Issue 20 12/2001
FolkWorld CD Reviews
Cian "The rolling Wave"
Label: Cianmusic;
2001; Playing time: 50.08 min
This is the second album of Cian, a young band from Ireland. Their debut, "Three
shouts from a hill" I had praised in my
FolkWorld review as a "masterpiece of Irish traditional music"
and a "must for every lover of Irish traditional music". Can their
follow-up keep up to the high standards set with Cian's debut?
Musically, Cian has the same drive and quality as on their debut, although bodhran
player Damien Quinn's departure from the band leaves a bit of a gap, their guest
percussionist can not really fill this on the album. Yet, Tim Murray on guitar,
Brian Duke on flute and Padraig Rynne on concertina are doing quite a good job.
A major difference to Cian's debut is that this time they have invited guest
singer Margaret Moloney for four songs, while on the debut Tim Murray himself
contributed two songs. I must admit, I preferred Tim Murray's songs; especially
as Margaret's choice of songs is not too successful - especially the song "Greensleeves"
was really not necessary. Another criticism from my side is the addition of
a guest keyboard player in nearly all numbers; I am sure that many Irish Trad
fans will be rather horrified by this.
Sorry lads but for me the second album can not keep up what you have reached
on your debut. Yet the talent is definitely there and is tremendously high.
E-mail Cian cianmusic@eircom.net
Michael Moll
Croft No. Five "Attention All Personnel"
Label: Footstampin'
Records (Tartan Tapes); ; 2001; Playing time: 67.32 min
Croft No. Five is a wonderful proof that the Scottish scene is still alive and
kicking: A new exciting young band, featuring a line-up of mostly internationally
unknown artists, full of innovation and power. In their music they combine traditional
Scottish folk music ideas with modern influences, creating a new kind of folky
funky dance music.
Folk instruments and folk melodies stand clearly in the centre of Croft No.
5: The fiddle of Adam Sutherland, Misha Somerville's whistle and John Somerville's
accordeon are the backbone of the music. The modern bits come from a funky bass
played by Sonhairle MacDonald, Guitarist Barry (Spad) Reid and the talented
percussionist and drummer Paul Jennings (also drumming with the Old Blind Dogs).
There is also a bit of sampling on this album. The quality of this band is that
they are keeping the folk instruments in their sounds just as they are, and
the groovy dance music comes only in addition to that, woven around it. Most
of the tunes are written by band members, yet most of the tunes are steeped
in Scottish traditional music.
This is a wonderful blend of folk and modern music, yet Croft No. 5 are still
on their way to develop their very own individual style. One of the most promising
and exciting new bands that has come out of Scotland for ages.
Contact Croft No. 5 via marticoull@aol.com
Michael Moll
Lisa Ekdahl "sings Salvadore Poe"
Label: BMG/RCA
Victor; 74321 796812; 2001; Playing time: 51.22 min
Lisa Ekdahl is in her home country Sweden well known as a Jazz and Pop singer.
Since recently she has teamed up with Brazilean Bossa Nova guitarist and composer
Salvadore Poe. On the album they are joined by Swedish Jazz musician Magnus
Lindgren on flutes, saxes, clarinet etc., by Fredrik Jonsson on acoustic and
electric bass and by Jonas Holgersson on Drums and Percussion.
As you might have guessed already, this music cannot exactly be called Folk;
probably best filed under Jazz. Still it is enjoyable stuff. Lisa Ekdahl has
a light warm, very young voice, singing herself through the English love lyrics
of Salvadore Poe. This is light music between Jazz and Bossa Nova, at times
going towards easy listening, yet pleasantly arranged and calming. Probably
the perfect CD to listen to on a warm summer's evening - and in winter you can
look forward to those summer evenings while listening to it...
Lisa Ekdahl's Homepage: http://www.lisaekdahl.net
Michael Moll
Token Women "Elsa"
Label: No
Masters; NMCD18; 2001; Playing time: 52.24 min
This is the third album of this superb all-female band based in England, and
what a great album it is! The Token Women combine perfectly brass instruments
with folk fiddles and percussion, playing traditional and contemporary folk
tunes from England, Scotland, France Denmark, America, Shetland.
