FolkWorld #74 03/2021

CD Reviews

Norrie MacIver & the Glasgow Barons "Songs of Govan Old"
Own label, 2020

www.glasgowbarons.com
www.norriemaciver.co.uk

This album brings together what turns out to be a dream combination: One of Scotland’s leading contemporary folk singer/songwriters together with the full sounds of an innovative string orchestra, celebrating the rich stories and history of the people of Glasgow working class neighbourhood of Govan. The result is nothing short of stunning.
Norrie McIver, better known as the lead singer of Scotland’s celebrated folk rockers Skippinish, hails from the Isle of Lewis and currently lives in Fife. Even though he does not appear to have a family connection to Glasgow, after this album he has to be accepted as an honorary Glaswegian - his songs (10 of 13 songs are penned by Norrie) bring so beautifully and evocatively back to life the stories of Govan’ unsung heroes from times gone by: Be it ship builders, war heroes, a rent strike activist, or philanthropists. Three songs are in Gaelic, recognising that Govan has also a strong Gaelic culture – these songs are also original songs but sound like traditionals.
Yet it is the arrangements of The Glasgow Barons’ string players that makes this album so extra special. As the album was recorded under COVID-19 regulations, only five string players of the orchestra were actually recorded, but their sound was then layered to recreate the sound of the full 15-piece orchestra.
Norrie’s distinctive singing and writing style comes clearly through and thus the album does remind of Skippinish, but with the Barons a very different and equally impressive sound is achieved. Top marks.
© Michael Moll


Wör "About Towers"
Appel Rekords / ARC Music, 2021

Article: About Towers

www.WeAreWor.com

Its church towers are one of the most distinctive feature of Belgium’s amazing medieval cities, with their often very sophisticated bell ringing doing their part of giving these places their unique, time travellers’, atmosphere. However, until this album arrived, I had never realised the importance of Belgium’s medieval “Carilloneurs” - professional medieval bell ringing composers and musicians - in collecting and preserving musical heritage of the late medieval times not just from Belgium but from across the continent. These Carilloneurs had a second-to-none reputation at the time for their collections of wide ranges of tunes from near and far, adapted for bell ringing and extended with new compositions. The bell ringing was also extremely effective in popularising them, given that you could not escape listening to them in those cities. The manuscripts of their music collections, and thus many of the tunes, become known far and wide across Belgian and Europe – and were adapted in other places, providing another explanation why so many tunes can be found in different traditions across Europe.
Who would be better placed to explore this further than the energetic and ingenious Flemish folk band Wör, with their love of and focus on 18th century Belgian music. The music on “About Towers” is all based on or inspired by the carillon tune collections, interpreted in the one-and-only Wör way: full of groove and energy, with accordion, fiddles, guitar and the distinctive funky sound of up to two soprano saxophones and Flemish pipes. And, to do the theme of this album justice, the band just had to be joined by a carillon player on a number of tunes, playing the bells of Sient-Pietersbanden in Lommel; a great way to honour the great bell ringers. A number of tunes sound familiar, making the case how well travelled the music of the bell ringers has been. 
Wonderful, witty, wow - it‘s Wör with bells and whistles (well saxophones really)!
© Michael Moll


Yann Honore "Autoportrait"
Coop Breizh, 2020

Releasing a solo album is perhaps not the most obvious thing for a bassist (who does not sing) to do. But then Breton bassist Yann Honore, known as a member of folk rockers Glaz, is clearly exceptional. And his “self portrait“ on this album is pretty impressive - all tunes are composed and all instruments played by the musician himself. And the musician plays here not only bass, but also cello, flutes, guitar, duduk and percussion. And whilst Breton and Celtic traditions are a starting point, the music ventures into world music, inspired by African or Middle Eastern music, and contemporary music styles. An album with many diverse aspects that seek to be fully discovered.
© Michael Moll


The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc "Bonfrost"
Own label, 2020

Artist Video

www.thenordicfiddlersbloc.com

Three outstanding fiddlers from three different and distinctive Northern fiddle music traditions, and each with their own unique fiddle style. This unusal trio explores these different styles and skilfully weaves them together into an exciting and energetic musical painting. Olav Luksengård Mjelva, flying the Norwegian flag, plays the beautiful Hardanger Fiddle; Anders Hall is an acclaimed Swedish traditional fiddle player; and Kevin Henderson (also known from the Boys of the Lough, Session A9 and Fiddlers Bid) represents the rich Shetland fiddle traditions. The tunes on this album are a mix of compositions by Kevin or Olav, contemporary folk tunes and traditionals, played with verve and inspiration. 
© Michael Moll


