narration between the tracks on the record. He pitched it perfectly.