Radie Peat Shares 'Willow Garden' Ahead of Debut
The Lankum singer previews her first solo album, due November 13, 2026 on Rough Trade Records.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Folk
Radie Peat has shared 'Willow Garden' as a final preview of her debut solo album, 'No Human Tongue Can Tell.' The album is released November 13, 2026 via Rough Trade Records and produced by John 'Spud' Murphy.
Why it matters
The track is a traditional 19th-century Appalachian murder ballad, and Peat's slow, solemn reading sets it apart from the major-key version Lankum included in 2017. Her solo debut marks the first release outside her work with the band.
The debut album contains nine tracks, and its single 'Still I Love Him' was released in July 2026 as Peat's first solo release outside Lankum. No commercial figures or chart results for the album have been reported yet.
The players
Radie Peat
Irish singer and a member of the folk band Lankum, who is releasing her first solo album with a reverb-heavy approach to traditional material.
Rough Trade Records
Independent British record label that is releasing Peat's debut solo album 'No Human Tongue Can Tell' on November 13, 2026.
Lankum
Irish folk band whose 2017 major-key version of 'Willow Garden' stands as a notable earlier interpretation of the traditional ballad.
John 'Spud' Murphy
Producer of Peat's debut solo album 'No Human Tongue Can Tell.'
The details
Peat's version of 'Willow Garden' is reverb-heavy and hollowed out, and she assembled the album by writing and playing the intersecting parts herself. The record draws on sources including Shirley Collins, Liam Weldon, Lal Waterson and Karen Dalton, and includes 'Hares on The Mountain', 'Luisne', 'Same Old Man', 'Dark Horse on The Wind', 'Bonnie Boy' and 'Cailín Deas'.
Timeline
1810: The tune was noted in the Irish bunting collection without lyrics, under the title 'Rose Connolly'.
2017: Lankum included a major-key version of 'Willow Garden' on their output.
July 2026: 'Still I Love Him' was released as Peat's first solo release.
September 2026: The album 'No Human Tongue Can Tell' was announced.
November 13, 2026: The album is released via Rough Trade Records.
Industry Dynamics
Peat's solo debut follows the path of folk musicians stepping out from band projects to record individual work. Her treatment of 'Willow Garden' departs from the major-key version Lankum recorded in 2017, showing how a single traditional ballad can be reshaped across releases by the same circle of artists.
The album 'No Human Tongue Can Tell' is scheduled for release on November 13, 2026 via Rough Trade Records, so listeners can hear the full nine-track record on that date. Fans who want to hear the new material before then can start with 'Still I Love Him' and the 'Willow Garden' preview already shared.
The takeaway
Peat's solo debut shows how a centuries-old murder ballad can sound entirely new in a stripped-back, reverb-soaked arrangement. Listeners interested in how traditional songs evolve can compare her version with the Lankum recording to hear the difference directly.
What happens next
The album 'No Human Tongue Can Tell' is scheduled for release on November 13, 2026 via Rough Trade Records.
Further reading
Explore more traditional and contemporary Folk releases to see how artists are reinterpreting older ballads.
