FolkWorld CD Reviews

Issue 27 02/2004

Calvin Vollrath "New Fiddle Classics"
Label: Own Label CVCD103 18 tracks, 51 minutes Calvin Vollrath - not a name that trips off the tongue, at least not in the UK. But it should be: this Canadian fiddler has thirty albums to his name, mostly his own compositions. New Fiddle Classics is a collection of eighteen tunes, each with a track to itself, providing over fifty minutes of the finest Alberta fiddling. Calvin is something of an icon in Canadian fiddle circles, appearing frequently at fiddle camps and on national TV, and his annual CD launch parties are becoming an institution. Most of the tunes here are named after fiddlers. Like their namesakes, the styles range all across Canada: Quebec, Ontario, BC and elsewhere. Calvin sticks to the more old-time sound, straying as far as country and swing, but generally staying clear of the Celtic sounds we're familiar with from Atlantic Canada. Two notable exceptions here are tunes written to commemorate Calvin's tour of Shetland: Gulberwick March and Compliments to Willie Hunter. The former combines Shetland swagger with Western Swing, and the latter is a soaring jig worthy of the late great Shetland fiddler and composer.
Highlights abound on this CD. The Denis Brisson Reel is a wonderfully sparky tune in the classic French Canadian style with a spot of clogging. Swingin' on a Sklar is an urbane little number somewhere between Vassar Clements and Mark O'Connor, named by Gail Schonhoffer of Saskatchewan. Turkey in the Raw is a new old-time classic, pure fiddle fantasy and another shucking corny name. Michel Mallette Reel brings us back to classic Canada with growly depths and sweet syncopation, a fitting end to a very fine album.
While all these melodies stand on their own merits, the backing deserves a mention. It's discreet but distinctive, pressing all the right buttons and providing enough variety to guarantee that Calvin's music never loses its edge. It probably helps that Calvin plays the guitars, mandolin, bass and spoons himself, and even does his own clogging stunts. Trent Bruner plays piano, sometimes airy, sometimes solid, always reliable: the vamping on Leo's Ready to Step is all this jaunty tune needs, but a lighter touch is evident on the aptly named Swinging Bridge.
Make no mistake: these are catchy little numbers, and some may well become classics in time. Calvin's composing talent is rich and varied, with a gift for melodies that stick in your head. There's plenty of good stuff here for fiddle fans of most flavours, and there's lots more available from www.calvinvollrath.com which serves as Calvin's shop front. This man has avoided all distribution deals until now, but thankfully the Internet has brought him to the attention of audiences outside Canada.
Alex Monaghan

Kathleen Loughnane "Harping On"
Label: Own Label 12 tracks, 46 minutes Kathleen Loughnane is a harpist from Tipperary living in Galway. This is her second solo album. She's joined by her colleagues Mary Bergin, Martina Goggin and Dearbhaill Standún from the group Dordán, as well as numerous musicians from all over Ireland. In fact there isn't actually a solo track in the dozen here, but Kathleen's harp holds it all together and makes it very much her album. The range of material is immense, from a Handel Chaconne through pieces by Carolan and Ruarí Dall, to reels by Martin Mulhaire and Tommy Peoples. Kathleen carries them all of with aplomb. There are also several of her own compositions, notably a majestic suite for the University of Galway.
In just under 46 minutes, Harping On combines a dozen instruments and as many musical forms. Kathleen kicks off with a couple of jigs, one of her own and a big version of Queen of the Rushes, with Brian McGrath on keyboards. Then there's an interesting pairing of the hornpipe Queen of the West, beloved of Joe Burke, and the Carolan air Eleanor Plunkett. Sharon Shannon joins in for a couple of waltzes, with Alec Finn on guitar, then Alec switches to bouzouki for Carolan's Loftus Jones, and that Chaconne is joined by Kathleen's own slip-jig The Sandhopper with Sharon Shannon again.
The only song on this CD is Bean Dubh an Ghleanna, sung by Séamus Begley in his warm relaxed style. Then it's back to the tunes with Efterkalken from Sweden and the hornpipe Ben Hill where Kathleen is joined by her children on box and whistle. Sean Ryan takes over the whistling for a superb version of Danny Boy, a couple of well-known jigs bring us to another poignant lament, and The Three Sea Captains is followed by a pair of reels with great piping from young Cormac Cannon. To top it all off, there's that seven-minute suite with the full Dordán line-up plus Jimmy Higgins on trumpet.
Harping On is an excellent sampler of Irish harp music, and a highly varied and entertaining album. Well worth a listen, but maybe not readily available outside Ireland: email reiskmore@tinet.ie or drop Kathleen a note at 8 St Mary's Terrace, Taylor's Hill, Galway.
Alex Monaghan

