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Classical
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Berlioz:
Symphonie Fantastique / Lélio & Le Retour à la vie (excerpts)
SFSO and Chorus / Tilson Thomas
RCA Red Seal Classic Library 82876 60859 2 Reviewed by SG
Despite Michael Tilson Thomas being very much an American conductor, this
mid-price re-issue of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique has a rather
Gaelic flavour: particularly in its elegance; with Thomas’ intelligently
utilising a full palette of colourful textures. To this he adds a wonderful
sense of spontaneous dynamism that brings forth a certain splendour and
vigour to the March to the Scaffold and Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath.
A Ball reveals a beautiful flow to its rhythm and tempo, and the Scene
in the Fields is most eloquently handled: instilling a real sense of peace
and solitude. With playing of the highest order this is simply the finest
performance of this great work to have appeared in recent years. This
1997 recording also benefits from some excellent engineering, with sound
that, while not matching either Munch’s fabulous issue on RCA Living
Stereo or Kojian’s demonstration quality Reference Recordings release,
both on vinyl, betters all of the CDs I have ever heard. Add to this two
less wellknown extracts of the composer’s work, performed to the
same high standard, and you have over 75 minutes of glorious music that
not only make this a firm recommendation, but something of a bargain.
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Copland:
Music for the Theatre / Appalachian Spring Suite / El Salón México,
etc.
Walsh / Drucker / Dutton / Harmonie Ensemble / Richman
BRIDGE 9145 Reviewed by SG
Bridge is a label that constantly releases superb sounding recordings
of bold and innovative repertoire: usually performed to the highest artistic
standards. Even with the more standard repertoire, they can generally
be relied upon to find some novel and attractive viewpoint to tempt the
public. A wonderful example is Arturo Toscanini’s solo piano arrangement
of Aaron Copland’s El Salón México, or the American’s
Two Ballads for Violin and Piano: both of which see their premiere recordings
on this disc. Neither are major compositions, but along with the Elegies
for Violin and Viola, they certainly make this more than just another
issue of Copland’s music. Pianist Diane Walsh and the two members
of the Emerson String Quartet, along with the Harmonie Ensemble, conducted
by Steven Richman; play with undoubted assurance and exhibit a certain
élan.
There are also marvelous performances of the more significant works, which
include a reference version of the Appalachian Spring Suite in its original
chamber version, which flows impeccably with the aid of some brisk with
lively tempos in the speedier sections. No matter how well you know it,
here the piece sounds original and fresh, helping to make this a most
enjoyable and inspirational release. |
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Dufay:
Missa Puisque je vis Compère; Omnium bonorum plena
Binchois Consort / Kirkman
Hyperion CDA67368 Reviewed by SG
While some may spend time arguing whether the Missa Puisque je vis was
actually composed by Dufay, the rest of us can simply sit back and listen
to its masterfully written and seamlessly integrated lines. It is also
glorious the way that the eight male voices of the Binchois Consort have
imbued it with a wonderful warmth; producing a vibrancy that allows its
rhythms and phrases to flow majestically. The motet Ave regina celorum
on the other hand is unquestionably by Dufay. This is one of the most
sublime works of 15th Century vocal music and is able to move the listener
with its melodic charm and breathtaking harmonic writing.
This release also contains three other motets, two of which are anonymous.
The third is another work of eloquent beauty, with its composer, Loyset
Compère, employing varied textures, luxuriant harmonies and habitually
spirited rhythms. As with the opening Mass, the singing is of the highest
quality, with a purity of tone and clarity of line that produces rich
and complexed hues. Hyperion’s engineering, captured at All Saints,
Tooting, is also very good, leaving no doubt to this CD gaining a firm
recommendation. |
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Hartmann:
String Quartet No. 1
Bartók: String Quartet No. 4
Zehetmair Quartet
ECM New Series 1727 465 776-2 Reviewed by SG
It is logical that these two quartets should have been coupled on this
CD. Bartók wrote his fourth in 1928, while Hartmann composed his
first of two only five years later. While it certainly draws from the
earlier work, it also has a distinct character of its own, treading a
separate path, and ranking as a first-rate piece in its own right.