Token Women exist already since 10 years; their current line up features the
four original members Fi Fraser (fiddle, clarinet), Jo Freya (sax, clarinets,
whistles), Jackie Allen (fiddles) and Heather Vigor Horsley (Keyboard, flute)
plus newer members Alice Kinlock (trombone, tuba, euphonium) and Jo May (percussion).
Along to that comes the title star of the album, dog Elsa, although she is only
seen on the cover, but not heard on the CD. Even without Elsa it is a great
line-up, blowing as much groove into these folk tunes as seldom heard before.
This is happy, powerful, grooving, funky exciting New Folk music, music that
cheers you up. Full of inventiveness and innovation, full of talent, music from
the heart.
Since this album has arrived on my reviewer's table, it has found again and
again its way into the CD player, and will do so in future. A highly inspiring
CD, one of my definite favourites of this year.
Contact via Georgina Boyes: georgina@nomasters.co.uk
Michael Moll
Fenja Menja "Katten i Saekken"
Label: Go Danish
Folk Music Production; GO 0301; 2001; Playing time: 58.29 min
Denmark has not many bands in the folk music genre that are also internationally
known. Fenja Menja are one of the bands that have the potential to become well
known beyond Denmark's borders. This young band mixes tastefully Nordic folk
ideoms with rock and pop and other music styles. The result is exciting Scandinavian
New Folk music.
Fenja Menja is first and foremost an instrumental band, with an always present
folk instrument in the centre - either violin or flute, both played by Katja
Mikkelsen. This is melted with a modern line-up of (often electric) guitar,
bass, keyboard and drums. All of these instruments are skilfully played inside
the folk ideom - especially the electric guitar gives some exciting inputs.
But there is also a fine song side of this band - while often the Danish language
seems (at least to non-Danish ears) not like a beautiful singing language, Fenja
Menja somehow do not have this problem. Their three songs sound attractive,
featuring both male and female vocals; well arranged and enjoayble. Main criticism
of this CD is the lack of information - the inner side of the CD booklet features
no text at all, and you would not be able to find a listing with the full names
of band members. But this is the only thing where Fenja Menja can still considerably
improve...
The whole album swings back and forward between more folk and more rock ideoms,
creating Fenja Menja's very own music style. A highly successful blend. Definitely
recommended to any friend of modern Nordic music.
Band Homepage: www.fenjamenja.dk, band contact: katjapm@post8.tele.dk;
label contact: go@folkmusic.dk
Michael Moll
Dremmwel "Glazik"
Label: Own, distribution: Coop Breizh; DREM02;
2001; Playing time: 55.10 min
If it comes to the choice of the ugliest CD cover of this isse, the first choice
has to go to Dremmwel and their CD "Glazik": It shows a cow with sun
glasses and the Breton lilies (in white on black) as cow pattern; the cow has
a neon-coloured flower in its mouth, and the background features an overpowering
green and a strong not too pleasant orangy-brown sky. It is just a joy that
the music meanwhile is not bad at all!
Fest Noz have enjoyed during the last years a huge popularity in Brittany. On
these dance parties, plenty of young and old people dance those typical trancy
group dances, often well into the mornings. Plenty of bands focus these days
on Breton dance music, and Dremmwel is one of them. This four-piece band features
guita, celtic harp, accordeon/binou (Breton bagpipes) and bombarde/piston/veuze.
On Glazik, their second CD, the music is dedicated mainly to the region around
Quimper, featuring traditional Breton tunes along to a few self composed ones.
They have invited for the recording of the CD several guests, with a couple
of them at home in Jazz music (clarinet and trumpet/bugle), and this makes the
CD interesting. Especially the trumpet gives some welcome spice into this more
traditional Fest Noz CD. Another guest on one number is singer Louise Ebrel,
all other numbers are instrumental.
This CD is pleasant enough, although just on a few occasions really exciting.
