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| Track list: 1. Homer's Reel/Magician's Wedding/Dick Gossips - One String Loose 2. Will You Run Away with Me/Mouth Of The Tobique/Famous Bridge - Emily Hoile 3. The Train - Jackie McNeil & Charlie Heys 4. A Turkish Melody - Doğan Mehmet 5. Mike Foley's Bodhran Problems/Rastafarian Camel & The Singing Clouds/Humours of Tulla - Ryan Young 6. Mad Tom of Bedlam - Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller Running time: 24 minutes Released: 2008 |
OK, those track names are totally ridiculous and this post will look rubbish because of them.
This third disc from the 2008 Folk Awards is indeed young musicians, and supposedly live. I guess that may partially explain the slant towards what I assume are tune sets. Time to find out if they are any good.
It does appear to be live, since the first sound on the disc is audience applause, and then we are launched into a pipe reel accompanied by bass, or at least guitar played like bass. That's a neat combination (and actually it seems to be both guitar and bass), and sets this set apart from more traditional recordings. I like it a fair bit, adding depth. The start of the next track suggests that whilst it may be a live recording it is not a through and through. This time the dance tunes are played on lightly fuzzy strings, a harp played at some speed. Again the choice of instrument creates a different take on a lively jig reel and whilst at least one of the tunes is fairly dull, the novelty is appreciated.
A more traditional partnership then comes in on The Train, the surprise here being the voice... he sounds much older than he can be if these were all nominees for a youth award. It is reminiscent of Gomez in delivery except over an acoustic guitar/fiddle match rather than an indie band. Again I find myself liking this. So far the youngsters (then!) are delivering in a way the main turns did not. We take a turn eastwards next with sounds of Turkey, slightly out of place amongst the tune forms heard thus far, but certainly in the same spirit, just from different roots. I am not hugely taken with it though so a return to the tune sets is welcome. Fiddle flayed through these oddly named pieces, it is a little bare in places but very pleasant and well done. The final offering is a song, a striking accented voice soaring out over a very simple backing. Moments of harmony here that really work, and others that do not quite. When the two voices are in sync they are amazing. When the intentional delays are added it does not have quite the same impact.
So the youth did deliver a much better hit-rate. Only the Turkish Melody had little for me this morning.
It does appear to be live, since the first sound on the disc is audience applause, and then we are launched into a pipe reel accompanied by bass, or at least guitar played like bass. That's a neat combination (and actually it seems to be both guitar and bass), and sets this set apart from more traditional recordings. I like it a fair bit, adding depth. The start of the next track suggests that whilst it may be a live recording it is not a through and through. This time the dance tunes are played on lightly fuzzy strings, a harp played at some speed. Again the choice of instrument creates a different take on a lively jig reel and whilst at least one of the tunes is fairly dull, the novelty is appreciated.
A more traditional partnership then comes in on The Train, the surprise here being the voice... he sounds much older than he can be if these were all nominees for a youth award. It is reminiscent of Gomez in delivery except over an acoustic guitar/fiddle match rather than an indie band. Again I find myself liking this. So far the youngsters (then!) are delivering in a way the main turns did not. We take a turn eastwards next with sounds of Turkey, slightly out of place amongst the tune forms heard thus far, but certainly in the same spirit, just from different roots. I am not hugely taken with it though so a return to the tune sets is welcome. Fiddle flayed through these oddly named pieces, it is a little bare in places but very pleasant and well done. The final offering is a song, a striking accented voice soaring out over a very simple backing. Moments of harmony here that really work, and others that do not quite. When the two voices are in sync they are amazing. When the intentional delays are added it does not have quite the same impact.
So the youth did deliver a much better hit-rate. Only the Turkish Melody had little for me this morning.
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