Lyn Geddes "Early Lately"
Label: Grapefruit Sounds: No cat number; 2003. This is a debut album from a singer/songwriter who lives in Yorkshire, England. And if I had to choose one adjective to describe it, I would choose the word "worthy".
Although she is a songwriter, only one of her songs ends up here: the others are all from the Tradition (of the British Isles). And mostly "extremely well-known Traditional", at that. And there I think, lies the problem.
The songs are so well-known that unless one is new to Traditional Folk, they are songs one can sing in one's sleep. And she does a very good job on them all. Superb diction, pleasant voice, very competent guitar accompaniment of herself… one cannot fault it. But she adds nothing NEW to the songs (indeed, perhaps how CAN she? Hasn't every possible nuance been explored over the years?), and she'd perhaps be better advised looking for less-well-known traditional songs next time.
Homepage of the artist: www.lyngeddes.com, contact to artist tel. +44 1765 601447
Dai Woosnam

Dave Gibb "Speed of the Plough"
Label: Pom Records; POMCD03; 2003; Playing time: 54 mins, 33 secs Dave Gibb is based in South West Scotland. Gibb is not exactly a newcomer to the Folk Scene, but I had never heard him sing (before this CD arrived on my desk). That said however, I'd heard something of this guy's reputation, even down here in Lincolnshire England. He'd been a winner of the Danny Award at Celtic Connections, and created a few waves North of the Border. So I placed the CD into my player with some optimism.
Was that optimism justified? On balance, I think yes. This is his third album, and covers an impressive range of subjects. But with his eclectic choices of song subjects we have the usual problem: he uses his liner notes for his lyrics, when they should be for his THOUGHTS. We do not need the lyrics setting down: his diction is PERFECT. What would be great would be knowing WHY he chose the subjects he did. Plus, some of the songs are mysterious in that they do not yield up anything even approaching "instant meanings".
One song that is very clear is the final track "Empire". Now the jury may be out on whether ever Dave makes it as a songwriter, but one thing for sure is he will have trouble hacking it as a historian. Somebody ought to tell him that it was us dreadful Brits who were the first country to abolish slavery, not the last (as you'd suspect from the agitprop anti-Empire approach of the lyric).
But I like lots of things about the CD. First, his voice. Imagine Neil Young and Robin Williamson joined not at the hip, but at the vocal chords: there you exactly have Dave Gibb's delivery. A nice persuasive guitar player to boot.
I also like his John Betjeman-like way of throwing in proprietary names into his verses (e.g. "Embassy Regal") and his willingness to coin adjectives like "pissified". But against that, I have to say that whilst the songs are all well crafted and tuneful enough, none of them knocked me for six. I cannot honestly see them getting wide circulation through covers from other artistes on the Circuit.
Take a song like "Princess Mitzy". Drunken life seen from the gutter. A human and an animal interact. It has its moments: but the plain fact is that it is a variation on an old theme, and that splendid old song that ended with the line "the pig got up and slowly walked away" said it much better and more pithily. A song that used to be de rigueur in the Folk clubs incidentally.
But come to think of it, there is one song that does blow me away. It is the one song he did not write: I refer to Rabbie Burns's "Green Grow The Rashes". He delivers it superbly.
And this makes me think that for his next album I would like to see the ratio reversed: instead of eleven originals and one cover, one original and eleven fine songs from other writers...long dead if necessary (if saving on royalties is what it is all about!)
Homepage of the artist: www.davegibb.co.uk, contact to artist: isobelgibb@hotmail.com
Dai Woosnam