It is an exquisitely crafted work that covers an expansive breadth of
expressive themes, brought to the fore by the composer’s imaginative
sense of drama and use of textures. The Zehetmair Quartet’s communicative
playing emphasises this, simply drawing each mood out into full view,
animating the musical sentiment. Add to this their ability to shade each
note perfectly, while their attack and dynamic qualities are beyond reproach,
and you have an emotional rollercoaster. Their aptitude and elegance are
also as breathtakingly evident in the Bartók. No matter how congested
the music gets, the clarity and precision of the playing allow you to
hear each line clearly. With such musicianship it is difficult to find
fault, although the finale may be a touch too brutal, but this can never
spoil such a terrific disc of astonishing chamber music.
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Hummel:
Piano Sonatas
Stephen Hough
Hyperion CDA67390 Reviewed by SG
The work of Johann Neopomuk Hummel stands somewhere between that of Beethoven
and Chopin - just lacking a little of Chopin’s most illustrious
melodies, while not fully exhibiting the monumental structures of Beethoven.
This is beautifully revealed by Stephen Hough in this selection of piano
sonatas, but also exposes Hummel’s remarkable originality. Other
composers are hinted at, with the D major Sonata’s Scherzo evoking
the work of Schumann: with its punctuated rhythms and dense chords. But
there are always Hummel’s own idiosyncratic and stimulating characteristics.
His work often proves quite formidable to performers, with the F sharp
minor Sonata’s dramatic finale allowing little reprieve from its
inexorably discordant octaves and exacting runs; but Hough seems to make
everything sound effortless through his control and superb technique.
There is also a certain musicality to his performances. By utilising tremendous
authority and drive, in the F minor Sonata’s finale he manages to
maintain a full and varied sound, expressing the integral dynamic qualities
of the piece. In fact, his playing during this most enjoyable recital
should remain the reference for many years to come, as well as a valuable
inspiration for many a pianist. |
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Karlowicz:
Violin Concerto.
Moszkowski: Ballade in G minor / Violin Concerto
Little / BBC Scottish SO / Brabbins
Hyperion CDA67389 Reviewed by SG
This release is the fourth in Hyperion’s already fine Romantic Violin
Concerto series, and contains the music of two relatively little-known
composers.
Both had associations with Poland, although neither’s birthplace
was actually within the borders of the country at the time of their birth.
Mieczyslaw Karlowicz’s warm and vibrant concerto owes much to the
music of Tchaikovsky, with skilful composition that requires a fair degree
of virtuosity from the soloist. This can also be said of Moritz Moszkowski’s
concerto, which is a finely crafted work that exhibits some melodious
and particularly attractive music. Between the two is Moszkowski’s
less-interesting Ballade in G minor, but as with all three works, Tasmin
Little delivers a rather classy account, with playing that exhibits real
enthusiasm. Her instrument has a wonderfully sweet tone, never sounding
over-shrill, and with particularly lyrical performances, the results are
always pleasant. She is accompanied with true professionalism by Martyn
Brabbins and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, who play with their
usual gusto, and Hyperion have captured the whole thing with a balanced
recording. The resulting disc should hopefully enhance the reputation
of Polish music, as well as the two featured composers.
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Poul
Ruders: Guitar Concertos and Solos
Starobin / Speculum Musicae / Odense SO / Palma / Wagner
Bridge 9136 Reviewed by SG
All four of the featured performances have appeared on CD before, but
Bridge has now combined Poul Ruders’ complete works for guitar on
one disc. The opening Psalmodies (Guitar Concerto No. 1) is a suite of
eleven brief pieces, each with its own title and character, for soloist
and nine instruments: with the composer joining Speculum Musicae on metal
wind chimes. The pieces alternate between genuine solos, mixed groups,
and full ensemble performances, resulting in a work of originality and
wide-ranging eloquence. There are two solo pieces, with the Etude and
Ricercare being a major score lasting over thirteen minutes, but David
Starobin, for whom all these works were composed, plays magnificently,
sustaining the music’s polyphonic patterns on an instrument not
totally suited to contrapuntal phrasing. The closing Paganini Variations
(Guitar Concerto No. 2) is an exceptionally innovative work, taking the
violin virtuoso’s Caprice No. 24, with its simple melodies and rhythmic
patterns, as a starting point. The performances throughout are marvellous,
and the engineering is consistently fine, despite being recorded over
a ten-year period, in three distinct locations, resulting in a disc worthy
of the attention of any devotee of contemporary music. |
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Paganini:
Violin Concertos 1 & 2
Erede / RPO / Menuhin
HiQ Records / EMI ASD 440 Reviewed by SG
Both these Concertos are lively and tuneful with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra introducing the themes with some short and vigorous flourishes
before the violin picks up on these statements. The emphasis here is on
virtuosity. Yehudi Menuhin is a bold soloist who plays these Concertos
in an agreeably attacking manner that has plenty of personality and tonal
ripeness.