Davie Anderson "Love so strong"
Brechin All Records, 2020

Artist Video

www.DavieAndersonmusic.com

Scottish singer/songwriter Davie Anderson blends many music styles - trad Scottish, Americana, Rockabilly and Blues. This means that, for me, some of the songs are highly appealing whilst others are not quite my cup of tea. Three Robert Burns songs are pretty outstanding - “Red red rose”, “Ca’ the Yowes” and “Parcel of Rogues”; and also the Irish trad “Carrickfergus” and a lovely version of Hamish Henderson’s unofficial Scottish anthem “Freedom come all ye” are presented with charme and warmth, a real delight. In my view, his own songs cannot match this appeal, with their strong Americana and folk pop influences.
© Michael Moll


Cynefin "Dilyn Afon"
Astarartes, 2020

Artist Video

facebook.com/...

Welsh lesson for the day: „Dilyn Afon“ means „Following a River“.
In 1973, the Welsh author and poet T. Lew Jones travelled up the Clettwr River in the Welsh Region of Ceredigion to meet local characters and collect their stories, poems and songs. 45 years later, much of the tradition and culture in that valley was on the verge of being lost, as young singer Owen Shiers, who grew up in a village on that river, realised when leaving for university in 2018. Thus to preserve the rich traditions and welcome them back into the 21st century, Owen initiated Cynefin, a band project to celebrate the traditions and songs from this Welsh region. On the album, beautifully presented in a CD-sized little book with comprehensive bilingual background information on the project and each of the songs, Owen and band present a good dozen of traditional Welsh songs. Whilst staying true to the traditional roots of the songs, they are given an appealing gentle contemporary touch - featuring guitars, double bass, percussion, harp, piano and at times even flugelhorn, trombone and cornet. Yet it is the songs themselves that take centre stage, presented by Owen in his warm relaxed singing style. A gentle album of wonderful music, which should raise the profile and help preserve these songs.
© Michael Moll


Kate Rusby "Hand me down"
Pure Records, 2020

Artist Video

www.katerusby.com

There is only good and bad music - this is certainly the approach that Kate has taken in her latest album, of her very own interpretations of predominantly pop music classics which have important associations to Kate. The choice includes “True Colours”, Coldplay’s “Everglow”, Taylor Swift‘s „Shake it off“, „Manic Monday“, „Friday I’m in love“ - and, a bit off the pop world, the theme song of „The littlest Hobo“ children’s TV show and Lyle Lovett‘s „If I had a boat“.  An album that will appeal to her folk audiences but which may open Kate’s songs up to new audiences too. Recorded during lockdown, the album has perhaps as a result an even more intimate atmosphere. 
© Michael Moll


Staritsa "Klyukva"
CPL Music, 2021

CPL Music have been bringing us over recent years many Eastern European roots music treats – publishing recordings of bands and artists that are, undeservedly, largely unknown in Western Europe. With their passion (coming clearly across in their detailed and informative information on the website and press releases), this German music label is doing a great job to spread the word of all of these interesting bands.
This time CPL takes us to Russia, another country where many of us would hardly know a single folk band from. Staritsa is the husband-and-wife duo of Natalia Soldatkina and Oleg Soldatkin, from the Russian region of Belgorod (some 600km south of Russia, near the Ukrainian border). On their debut full lenngth album, they interpret authentic traditional songs in electronic music arrangements, featuring vocals, laptop and guitars including electric guitars. The result is an appealing ethnic contemporary folk rock with powerful singing (including great harmony singing arrangements). This exciting album should be appealing to folk and world music fans as well as a much wider radio audience.
© Michael Moll


Vedan Kolod "Goridische"
CPL Music, 2014 (2021)

Artist Audio

bandcamp.com/...

Staying in Russia and with CPL Music, CPL Music is also good at re-releasing albums previously published in the musicians’ home country to make them more widely available. This album by Russian folk ensemble Vedan Kolod was originally released back in 2014.
The trio has its roots in Sibiria but has been based for many years in Moscow. On this album they focussed on Russian music of the late Medieval ages, and played it on primarily medieval instruments. Some of those instruments are largely unknown and forgotten - specific Russian versions of zithers, horns, flutes - and have been restored or reconstructed by one of the band members. Instruments also include ethnic percussion and Jews harp. Many of the songs have a somewhat monotonous and tribal feel. This is distinctive music that, with its (for today’s world) unusual instrumentation, allows the listener to go on a discovery of the past.
© Michael Moll


Mossy Christian "Come nobles and heroes"
One Row Records, 2020

Artist Video

www.nicksites.net/...