Bob Fox "Borrowed Moments"
Label: Topic Records; TSCD544; 2003; Playing time: 58 mins, 55 secs Gosh, this is going to be a tough review to write. Why? Wasn't there much in this CD to delight the listener? Of course there was. But it is just that my favourite album in 2002 was Bob's "Dreams Never Leave You", and that was always going to be a hard act to follow.
And the fact that this album doesn't reach those dizzy heights is perhaps only to be expected. When you start with the CD dynamite, it is only the rarest artiste that can follow with the TNT. And Bob does not quite pull it off.
But that said, it's an above-average album with a generous playing time of close to one hour, and both Fox and his accompanying musicians are on fine form. I know it is invidious, but I wish to pick one artiste out from a talented ensemble: Anna Ryder.
Or should I perhaps say "annA rydeR"? That is how the CD notes spell her name. (Dear Anna, you are too talented to need gimmicks, leave such things for some nonentity of the Pop World who was perhaps the artiste formerly known as Prince-ESS. You should let your fingers do the talking.)
And CAN they talk! Anna's piano accordion is on top form throughout: I particularly loved her touch of the Flaco Jiminez in "Child of Mine".
That the album cannot scale the heights of "Dreams Never Leave You" just MUST be down to the choice of material. Oh, for sure, there are no DUDS here, but it does take to track 5 to warm up. There we have a version of "Dance to your Daddy" that is up there with Owen Brannigan's or Alex Glasgow's. A fine " Shoals of Herring" and an even finer version of Vin Garbutt's "She Waits and Weeps" follow. And tracks 8-11 are also solid songs given a fine treatment.
Good stuff. But there is nothing here that knocked me for six as on that previous album where he delivered an inspired song I'd never heard before (Jimmy Nail's "Big River") and sublimely prefaced it with that perennial favourite "The Waters of Tyne": a more divine juxtapositioning of two songs would be hard to find.
But maybe he can scale those heights again next time out.
Contact to label: promo@glassceilingpr.com
Dai Woosnam

Gary Tipping "Gary Tipping"
Label: No Label: 2002 Now, this is the strangest of affairs. Talk about déjà vu?! I had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming.
Along comes a privately produced CD called "Gary Tipping", copyright 2002. I was about to send it back to our esteemed editors with a note that they must have had two copies, as they had already sent it to me about a year ago, and I had reviewed it a couple of editions back. Then my eye fell on a letter from Gary Tipping to Michael and Christian, accompanying the CD. Apparently he had been pleased with my review - he felt that I had clearly LISTENED to his CD - and he wondered if they would again send the CD to me for review
. I was puzzled for a moment. And then the penny dropped. Although it was the same CD cover photo and title, this was indeed a follow-up album! On closer inspection, there was a clue. His name was now in blue type instead of green.
So I set out to review it. And, despite my best efforts to make him happy, I am not altogether sure that he will put the kettle on for me, should I ever visit him at his home in Southsea, on the South Coast of England!
Now, let me first say that I thank him for his kind words. Of COURSE, I listen: I think it is a duty that all reviewers owe their subject. But, that said, I know where he is coming from: a reviewer much more famous than me once said that he seldom read the book he was about to review…on the grounds that it "prejudiced one's thinking so"!
Now, having played this album three times all the way through, the question is not whether I have listened to IT, but whether Gary has listened to ME. (No reason of course why he SHOULD, but seeing as he had specifically asked for me to review it, I thought perhaps he might have acted on my recommendations in my earlier review.)
I regret to say that generally speaking my words seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Let me quote chapter and verse…and the best way to do so is to directly quote from my earlier review.
I mentioned that "he gives us no track-timings: this is a big error if he wants his album to get any radio plays". Guess what? He gives no timings again. Gary: I have a spare stop-watch: would you like it for your birthday?
But more importantly, I ended by saying "the tone of his singing voice never varies. True, it is perfectly pleasant, but he would never TALK this way. Instead he would emphasise words and put light and shade into his conversation. So on your next album Gary, please worry less about tone and texture, and more about MEANING. Let us get the impression that you FEEL what you sing".
And guess what? Again, the tone and texture are EVERYTHING on this album. To be honest, at first I thought I would SWEAR that these songs were discarded offcuts from the first album, such is the similarity of delivery to that previous CD. But then I knocked that idea on the head, since these songs seem slightly stronger than the first batch.
So if IS a later production, can the artiste PLEASE not insult his potential audience by coming out with the same album cover and title? Even an unoriginal title such as "Gary Tipping 2" , would have been a step in the right direction.
Oh, and I nearly forgot! The SONGS. If you want decently crafted songs that make sense, and a voice that is very pleasant, Gary is your man. Be warned though: the fact is that NONE of the songs are likely to live in the memory.
Contact to artist: garytipping@realsurfing.net, Tel.+44 7905 349840.
Dai Woosnam, Grimsby, England.