The performance of La Campanella is a virile and quite handsome one and
the orchestra throughout dotes on Menuhin’s every expressive whim
and capricious switch-even if these extravagancies occasionally lack that
last ounce of fluency. However, Alberto Erede is sometimes inattentive
and the RPO as a consequence does not always accurately accompany the
soloist-failing in the process to develop the tension to its fullest.
The recording is lean, the violin sinuous and nicely detailed but the
pressing and reproduction of the original art work was not quite up to
the standards that I have come to expect when say, Testament, have repackaged
and re-issued LPs from EMI’s back catalogue. Annoyingly there was
also a noticeable rim warp on my copy – a problem that was resolved
with the use of my VPI rim clamp but not everyone has the luxury of owning
that useful but expensive piece of kit.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186 |
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New
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Beethoven:
“Archduke” Trio & Op. 1 Trio No. 3 in C minor
The Kempf Trio
BIS-SACD-1172 Reviewed by SG
This is a particularly charming disc, and while the ensemble is presented
in a most naturally spacious soundstage, by a recording that’s detailed
enough to reveal every nuance of each performer’s aptitude, it is
their insightful performance that leads the way. It opens with Beethoven’s
C minor Trio, and while the second movement may be a touch on the slow
side, this is a minor point in an otherwise splendid rendition, in which
the Trio respond to the composer’s sometimes chaotic writing marvellously.
The playing is full of warmth and reveals some particularly nice touches,
especially in the Menuetto where Freddy Kempf performs a descending scale
softly before repeating it fortissimo to gain the most marvellous effect.
The “Archduke” is also played in a most satisfying manner,
although once more the tempos are on the slower side; emphasising the
charming rather than the impressive.
Accordingly, there are times when the structure of the work seems about
to collapse, but the Trio sustain momentum in the most serene manner,
exhibiting a wonderful lightness of touch and agility. In fact, while
there are more vigorous performances, I know of few more affectionately
played renditions of Beethoven’s chamber music. |
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John
Mayall and Friends - Along For The Ride
Audio Fidelity AF2 016 Reviewed by DD
Originally released on Eagle records in 2001, this set sees Mayall, headmaster
of that venerable finishing school for blues players that was the Bluesbreakers,
joined by a lengthy list of ex alumni such as Mick Taylor, John McVie,
Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green, alongside young pretenders like Jeff Healey
and Jonny Lang and long-time friends and admirers such as Chris Rea and
Andy Fairweather- Low. Fortunately the set doesn’t feature the entire
cast in dreadful ‘Live-Aid’ encore style, but offers a judicious
selection for each track. Standouts include the rolling ‘Yo You
Man’ with a good chunk of the classic Fleetwood Mac backing Mayall,
including deft acoustic slide from Peter Green, ‘If I Don’t
Get Home’ with Gary Moore in fine form, Shannon Curfman duetting
with Mayall on ‘Testify’, and ‘So Many Roads’
with Otis Rush adding a gigantic dollop of soul to proceedings. ‘California’
is lifted with fluid tenor from Red Holloway and Hammond from Tom Ganning.
Mick Taylor gets his chance to prove that the years haven’t withered
him in ‘She Don’t Play By The Rules’ and doesn’t
disappoint. As ever with collaborations like this it’s a bit of
a curate’s egg but fortunately a reasonably tasty one with nothing
bad and the good greatly outweighing the mediocre. A good but not outstanding
recording makes this a curious choice for SACD, but still a highly enjoyable
set.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186 |
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Chen
Gang / He Zhanhao: The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto
Breiner: Songs and Dances from the Silk Road
Nishizaki / NZSO / Judd
Naxos 6.110082 Reviewed by SG
The story of Takako Nishizaki and her recordings of The Butterfly Lovers
has come full circle. It begins in 1978, in Hong Kong, when a certain
Klaus Heymann made the first recording of her performing the best known
of contemporary Chinese compositions, having brought her from Japan following
their marriage. This, her seventh recording of the work, has been released
by Naxos, the label that Heymann was to found a number of years later.