Often you can hear that this is music for dancing, becoming a bit boring when
just listening. They have been on the right track with experimenting, but they
would do well with some more of that. For the cover meanwhile it would do very
well with much LESS experimenting...
Band Homepage: perso.wanadoo.fr/hanternoz/dremmwel/, contact: dominique.leguichaoua@wanadoo.fr
Michael Moll
Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris
Newman "Dialogues: agallaimh"
Label: Old
Bridge Music; OBMCD14; 2001; Playing time: 50.18 min
One of the best duos of Irish Music around these days has finally come up with
a new album together - their first since 1995. I can well remember that we have
had in the first issue of FolkWorld (1997) an
interview with these two musicians, with them telling us that they wanted
to do both solo albums and a new duo album - the solo
album of Chris came out the next year, and this is now the awaited duo album.
We are still waiting for Máire's solo one. They must be really busy musicans
- but no wonder, highly talented musicians are always in request. Just recently
Máire's talent was honoured by her selection as the Musician of the year
2001 in the TG4 National Traditional Music Awards (see
news item).
It was definitely worth waiting for this new duo album though; it is a beautiful
piece. Máire's harp and Chris' guitar work extremely well together, each
instrument stands at times in the centre of the music, with the other then contributing
and emphasing it. Chris' guitar playing is simply terrific, while Máire's
harp playing extents often the borders of what usually harp playing is about.
They get some valuable help from CD guests Nollaig Casey (Máire's sister)
on fiddles, viola and fine backing vocals, Liz Hanks on cello and Roy Dodds
on (if at all then subtle) percussion. The material has its base in lesser known
traditional Irish plus a few Scottish tunes, enriched by some more experimental
tunes: A traditional Bluegrass tune; then two exciting compostions by Chris
Newman - Banana Yellow takes us into the relaxing atmosphere of the Carribean,
while Swinging the Lead swings us jazzily towards the end of the CD. Máire
sings also four songs; her clear light voice reminds a bit of a classical music
style, yet it suits perfectly the Irish style of singing. The choice of songs
is of course tasteful as well.
There is nothing to criticise of this album - it is beautiful and well done
from the first to the last minute; it offers a balanced and tasteful choice
of traditional Irish music and song, spiced up by a few numbers wandering far
away from Irish music. A wonderful showcase of the two masters on harp and guitar.
Homepage: http://www.oldbridgemusic.com,
contact: mail@oldbridgemusic.com
Michael Moll
(BUB)
Label: Wildboar
Music/Alea; WBM21020; 2000; Playing time: 46.24 min
Flanders is at the moment blessed with plenty of new and exciting New Folk bands.
(BUB) are in my taste one of the best if not the best of them all. Combining
beautiful sounds of traditional instruments with brass and rock instruments,
they create a highly inspiring lively and happy music. (BUB) have developed
their very own style, yet it is unmistakenly a New Flemish Folk sound.
In the melody section, the combination of (continental) bagpipes, diatonic accordeon,
soprano & alto recorders and soprano & tenor saxophone creates an exciting
and new soundscape, whlie the rhythm is made by percussion, electric bass guitar
and electric and 12-string guitar. All music is self composed, a lot of it is
based in continental Western European folk ideoms, while there are also obvious
inspirations of brass band music, jazz, rock. The ensemble playing is very tight;
there are enough solos left for all melody instruments. The bass, percussion
and e-guitar but also the saxophone give a fine groove to the sound.
All music is very melodic, often has earwig chracter, with just one exception:
Baby Yin Yang is a terrible noise featuring speaking-singing and diverse noisy
inputs from all instruments. If there would not be this one number, this CD
would be perfect.
A highly enjoyable very pleasant CD; another one of my favorites!
Band Homepage: http://www.bub-bub.be ,
e-mail: bub_haakjes@hotmail.com
Michael Moll
Vin Garbutt "Word Of Mouth"
Label: VG; HR CD013; 1999; Playing time: 54.55
min
First, let me nail a lie. It is commonly thought that Vin Garbutt was born in
the Teesside area of North-East England. Not so. He was born in Outer Space.
