He Mistook Her for a Swan: a rare gem from Canada
March 08, 2025
Steve Peck writes: As a musical explorer, one of my greatest joys is to find an exceptional act that lies off the beaten path. For the last four years, I’ve been an avid follower of He Mistook Her for a Swan, a Toronto-based duo who specialize in the darkest of folk music.
Steve Koch and Colleen Hodgson, two long-time veterans of the Toronto music scene, bonded over their love of British Folk, chilling murder ballads, and other grim songs. What grabbed my initial attention was their superb cover of Jackson C Frank’s Milk and Honey, which appeared on their seven-song debut EP. That record blew me away so intensely that I’m still trying to pick up my scattered bits that lie about on the killing floor.
Photo courtesy of He Mistook Her for a Swan
After putting out several singles over the ensuing years, He Mistook Her for a Swan (HMHFAS for short) has just released their first full-length album, Lady Isobel, which came out in early December.
While their intial EP was an acoustic affair that focused on British folk, sung by Hodgson, the duo has broadened their musical soundscape by incorporating a richer array of instruments, increasing Koch’s vocal contributions, and adding songs from North America. The bluesy start to Lady Isobel was a surprise and sets the stage for a record that successfully marries both folk traditions together into a seamless whole.
HMHFAS has a real penchant for inhabiting the darkest of old folk ballads, weaving them into a somber tapestry of loss. The first thing that drew me in was Colleen Hodgson’s vocals, which have a riveting, tragic quality, almost like spilt blood.
While she can sing in an alluring upper register, it’s her lower voice that sends chills down my spine, taking on a weathered, sandpapery tone full of longing and sorrow.
Hodgson has quickly become one of my all-time favorite vocalists, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with greats like Anne Briggs, Linda Thompson and Sandy Denny.
Photo courtesy of He Mistook Her for a Swan
As for Steve Koch, he’s the glue that ties it all together. His steadfast baritone takes prominence, delivering vocals with reserved warmth and gravity. Koch’s incisive acoustic guitar is an HMHFAS trademark, and his musical versatility on other instruments shines throughout Lady Isobel. He was deeply involved in all aspects of the album’s homespun production, including recording, mixing, and mastering.
Along with Hodgson, Koch crafted inspired arrangements and added new music to traditional lyrics. The duo enlisted several of their very talented friends from the Toronto scene for intriguing musical touches, adding to the album’s diverse sound.
One of the most creative innovations of Lady Isobel is how He Mistook Her for a Swan blends instruments from the British Isles into songs from the American tradition.
It’s uncanny how well the penny whistle fits in their countrified version of the Appalachian standard Pretty Saro, with Koch sounding like he’s been singing country music for ages. Tasteful bagpipes and penny whistle transport Townes Van Zandt’s Black Crow Blues from the “black Texas mud” to the airy Scottish Highlands—lofty cliffs, crashing surf, and stormy skies.
Townes Van Zandt in Heartworn Highways (1975)
Other standouts include their spellbinding version of Barbara Allen, a British folk standard tracing back to the 17th century.
Koch and Hodgson’s duet on the up-tempo Devil’s Nine Questions is particularly affecting, with Koch’s commanding vocals setting the tone.
The album ends with Hodgson’s heartrending rendition of Richard and Linda Thompson’s Never Again. It was a bold stroke to reinterpret such a classic, given Linda’s definitive performance and Richard’s profound pathos.
Hodgson transforms the downcast resignation in Thompson’s original into a stark and haunting piano ballad. The painful desperation in Colleen’s voice is palpable—achingly raw and vulnerable.
Lady Isobel, by He Mistook Her for a Swan, is an excellent album by an act that deserves recognition beyond local band status. Whether they can grow their fanbase outside their home city of Toronto, Canada, is unknown.
They certainly have the talent to thrive among the finest of the folk scene.
Musicians with limited means often struggle to reach a wider audience and avoid being lost in the vast sea of available music. As fans, I think we need to look beyond our own bubble and take risks on something that we might not know. The rewards can be great, and He Mistook Her for a Swan is a hidden gem worth discovering.
I encourage those interested to listen to their music, buy the album at Bandcamp, and spread the word.
He Mistook Her for a Swan at Bandcamp: https://hmhfas.bandcamp.com/album/lady-isobel
Steve Peck also writes at his Hickory Notes Facebook music blog
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I'll give 10 brownie points to anyone who can identify the source of He Mistook Her for a Swan's band name!
Posted by: Steve Peck | March 08, 2025 at 05:04 PM
From an English ballad, originally called (I think) "The Fowler" but better known as "Polly Vaughan." I believe Martin Carthy, Shirley Collins and Ewan MacColl all recorded it. And there must be other versions.
It's also been around in North America, though possibly not exactly in its the original form. I know Bob Lind (best known for his hit song "Elusive Butterfly") included this rendition, entitled "The Swan," on his 1966 album "The Elusive Bob Lind:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XH0mjCPH2g
Are those hash-brownie points, by any chance...
Posted by: Bill Taylor | March 08, 2025 at 08:44 PM