Many have been critical of the composition, regarding it as unadventurous,
and while its themes originate in traditional Chinese opera, popularised
in a film of the 1950s, its simple harmonies are just as appealing as
many Romantic concertos, and could almost be described as a Chinese Lark
Ascending. Nishizaki’s experience with the piece enables her to
bring a consummate sensitivity to the performance, with playing that is
focused and displaying wonderful finesse. James Judd and the New Zealand
Symphony Orchestra add some notable support.
The coupling of Peter Breiner’s eight rearranged folk tunes, Songs
and Dances from the Silk Road may not be the most inspiring or challenging
music, but it is very pleasant. With excellent sound and superb performances
this is a most agreeable release.
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Jimmy
Reed - At Carnegie Hall
Audio Fidelity AFZ020 Reviewed by DD
A prototypical primitive bluesmen, Jimmy Reed with his simple guitar lines,
straight ahead vocals delivered in a voice that has been described as
‘oblique and toneless’ or as a ‘high-pitched, lazy seeming
drawl’ and biting harmonica came into his own in the ‘50’s
and early ‘60’s when he notched up over two dozen hits. A
functional illiterate, Reed often had to be prompted by his wife with
the lyrics of his own songs at his recording sessions. This clearly worked
well since ‘Mama Reed’ soon became a regular feature in his
recordings.
This set from 1961 is not quite what it says on the cover. One batch of
numbers comprises Reed’s re-creation of his Carnegie Hall play list,
the other half comprises a ‘Best of’ selection in living mono.
This matters not a jot, since this is a great collection of no-nonsense
blues, refreshingly unfussy and downright satisfying. Both sections are
equally enjoyable, although if forced I’d plump for the original
mono’s maybe because this music just seems made for mono –
the simpler the better.
Re-mastered by Steve Hoffman, every nuance of this earthy, gritty stuff
is caught, making this hugely entertaining set the jewel in the Audio
Fidelity crown and an essential purchase for any serious blues or R&B
fan.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186 |
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Barb
Jungr - Sings Bob Dylan
Linn AKD230 Reviewed by DD
Despite greatly enjoyed one of Barb Jungr’s previous outings for
Linn – ‘Chanson – The Space In Between’ (Linn
AKD 129), I approached this with some trepidation. After all for every
Hendrix ‘All Along The Watchtower’ there lurks many a far
less successful interpretation. Fortunately Jungr with her highly theatrical
readings successfully lends a new dimension to many of these numbers.
This is helped by her eclectic selection which whilst it takes in many
a crowd pleaser such as ‘Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright’
and ‘Tangled Up In Blue’ is rich in slightly less familiar
selections. Amongst the strongest is a cracking version of ‘Things
Have Changed’ that gets a full, rolling ‘Waitsian’ treatment,
superbly arranged, that alone is worth the price of admission.
Add a gutsy take of ‘Ring Them Bells’ with gospel choruses,
a tender reading of ‘Not Dark Yet’, a slow paced, impassioned
version of ‘I Want You’ and many more nuggets from Dylan’s
inexhaustible catalogue and you really can’t go far wrong. The weakest
tracks here are for me the best known Dylan numbers, but the bulk of this
album is hugely enjoyable in its own right.
The recording is up there with Linn’s best being weighty, spacious
and doing full justice to the husky timbre of Jungr’s vocals. The
arrangements and playing of the band are exemplary too.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186 |
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Mozart:
Requiem Mass
Schäfer / Fink / Streit / Finley / Schoenberg Choir / Concentus Musicus
Wien / Harnoncourt
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 82876 58705 2 Reviewed by SG
With such an excellent array of soloists, how could this release fail
to impress? Soprano Christine Schäfer leads with such wonderful tone
and great commitment; communicating each nuance of the text with superb
clarity and expressiveness, while her second soprano Bernarda Fink and
tenor Kurt Streit are also magnificent.
The bass of Gerald Finley is most dignified, and the Arnold Schoenberg
Choir assist them with singing of tremendous authority and great conviction.