And I often think that only the Stars and other Heavenly Bodies are his true
peers.
Much about him smacks of the Other World. Whether it be the striking physical
appearance; the unique voice (the man must gargle daily in a mixture of paint-stripper
and coarse sand!); or the stream-of-consciousness surrealist humour that takes
off into the stratosphere when projected there by the full force of the belly-laughs
of a packed audience. But there is one thing that is very much of THIS world.
And that is his HEART.
And what a heart it is. So he wears it on his sleeve occasionally. So what?
At least he has got one to wear!
And he continues to show the sheer PASSION that only a real heart can. He shows
it in his own song writing and in his selection of songs from some of Britain's
lesser-known songwriters. On this CD for instance, I was delighted to see him
choose a song from one of Britain's finest "undiscovered" songwriters. Dave
Evardson's "Forty Thieves" is a song that sets out to "right a wrong": it is
a natural choice for Garbutt. One hopes he will choose more of Evardson's output:
several of his songs seem almost "made" with Vin in mind.
Mind you, Garbutt is not infallible. He does not always choose well. Sometimes
one suspects he likes a guy and so tries to give him a "leg up" by recording
his song. There is at least one example here.
And sometimes his OWN song writing is, let's say, distinctly AVERAGE. Yes, his
"unremarkable" songs are raised by the quality of his performance, but, in other
people's hands, these songs would invariably forgo memorability. Take one such
on this CD viz. "The Truth Is Irresistible". The lyrics are decent enough, but
seem to be married to the wrong melody. Thus the track is all-too-resistibe!
But with any Garbutt album, you don't despair for long. With fine self-penned
songs like "The Troubles of Erin" and "Waits and Weeps", one realises that one
is in the presence of a very considerable talent indeed. And that VOICE! The
CD is worth the purchase price just to listen to the way his voice absolutely
SOARS on the third line of every verse of that latter song.
"VIN EXTRAORDINAIRE"? Indeed!
www.vingarbutt.com, Home Roots Music,
PO Box 6, Skelton,Saltburn, Cleveland, TS14 4YT e-mail homeroots.garbutt@cwcom.net
Dai Woosnam
Tom Paxton & Anne Hills "Under American Skies"
Label: Hypertension
(under licence from Appleseed Recordings); 1211 HYP; 2001; Playing Time: 58.45
min
The liner notes to this CD start with a recollection by Jim Musselman, boss
of Appleseed, about the genesis of the album. Apparently he met Anne Hills at
a festival, and they both lamented how the great writers of the 1960s and 1970s
were now often forgotten.
So what is their answer? Apparently to produce an album where no fewer than
EIGHT of the 14 tracks are either written by Hills, or by Tom Paxton (needless
to say, a man HARDLY forgotten!) Sometimes one pinches oneself to hastily check
that this whole LIFE is not some bizarre dream.
Now Hills, may sing like an angel, but she does not write like one. That is
not to say her songs are tosh: they all just about "pass muster", but no more.
One of them, "Follow That Road" was - seemingly - what Paxton says was "the
most wonderful song " to emerge from a week where a bunch of professional songwriters
just sat around at Christine Lavin's place in Martha's Vineyard, with the main
purpose of writing new songs. Well, if THAT was the most wonderful of the songs,
then heaven help the others.
What this disappointing album does, more than anything else, is make one think
of one man. And, golly, HOW we miss him. And that man was the late Bob Gibson.
Gibson, Hills and Paxton made up the short-lived "Best of Friends". I don't
think there has ever been a musical threesome where the CHEMISTRY was SO right.
Hills and Paxton, fine voices though they have, are just "not at the Races"
without Gibson. His plaintive tenor and his banjo blended sublimely with Hills's
pitch- perfect purity of tone, and Paxton's baritone harmonies. And as if to
remind us what we have missed, the 14th and last track is an unreleased Best
Of Friends number called "And Lovin'You". It is by some distance the best track
on the album.