Plethyn "goreuon"
Label: Sain; SCD2375; 2003 Plethyn have long been one of the glories of Wales. This trio performed in public for the last time some 5 years ago, after having been going strong since the late Seventies. They had built a massive reputation in their native country, especially amongst their Welsh-speaking compatriots.
Then, in 2003, after the five year absence, they returned to the recording studio to produce this "best of" collection. Eleven of the 18 tracks were specially re-recorded for the album.
This album makes few concessions to the 79% of Welshman who are not able to converse in the "Language of Heaven": it is proudly and unashamedly in the Welsh language. And very fine it is.
This brother, sister and close friend had a GLORIOUS sound. I always think of them as Britain's "Peter, Paul & Mary". Indeed, whilst Britain have had great "three MEN" folk groups like CBS and The McCalmans, I am hard pressed to think of a really fine MIXED British trio singing in the English language. I often wish that Plethyn had given equal emphasis to both languages of Wales: that way they would now be a household name outside Wales too.
Still, one should be thankful for their marvellous output in their Mother Tongue. Gorgeous harmonies, strong songs, fine self accompaniment (augmented by some tasty work from well known local musicians), this makes for an album that is a candidate for my Top 5 of the year.
Add to that some interesting, and typically impishly provocative liner notes from Sain Records' boss (and Plaid Cymru President) Dafydd Iwan. I love the way he refuses to curry favour with those potential CD buyers who perhaps see themselves as British first, and Welsh second. Listen to this, from his note on the song "Yn dewach na dwr".
" …During the Malvinas conflict in 1982 …a conflict between British Imperialists and Argentinian Fascists…" Forget the second bit: doesn't the choice of the name MALVINAS over "Falklands" speak volumes?
And in signing off, that last word helps provide my final thought: do not be afraid to play this album with the volume control turned fully up. None of the neighbours could possibly consider such passionate harmonic voices to be anything other than LIFE-ENHANCING.
Contact to label: catalog@sain.wales.com
Dai Woosnam

Andy White "Boy 40"
Label: ALT Recordings; 2003 I regret to say that this album impressed me less than I had hoped. Why exactly?
True, Andy White has a decent enough voice, but his self-penned songs are bland, and border on the anonymous. And the production has an equally bland quality: one that brought to mind the albums of another Andy, Andrew Gold, the "great white hope" of the late 1970s.
I wish Andy would take the following on board: it is no shame to be an INTERPETER of (other people's) songs. And if "royalties" is the problem, well, there is a whole myriad of songs out there filed under "Traditional": their writers have been sleeping in country churchyards for 200 years, and, Andy, you won't have to pay them a cent!
One nice aspect to the album though is track 6: "The Fortune Teller's Right". It is a multimedia track and was filmed in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. Now, how much my appreciation of this track was due to the fact that I have personally visited Byron Bay lighthouse (the most easterly point on the Australian mainland), I don't know. But whatever my motivation, I salute him for this creative idea. More folk artists should follow him.
Homepage of the artist: www.andywhite.com, contact to artist/label: altrecordings@hotmail.com
Dai Woosnam

Jan Ekedahl "Dubbelgangarn"
Label: Sjelvar Records; SJECD16; 2003; Playing time: 42 mins, 59 secs I was unfamiliar with the work of Jan Ekedahl, and having heard this album, am forced to conclude that this was MY loss. This CD consisting of exclusively INSTRUMENTAL guitar tunes, impresses from start to finish.
This guy is a pioneer of folk guitar styles in Sweden. In 1982, he was one of the founders of the Swedish folk group "Gunnfjauns Kapell. And his vast experience shows in this impressively catholic variety of arrangements for the acoustic guitar.
He has composed the melodies himself: and tuneful they are. He is joined for duets on three tracks by Mats Bergstrom. Six of the tunes are re-workings of tracks from his previous album "Gitarrfamiljen" (1985), and the rest are new tunes.
If you like acoustic guitar instrumentals, played in an assured manner, then this is an album right up your street.
Contact to label: sjelvar@sjelvar.com
Dai Woosnam