This young folk musician and singer is dedicated to presenting traditional English folk music in its purest form. Mossy plays primarily the English fiddle, but is equally a great singer and accomplished player on the Anglo concertina and One Row melodeon. The songs and tunes on Mossy Christian’s debut album, in their pure simplicity, are in their own way powerful and fresh. The material is focussed on the music of his home County of Lincolnshire, sometimes interpreted solo and stripped bare, sometimes with band. 
A talented young player, who with his passion for the English traditions is taking an important role to take these traditions into the future.
© Michael Moll


Vaev "Vaev"
GO Danish Folk Music, 2020

facebook.com/...

Blending Danish folk fiddle (and willow flute) traditions with electronic music, Vaev is certainly a bit unusual. Poul Lendal is clearly a very well-seasoned traditional Danish player - having played already more than 45 years with Lang Linken and other bands. His duo partner David Mondrup is a teacher of electronic music, but plays in addition to his laptop also melodica and harmonium. Despite this combination of electronics and trad instruments, the album is primarily a Danish folk album, in fact the songs and tunes sound quite often very traditional in their core - just that the electronics paint new, at times bright and fun, background colours to the much more familiar traditional sounds. 
© Michael Moll


Kjell Braaten "Ferd"
By Norse Music, 2020

Artist Video

www.kjellbraaten.com

New ethnic and tribal Nordic music, composed by the unusual Norwegian musician Kjell Braaten. The music is mainly performed, according to the sleeve notes, on instruments “with references to old Norse history” – but is not specified what these instruments are. They appear to include a wide range of ethnic percussion instruments, as well as ancient sounding wind instruments, but there are other weird and wonderful sounds which I cannot clearly identify. Five of the tracks also feature sparingly some vocals from guest singers - joiks and other mouth music/sounds. All these sounds are layered over one another, creating the feel of electronic tribal music.
The music has a dark shamanic feel to it. Based on the themes of old myths, nature and cultural exchange, the composer is creating a piece of Nordic audio art - and to depict the stories that inspired the music the composer has commissioned for each song a piece of art, which are displayed in the booklet. File under “obscure / interesting”. 
© Michael Moll


Jan Cornelius "So wied weg"
Artychoke, 2021

German CD Review

www.jan-cornelius.de

Songwriter Jan Cornelius from Eastern Frisia has a treat in store for his fans (and for everyone who’d like to get aquainted with him). The old Frisian language became extinct in Eastern Frisia some centuries ago, people there now speak a variant of Low-German, and we can listen to this on the new album. All songs were written during the first lockdown due to Corona, which may explain the quiet melodies and the feeling of melancholy which flavour everything. But don’t think this is a depressing record. A wonderful love song in waltz rhythm brings hope and optimism („Als mien slaap bi de maan bleev“). Song No. 3., „Allens heeft sein tied“ with its catchy tune shows the Eastern Frisian interpretation of the biblical motto „To everything there is a season“ while „Twee süsters“ tells a story which is known all over Europa, of two sisters who live side by side, until an attractive man appears. Just a few examples, but they prove that the old saying that Frisia does not sing („Frisia non cantat“) was absolutely exaggerated. For those without knowledge of the language: the booklet holds all texts and an exhaustive word list.
© Gabriele Haefs


Lena Jonsson Trio "Stories from the Outside"
Hedgehog Music, 2020

German CD Review

Artist Video

www.lenajonsson.com

„Stories from the Outside“ is the new album by Swedish fiddler Lena Jonsson – but the music is very Swedish. Almost all of these instrumentals are the artist’s own compositions, but the content sounds definitely traditional. The titles mostly don’t tell us much: „Sjön“ („The Lake“) and „The Big Lake“ could also be about forests, while the more catchy „Rallpersgubben kör timmer“ makes us visualize how the lumberjack to whom the tune owes its title transports the felled trees out of the wood. Scottish influences (no wonder if we think of the close connections between these two countries a few centuries ago) are present, which is only logical, when a „Christmas-Scottish“ is played. It sounds like a Swedish strathpay and is simply great – like the whole CD. We have to mention guest musicians Erik Ronström (guitar and mandola) and Kristoffer Sundström (Bass). If we could distribute points the CD would lose some because of the multicoloured infosheet which shows the artist in a marvellous array of golden gowns, but is completely devoid of information about the album.
© Gabriele Haefs