It is now over 5 years since Bob died from a terminal illness that ravaged the
nervous system. It is incredible how he has become a "forgotten man" in Europe.
We already cannot remember that Gibson was the co-writer of a song I honestly
believe to have been in the top three of ANY EVER WRITTEN in the Folk Idiom.
I of course refer to his inspirational "Let The Band Play Dixie".
Now, were I Jim Musselman, and reading this, I would go back to the drawing-board.
There is a great CD to come out of these personnel, but this is not it. Why
not raid the tape archive and release a Best Of Friends album? It was a crying
shame that no CD of their work was ever released. But hearing here this last
track of BoF in action, well, it makes me realise what we are now missing.
Artists' homepages: http://www.tompaxton.com
- http://www.annehills.com Label:
Hypertension, St.Benedictstr.5,
20149 HAMBURG, Germany; hypmusic@aol.com
Dai Woosnam
Tam Lin "Back On The Road Again"
Label: none (self-produced); 2001; 56.36 min
I take the very act of reviewing very seriously. Whether it be books, movies
or CDs, I have always down the years endeavoured to speak the truth as I see
it. One has a duty to the potential PURCHASER of the product; a duty to the
CREATOR of it; and above all, a duty to oneself as a reviewer, NOT to go for
a cheap joke at someone's expense, nor (conversely) to lavish fulsome praise
on the off-chance one can then be thought of as a nice chap by the artiste(s)
in question. One has to look at oneself in the mirror, the day after the review.
So having got that "credo" of mine out of the way, let me get down to business.
I want to quickly state that I really hoped to ENTHUSE over this CD. After all,
it is only Tam Lin's second album, and one does not want to knock artistes on
the way up. Particularly 3 guys who have already made a favourable impression
on such Folk luminaries as Dave Swarbrick and Alistair Hulett.
And to be fair, there is much about the album I rather like. But golly, I wish
I could have liked it a whole lot MORE. But somehow, after playing it three
times all the way through, I am left with a feeling that they need to have a
good re-think about their choice of material and maybe - just maybe - the whole
raison d'ętre for their existence as a group. Let me explain.
What they do in LIVE performance and what they do on CD, should not necessarily
be synonymous. It is all very well to do Folk Standards like "She Moved Through
The Fair", "Arthur McBride", and "The Galway Shawl" on stage, but for someone
to buy a CD with these songs on, when they already have about twenty versions
of EACH in their CD collection (as I have) .….well, the artiste needs to entice
the potential buyer, by producing versions that have a DISTINCTIVE STAMP on
them.
These three guys are pleasant enough singers, but that's about it. And I am
not sure that the TOTAL effect of the three voices in harmony is greater than
the sum of the parts. Au contraire: they actually seem to me to need a FOURTH
voice, probably female.
But two of the group members are clearly very accomplished musicians. Sav Malbaski
is a formidable flautist, and James McGee's fiddle succeeded in really moving
me with his version of Tom Anderson's Shetland tune of haunting beauty, "Da
Slockit Light". That was the high spot of the album.
Sadly I must end this review by saying that the lads should take to heart the
title of this CD, and get BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN, where I know they are well
appreciated in LIVE performance. And don't go back into the recording studio
until they can get a clearer rationale as to their aims. I suggest when the
third CD comes around, they look for the many good songs in the Tradition that
are crying out for life to be breathed back into them, and not go for the ones
that are close to having been sung to death.
They must to some extent already be aware of what is desideratum. Here they
bravely set to music a rather obscure poem by William Ogilvie: it fails only
in as much as the tune they composed for it is formulaic and a bit on the sterile
side. But better to go down FIGHTING, chaps. Please look for more poems, and
some might manage to induce the composition of more memorable melodies.