Jarek Adamow "Songs of the medieval Polish bards"
Label: Global Village; 821; 2003; Playing time: 34.14 min Jarek adamov is a Polish musician and former member of the Polish band Sie gra quartet. He recorded a debut cd in 2000 which made him win the Polish record of the year award. Now he just released his second solo cd "Songs of the Polish medieval bards". The songs presented on this cd are old ballads which have been performed throughout Poland by wandering bards. Jarek collected a few ballads and tunes which he recorded with Hurdy-gurdy, clarinet, whistles and percussion. Jarek keeps his music very sober which is the strength of this cd. It starts with a tune with only the drone of a hurdy gurdy and a slow tune played on clarinet. Already in this first track he creates a dark, mystic atmosphere which continues for the rest of the cd. Also his ballads are very intense, Podolanka, for example, is almost hypnotising. Jarek sings this ballad like a prayer with the hurdy-gurdy playing a different melody. I cant help it, it forces to listen over and over again. This were only the first two songs but it keeps on being fantastic music until the last tone. I love the way he uses the hurdy-gurdy in a very simple but 100% effective way. Within nine songs he shows several sides of Polish ancient music which were until now completely unknown to me. I can only recommend this album as it, in my opinion, is one of the best cd's of 2003 I've heard so far.
Eelco Schilder

Loukia Agapiou "Die dursichtige Seele"
Label: Extraplatte; 549-2; 2003 Loukia Agapiou is a young Greek singer who brought together a collection of 15 Greek ballads. Only accompanied on guitar by Antonis Vounelakos the cd caught Agapiou at her best. Her powerful voice brings each of the ballads alive. Although the booklet says she sings Greek ballads I have to tell you that this is not true. She also sings for example the fado song "Cancao do mar" and the Nino Rota song "Canzone Arabbiata". The funny thing is that this cd shows that these songs have the same atmosphere, the same passion although they come from different countries. I think Loukia showed with this cd she is a great singer who is able to put the passion and beauty of South-Europe into her music.
Eelco Schilder

Trio bravo "Menschen am Sonntag"
Label: Ozella; 005; 2003; Playing time: 57.00 min Trio bravo started in 1995 with violinist Mark Chaet and Contrabass player Sergej Sweschinskij as the leading musicians. Their early repertoire was the east-European traditional music. But in time the group developed their own sound and style. Since 2002 the trio bravo has two new musicians. From Bulgaria comes pianist Svetoslav Karparov and from Poland the percussionist Adam Tomaszewski. The group doesn't play traditional music anymore but a crossover between jazz, classical music and world music. It has fragments of tango and blues and an overall atmosphere of the music that is known from the film-music from the first part of the 20th century. The musicians are masters on their instruments and the atmosphere on the cd is like the title, it gives rest on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Eelco Schilder

Todd Menton "Where will you land"
Label: New folk records; 6952; 2003; Playing time: 54.24 min Todd Menton is the former front man of Boiled in Lead. He just released his new solo cd "Where will you land" which contains an impressive blend of six traditional and six own compositions. This is not just the ordinary singer-songwriter stuff. Todd adds many extra's to his music which makes this album real interesting. Already the opening polka gives an idea of what Todd is offering us. He plays with sounds, traditional tunes and rhythms. Same for the famous tune Princess royal played on electric guitar and a washboard only this is the most innovated version of this tune I've ever heard. Al the songs are of strong quality. His solid voice fits perfect to both the ballads as well to the more rock influenced songs. This "Where will you land" is a recommendation to everybody who enjoys both original and new interpretation of the modern folkmusic.
Eelco Schilder

Darren Crossey "Coming home"
Label: new folk records; 6492; 2003; Playing time: 46.19 min Darren Cossey is an Irish musician who just released his debut cd called Coming home. Darren recorded twelve nice songs from traditional ballads to the Ewan MacColl song The lags song and the Kris Kristofferson song Me and Bobby Magee, once made famous by Janis Joplin. Besides himself singing and playing guitar he gets help from John Wright on bass and guitar, Sean Conway on whistles, Mike Wallace on bodhran and Todd Menton on mandolin. The cd has a strong start with the song Ireland. The flute, subtle mandolin and his nice voice make this a good way to start an album. He reaches the same high level of music in songs like The lags song and Farrewell green valleys. But to my opinion the cd does have a few weak points as well. Somehow the vocals in for example Galtee mountain boy don't fit the music. It's like the vocals and the instruments were recorded separately from each other. Also on a few occasions I get the feeling Darren forces his voice into a singing style that is not naturally his. This happens especially in the faster songs, in ballads he is at his best. The Me and Bobby Magee song is probably the weakest link on the whole album. A totally boring version without any fantasy or passion. A nice debut from a talented musician with a some beautiful moments but unfortunately also with some missed chances.
Eelco Schilder