But the highlight of this wonderful performance comes from Nikolaus Harnoncourt,
who leads his charges with a determination to wring the last piece of
drama from each and every bar of the score. This approach induces feelings
that had not previously been realised from this work, and it is as if
he has looked at the composition anew, suddenly becoming aware of its
true direction and significance. While there may be just 50 minutes of
music on this disc, there are some pretty insipid recordings of this music
out there, and with excellent sound and the most astonishing performance
of Mozart choral music available, this release disserves the highest of
accolades.
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Audiophile
Recordings |
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Eleanor
McEvoy - Early Hours
Mosco Vinyl MOSV101 Reviewed by RP
The acclaimed Early Hours SACD was reviewed back in
issue 30. This analogue multi-track recording engineered by Ciaran
Byrne had been mixed to a stereo half-inch analogue tape before the black
SACD arts were introduced. The bedrock analogue source material and Eleanor
McEvoy’s commitment to a vinyl release made this 180g half-speed
mastered LP transfer almost inevitable.
It will be welcomed by a legion of fans that adore her natural idiomatic
singing and evocative insights on life. Anyone unfamiliar with Eleanor’s
music will quickly realise that she revels in a collision between heartache
and pain. Here on this LP, as yet another relationship breaks down and
the cracks appear and the fissures open wide into bloody wounds, her voice
and intelligently scored musical fabric sensitively mirror the full range
of emotions experienced. These clean vinyl surfaces cut at a decent level
presents us with a recording that bleeds a similar kind of honesty. It
doesn’t even paper over the occasional vocal or instrumental slip,
but proudly bares all, in the process picking out that empathic almost
imperceptible connection between Eleanor’s voice and guitar and
the Brain Connor keyboards. Guitar breaks and vocal nuances, the smallest
changes in weight or emphasis, the subtle inflexions that sensitively
nail another poignant moment in ‘Slipping Away’ or on ‘At
The End Of The Day’ are beautifully exposed. Meanwhile the ripe,
incisive and rock solid piano, keyboard or Hammond notes that rhythmically
underpin them are extremely well defined. Consequently, elsewhere when
the light, airy, gently ironic humour and self deprecating tone of an
opening ‘You’ll Hear Better Songs (Than This)’ is presented,
these qualities are effortlessly and beautifully revealed. Whereas the
LP pressing of Yola was a little disappointing when compared to the SACD,
Early Hours shares none of those difficulties found in reproducing dynamic
shifts at the frequency extremes or towards the side-ends. For example,
Lindley Hamilton’s sharply etched trumpet stands firm as it soars
upward to then open out at the peak of its range. On Yola this would have
been masked or muted by limitations in the transfer. Yola also suffered
badly from being cut at quite a low level. To get decent resolution you
had to really crank up the volume, which in turn raised the noise floor.
The Early Hours vinyl cut is much closer to the SACD in this respect and
in comparison the LP surfaces are whisper quiet. Although I personally
prefer the songs found on Yola (Eleanor’s onomatopoeic arrangement
for ‘The Rain Falls’ is truly memorable) there’s no
doubt as to which is technically the better LP.
Of course, coming a close second to Yola in the song-writing stakes is
no mean feat in itself.
Eleanor’s songs and the sonic qualities of Early Hours make for
their particular mix of heady brew.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186
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Procol
Harum - Procol Harum
Classic Records/ Regal LRZ 1001 Reviewed by RP
This eponymous 1967 debut album, which was only recorded in mono, was
not the strongest or the most musically satisfying of Procol Harum discs.