Well, I guess that is ME now not on their Christmas Card list! But honestly
fellows, I do sincerely wish I could have been MORE positive.
alan@madnanny.co.uk , Mad Nanny
Music, 9, Lister Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 9ES, England. Tel: 01462 438373
Dai Woosnam
The Scottish Stepdance Company "Sole Music"
Label: Foot Stompin'; CDFSR1710; 2001; Playing
time: 51.32 min
Many moons ago, when Scotland was still engulfed in the mists of time, the
natives of many far-flung parts would often be caught doing a few steps to an
old fiddle tune or two - be it in a local village hall or at a kitchen ceilidh.
These customs almost completely vanished when the Highlands were "cleared" in
the 19th century to make way for sheep grazing. But considering the Riverdance
& Co craze, it was only a question of time when Scottish dancers put their soles
to the ground. Thus, the Scottish Stepdance Company is committed
to the promotion, performance and re-integration of Scottish stepdance. The
pieces vary from traditional and modern solo dances, to routines with up to
four dancers. All of the dancers are also musicians: Keri (low whistle), John
Sikorski (double bass), Donal Brown (smallpipes, flute), Alison MacLeod (footing
only). Plus fiddler Adam Sutherland of Croft No. 5, Gaelic singer and whistler
Sandra MacKay of Tannas, and guitarist Kevin
Mackenzie of Keep it Up. A
rich bunch of instrumental music and song is the crop on a bed of step dancing.
And it works even on a CD, since stepdance is as much percussion as it is
a form of dance. Michael Flatley has already retired.
He must have heard of the coming Scottish gale.
Foot Stompin' Records
Walkin' T:-)M
Tom Landa & The Paperboys "Postcards"
Label: Red
House Records; RHR CD 150; 2000; Playing time: 44.14 min
Folkrock oftentimes works not very well and is quite boring. So it's always
a delight to introduce the exception that confirms the rule. Fresh but not brash,
as they say, that's the Paperboys and singer and guitarist Tom Landa.
Tom is born in Mexico City and went to Vancouver to team up with his Paperboys
and -girls in 1992. A city that attracts foreign elements: Accordion/fiddle/bass
player Shannon Saunders is he only native British Columbian. Fiddler Shona Le
Mottee hails from the Channel Island of Jersey, flutist Hanz Araki from Japan,
banjo/bass player Cam Salay from Winipeg. English drummer Paul Lawton counts
De Dannan and Genesis as influences, so it's no small
wonder that the Paperboys mix Celtic music with Latin idioms and almost any
roots and world music they came across. Celtic, Flamenco, Bluegrass, Zydeco,
Country, traditional tunes inbetween pop and folk rock plus three songs in Spanish.
A postcard from Spain's flamenco region or Ireland's rich musical tradition.
A New Orleans souvenir and a photo of Kentucky's bluegrass. A greeting from
Mexico ... But instead of a mere greeting, they wrote some songs and a
a soundtrack for the global village.
The Boys will come over to Europe for the German St. Patrick's Day Celebration Festival
in 2002. Watch out!
Red House Records
Walkin' T:-)M
Dan Milner & Bob Conroy "Irish In America"
Label: Folk-Legacy Records; CD-129; 2001; Playing
time: 52.35 min
Says Dan Milner: Through
a very odd set of circumstances, I was unable to get back to New York City on
Monday evening. Under normal circumstances, my wife and I would have been walking
in the general World Trade Center area at about 08:45 on that Tuesday ... An
older name for New York City was `America's Melting Pot' ... Men and women from
every nation were surely killed ... Dan is still with us and I'm glad to
write a CD review and no obituary. The traditional singer and folk song collector
teamed up with five-string banjo player and singer Bob Conroy (son of John Joseph
Conroy who in 1935 co-founded the first union officially recognized by the City
of New York) to produce the kind of record I always immediately fell in love
with, a mix of history and song (see e.g. the 1798 ballads). Fourteen songs
and four dance tunes celebrate the Irish who built the great American cities,
who toiled in factories, laid rails, dug coal, quarried stone, rustled cattle,
shuffled cards and played baseball, who fought for their new-found land, who
washed and cleaned and kept for their `betters' as well as their own, and who
made America laugh and cry on the vaudeville stage. There are excellent
notes given in the booklet, but unfortunatly no song lyrics. People who
truly love traditional songs understand that they are testaments chronicling
the heights and depths of real people and that they, the singers, are in communion
with these long dead men and women every time they bring their songs to voice.