Helsinki mandoliners "Helsinki Mandoliners"
Label: Kansanmusiiki-instituutti; 86; 2003 The Helsinki mandoliners consist out of four of Finland's best musicians. Petri Hakala, Arto Jarvela, Olli Varis and Tapani Varis played together with several Finnish musicians, for example all four of them played with Maria Kalaniemi. This cd contains 13 strong tunes on mandolin mostly composed by Jarvela with a blend of blues, jazz and a touch of traditional music. It's impressive the way the four musicians manage to keep my attention during the whole record, often records with only one kind of instruments are getting boring at the end but not this one. They search for new possibilities on their instruments and give each tune a new sound. It's technically at a very high level without getting to academically. Not interesting for those who search for the popular modern Finnish folk sound. This cd is more for those people who like to see what's behind the popular music, what is the possibility of the mandolin at his own. That's what this cd shows us.
Eelco Schilder

Lydie Auvray "Tango toujours"
Label: westpark; 87099; 2003; Playing time: 45.11 min Lydie Auvray already plays the accordion for many years. She recorded several lp's and cd's and I think that about now she has played all possible music styles. Her latest cd is one with only tango tunes which she composed herself. I like the tango very much but since the wedding of our prince with a girl from Argentina we Dutch have heard so many tango. I enjoy many of them, especially the once who are able to play the tango with the passion, emotion and fire it originally has. I can really cry when I hear a musician play the tango who understands what tango is. Auvray also makes me cry but not because of emotion. She makes me cry out of horror about the way she presents middle of the road tunes with a Tango accent as "today's tango. Without any fantasy, any passion she takes the safe side of music. Probably many people will love her commercial exploration of the tango. For me personally this album is far from what I think is tango music with a passion.
Eelco Schilder

Son dos y arean "Manana mi amor"
Label: Extraplatte; 560; 2003 Strange group this Son dos y arean. The three musicians , Milagros Pinera-Ibaceta on guitar, percussion and vocals, Jose Arean on bass guitar and Daisy Jopling on violin and vocals, mix Cuban passion with Irish music. The cd starts with a nice ballad called sentimiento followed by the Irish traditional Farewell to Ireland and the Robert Bullock tune turning of the season. It might sound like a strange combination but somehow it works. Maybe because of the central role the violin plays in the music. Because this is an important element in almost each part of this cd, this makes the different styles of music fit together. It's not just folk music the groups plays, it has influences out of the jazz, latin and classical music. It has an overall very easy sound without being middle of the road music. The combination of subtle rhythms, careful vocals and great violin bring the atmosphere of beautiful warm night which gives the feeling that life isn't so bad after all.
Eelco Schilder

Naftule's dream "Live in Florence"
Label: innova; 572; 2002; Playing time: 51.51 min Naftul's dream is a group that since seven years brings music inspired by Jewish culture in a innovating way. With clarinet, trombone, accordion, electric guitar, tuba and drums they play jazz music which has a big touch of klezmer music. Often played in such a free jazz style that it's hard to find the cultural influence, but often suddenly a melody is recognised, or at least sounds familiar. I have to be honest and tell you that I think I'm to inexperienced to understand this music. Being a fan of Jewish music, the way this group brings the music is to free for my ears. I get stuck in the web of sounds, change of rhythms etc. I hear that this is a group of very good musician, that this cd is a high quality product but not my style. This doesn't say anything about the quality, as I wrote before I hear the quality in the music and I think this cd will be highly appreciated by lovers of experimental jazz.
Eelco Schilder

Frank Baier "portrait"
Label: Pläne; 8887; 2003; Playing time: 75.71 min A document of time, this reissue on cd of the Frank Baier songs. Pläne comes with a cd which contains his solo lp auf der schwarzen liste from 1980 and his lp with Walter Westrupp Dat muss doch auch wat spasschen bringen from 1976. Baier is a political singer who also collected many labour songs which he published in the book Arbeiterlieder aus dem Ruhrgebiet Labour songs from the Ruhr-area His style varies between singer-songwriter in the American style to typical seventies German folk with a light psycho touch. I prefer his songs with Westrupp because they have a more innovating sound, better variety of instruments and styles. I think this cd is interesting for people who also understand the German language so they can understand the lyrics. For those people this is a great chance to get a collection of songs from an almost legendary musician which probably has inspired people in the seventies/eighties. For them this cd must be a gift from heaven. For people who do not understand the German language, I think this is less interesting or you must have a high interest in German History.
Eelco Schilder

More English CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 5 - Page 6
More German CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page 2
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