Wake the Union

Wake the Union
Studio album by Show of Hands
Released	15 October 2012
Recorded	2012
Studio	Phil's Music Room, Devon The Green Room, Devon Highlands Farm Barn
Genre	Folk Americana English folk
Length	56:50
Label	Hands on Music
Producer	Mark Tucker
Show of Hands chronology
Backlog 2 (2011) Wake the Union (2012) Centenary: Words & Music of the Great War (2014)

Wake the Union is the sixteenth studio album by British folk duo Show of Hands. Although their fifteenth studio album, it is their eighth in their "canon" of studio albums (albums of new, lyrical material still in print). The release follows the successful Arrogance Ignorance and Greed (2009) and the limited edition albums Covers 2 (2010) and Backlog 2 (2011). Recorded and produced by Mark Tucker, the album takes a strong influence from both English and American folk music and was created as a "journey through of [the two countries'] landscapes united by a common tongue and musical heritage".^[1] The album again features their unofficial third member Miranda Sykes. The album was also described by Knightley as a direct continuation of Arrogance Ignorance and Greed, although critics saw it as very distinct in its own right. The album was also a 20th anniversary celebration for the duo.

Released in October 2012 by the band's own label Hands on Music, it charted at number 73 in the UK Albums Chart,^[2] some 100 higher places than their only other album to chart at the time, Arrogance Ignorance and Greed. It was released to very positive reviews from critics, with some touting it as the duo's best album.^[3] The duo toured in promotion of the album from 2012 to 2014, although several songs from the album had debuted live in 2010. A 7-inch single featuring alternative versions of "Aunt Maria" and "King of the World" was released in 2013, whilst a rockumentary documenting the making of the album, Making the Waking, was released as a double-feature DVD release in 2013 with a concert film taken from the album's promotional tour, Live at Shrewsbury, which was a collaboration with the Urban Soul Orchestra.