That accolade probably goes to A Salty Dog or Grand Hotel but it is nonetheless
significant not least for the way in which it and their ethereal anthem
from earlier in the year ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ captured
the spirit of personal freedom and love. The 33 and 45 rpm cuts of that
hit single which appear here on mint coloured 12 inch vinyl are indispensable
and should be in every collection, while a bonus white-vinyl 7 inch single
of the same with ‘Lime Street Blues’ on its reverse is a nice
finishing touch. Yet between the single and album releases there were
dramatic personnel changes with guitarist Robin Trower and nimble drummer
B.J. Wilson joining Brooker, Fisher and Knights in what was always a fluid
line up. This ten track LP does have some impressive and imaginative songs
like Homburg’, ‘Cerdes’, ‘Kaleidoscope’
and ‘Something Following Me’. It is though characterised by
an unlikely but successful stylistic marriage. Seemingly disparate parts
such as Trower’s distorted and Cream like guitar with the classical
majesty of Mathew Fisher on organ are wed to the fine Gary Brooker R&B
vocals which deliver the often-surreal Keith Reid lyricism.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk
(44)(0)1579 363603 |
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Sara
K. - Play On Words
Chesky SACD278 Reviewed by DD
Led by Sara K’s soulful vocals and four-string acoustic guitar this
is a nicely varied set that ranges from folk through jazz and blues, the
latter carried through the album by Larry Campbell’s very tasty
slide guitar licks. ‘If I Could Sing Your Blues’ leans, despite
the title, more to jazz, opening with Bill Mobley’s muted trumpet
spiralling gently around Sara K’s heartfelt voice before the full
band kicks in: A nice subtle arrangement here from musical director and
pianist Joel Diamond.
All the numbers in this set are penned by Sara with the exception of one
really oddball choice in Lerner and Lowe’s ‘Wouldn’t
It Be Luverly’. A perfectly okay song in its original context but
plain bizarre here. Sara’s impassioned vocals overstretch the simplicity
of the show tune and the cockney phonetics sound daft in this setting.
Fortunately this is the sole aberration in an otherwise very strong set,
and it’s good to give that ‘skip’ button a little exercise
occasionally.
My favourite tracks include ‘Burnin’ Both Ends’, the
tender ‘Second Wind’ and the closing ‘History Repeats
Itself’ punctuated with muted trumpet from Lou Soloff and driven
by solid bass and percussion. Recorded live with very few overdubs and
set in a warm, spacious acoustic this is a thoroughly enjoyable album.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186 |
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Ravel:
Daphnis et Chloé
New England Conservatory Chorus / Alumni Chorus / BSO / Munch
RCA 82876 61388 2 Reviewed by SG
Original released in 1958, RCA’s “Living Stereo” recordings
have been revered among the greatest sounding records ever to appear.
Now the first group of ten has been released on the SACD format. Among
these is this masterful reading of Ravel’s complete ballet Daphnis
et Chloé. Charles Munch conjures both stunning power and delicate
beauty from the Boston Symphony’s virtuosic members, projecting
the entire splendour of the composer’s score. Recorded onto a two-track
tape by John Pfeiffer and Leslie Chase in January of 1955, the stereo
release would have to wait for over three years, until the Western Electric
Company had produced the Westrex stereo cutting machine. While many of
the “Living Stereo” SACDs will be issued in a multichannel
format, these were mastered from three-track tapes, so here we have to
do with plain old stereo. Yet the sound is anything but old, and this
mesmerising performance is revealed in all its glory by a wonderfully
clear and grand presentation that still retains much of the warmth and
presence of its vinyl counterpart. While owners of original “shaded
dogs” can carry on listening in smug silence, those wanting excellence
on a new format should seriously consider this disc. |
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Rickie
Lee Jones - The Evening Of My Best Day
Diverse Records DIV 008DLP Reviewed by RP
Illinois’ Rickie Lee Jones is a versatile and politically outspoken
musician; dividing her time between the piano and guitar, singing with
great heart (and a social conscience) in that clipped slightly pinched
way and writing candid songs that are peppered with streetwise images.
Here sharply observed contradictions like those heard in ‘Mink Coat
At The Bus Stop’ or for an incisive ‘Face In The Crowd’
and a snappy ‘Lap Dog’ are given plenty of breathing room
because the twelve tracks are spread across four sides. The emotional
depth and expressive quality of these songs and for that matter the funky
sounding retro feel of ‘Little Mysteries’, ‘Second Chance’
and ‘Ugly Man’ reflects her compositional flexibility. It
comes as no surprise that later in ‘Sailor Song’, ‘A
Tree On Allenford’ and on the title track she shifts down to plough
a productive folk sounding groove. This LP transfer absolutely hammers
the CD into the dust. It has beautiful instrumental separation; acoustic
and electric guitars have a sinuous tactile quality, the piano casts bold
voluminous images and all manner of colours from a bowed dulcimer and
harmonica to the flute, organ, tenor sax and vibes are recaptured in all
their glorious resonant hues.
Spectacular!
Supplier: www.diverserecords.com Tel: 01633 263526
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