Need I say more?
Folk-Legacy Records
Walkin' T:-)M
Jez Lowe & Jake Walton "Two A Roue"
Label: Tantobie
Records; TTRCD 101; 1986/2001; Playing time: 55.11 min
"Two A Roue" is a
reissue of the 1986 LP of Jez Lowe (guitar,
cittern) and Cornish Jake Walton (hurdy-gurdy). Jez Lowe
is said to be one of the only two full time professional singers from Northeast
England (the other is Vin Garbutt). Born into an Irish family in the coal-mining
community of Easington in County Durham, he is best known for his songs describing
the mining culture, society and people of his native country. His songs have
been recorded by Fairport Convention, the Tannahill Weavers
and the Dubliners. Cornish-man Jake Walton
was one of the first to help with the Hurdy Gurdy and Dulcimer revival in Britain
in the 1970s. His attraction to the Arthurian legends and
Donovan's later albums
led him in to the world of Celtic myth. Both Jez and Jake toured Europe and
North America numerous times in the mid-80s and subsequently recorded "Two
A Roue", which was one of that year's biggest sellers in the British folk
scene. When both drifted apart in 1988, the LP was deleted. The title derives
from the French word for hurdy-gurdy (vielle a roue), but "roue" is also an
Old English word meaning wastrel or vagabond. The duo offers British roots music
with the odd influence from France or (Celtic) Spain. Self-penned songs and
original and traditional dance tunes. Three bonus tracks were newly recorded.
And it's suited for children because none of the 7 forbidden words, as defined
by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission appear on this CD.
Tantobie Records
Walkin' T:-)
Saw Doctors "Villains?"
Label: Sham Town; SAWDOC 008 CD; 2001
In which the Saw Doctors become guitar heroes and take on the rock world. It's
hard to remember now just what a phenomenon their 1989 debut album "If this
is rock'n'roll I want my old job back" and the two smash singles from it, "N17"
and of course "I useta love her", still the biggest-selling single in Irish
history. Those days the stage show was a shambling rambling tour-de-force of
Irish laddyness, and though it's all got a bit sharper over the years the songwriting
partnership of Leo Moran and Davy Caton can still turn a phrase, and for all
the big sound the melodies are still drenched in Guinness.
Having failed to make the big breakthrough in the USA the band decided to form
their own label in 1994 and since then have toured and released various albums
and singles with varying degrees of success. Part of the problem is that the
Saw Doctors have always been at their best on stage in front of their audience
rather than in the studio, and any album of theirs is a poor relation to the
live show. They tour a lot, so do go and see them and then you'll know for sure
if you want this or not. If you've already seen them, then I suspect you'll
already know.
Saw Doctor's website
Colin Jones
Blackmore's Night "Fires at midnight"
Label: SPV; 088-72430; 2001; Spielzeit: 67.49 min
The new album of ex-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and the american
singer Candice Night reveals a fascinate mixture of rock, pop, folk and medieval
music. The influence of old music passes through their whole work, sometimes
as a new arragement of an old song, sometimes als part of or merely as inspiration
for self-written songs. And although the records sounds not at all like medieval
music, they always succeed in giving their songs a special flair of mystic and
romantic of minstrels, knights and ladies. The music impresses with the warm
and clear voice of Candice Night and the brilliant playing of Ritchie Blackmore,
who uses accoustic and e-guitars and old instruments like mandolin and hurdy-gurdy.
Altogether an excellent CD, that invites to sit beside a fire-place, drink wine
and tell old tales or do some fantasy role-playing.
SPV, www.spv.de, P.O. Box 721147, 30531 Hannover, Germany
www.ritchieblackmore.com
Tom Kamphans
More English CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page
2 - Page 3 - Page 4 - Page
5
More German CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page
2
Overview: CD Review Contents
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online magazine Nr. 20
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