Screaming Orphans "Sunshine and Moss"
Eigenverlag, 2020

German CD Review

Artist Video

www.screamingorphans.com

Orphans? Possible. Screaming? No way. The four sisters from Donegal love to croon, and if loud crooning is possible at all, then the four excel in this art. On their new album they present two instrumental medleys and many old favourites. Their rhythmical arrangements show that they have ancestors in the Ceilidhband-scene, dancing, mainly waltz, is possible to each tune. And the influence of a Northern Irish supergroup from decades ago, the Johnstons, can be heard in the Orphans‘ version of the Scottish song „Ye Jacobites by name“. Other old sweethearts in new dress are „My grandfather’s clock“ and „Mary from Dungloe“. At the end: a bonustrack, a children’s song in Irish, and if we have one complaint about this CD full of exciting music, then this one: The the Screaming Orphans, unlike so many other musicians from Donegal, sing so few songs in Irish.
© Gabriele Haefs


Spilar "Stormweere"
Trad Records, 2020

German CD Review

Article: Stormy Weather from Flanders

www.spilar.be

Belgian quintett Spilar – one of the members is seemingly never tiring Ward Dhoore, a true musical Jack of all trades! – presents songs by famous countrymen, Wannes Van de Velde, Jacques Brel and Willem Vandemandere, to name but a few. But they also surprise us with a mediaeval hymn dedicated to the Virgin Mary and other musical delights from their home country with its incredible wealth of musical treasures. In addition to Ward Dhoore and his mandoline we must mention Eva Decombel’s vocals. Maarten Decombel sings as well and plays guitar and mandola – and we also meet him as songwriter and composer: the last track on the CD, „De derde man“ („The third man“) is decicated to his little son Willem.
© Gabriele Haefs


Ilkka Heinonen Trio "Lohtu"
Nordic Notes, 2021

German CD Review

www.ilkkaheinonentrio.com

This trio from Finland loves music which is everything but easy going – and this is not meant to be negative. Their refined arrangements and surprising changes of style demand full concentration when you listen to them, but in return we get a true sensation of sounds. The CD starts with a composition which might be played at a court, „The fools‘ coronation“ which is not the only menuet on the album. Track No. 2 is dedicated to the memory of singer Marie Fredriksson who died while Ilkka Heinonen was working on the CD, and we thank Maija Kauhanen for the expressive vocals. The album celebrates the renaissance of the jouhikko,, the Finnish-Karelian bowed lyre which was almost exinct and invisible in the shadow of Finnland’s national instrument, the kantele. We also witness Ilkka Heinonen’s attempts at creating a fusion of Finnish tradition und French opera – sometimes this grows into a wall of sound, at other times it sounds extremely traditional and explores all steps inbetween – great opera and great listening all at once.
© Gabriele Haefs


Gájanas "Čihkkojuvvon - Hidden"
Nordic Notes, 2021

German CD Review

facebook.com/...

Techno-Joik is a musical style which a lot of Sami musicians like to experiment with and which shows us how many ways Joik can be put to use. The first track starts with a song in Sami, no Joik, just a normal internationally known way to sing a tune. This reminds us oft he fact that Gájanas took part in the Sami Song Contest, which usually does not distinguish itself more by musical imagination than its Eurovision counterpart (the album is totally song contest-free, by the way). A little greeting to all those who think that only joik can come from a Sami throat! But Joikfans cannot complain about the CD, thanks tot he great voice and musical capacity of Hildá Länsman, already known from her work with Duo Solju. As is to be expected from techno-joik we get a lot of percussions (Kevin Francett), and saxophone player Sami Sippola with his guest appearance on the last track, „Vuolgge muinna“ („Come with me“) provides an inter-Scandinavian flavour.
© Gabriele Haefs


Mari Kalkun "Ounaaia Album"
Aigu Om Records, 2020

German CD Review

Artist Video

www.marikalkun.com

This album absolutely deserves an award for the most charming cover of the year. The sleeve is greyish-pink, looks like it holds a perfume sample (apple blossom scent, of course), the infosheet on the other hand looks like the printed menu you may see at a wonderful dinner … all of this is a great joy even before we start to listen tot he music, and of course, the music is a great joy as well. Mari Kalkun, already known as a virtuoso on the kannel, the Estonian version of the kantele, here plays a piano inherited from her grandmother and a harmonium found in a recycling yard. She wrote most of the songs herself, she has a melodious style of singing, dreamlike, in a way, she makes Estonian sound like an incredibly romantic language. Titles like „Longing for home“ oder „Prayer“ go perfectly along with Mari Kalkun’s slightly melancholical touch, and that her way of singing sometimes reminds of June Tabor is a very high praise indeed. Just one complaint: with only about 28 minutes the album is far too short!
© Gabriele Haefs


Dowally "Early Bird / Night Owl"
Own label, 2021

German CD Review

www.dowally.com

The Scottish-English duo Dowally likes to mix, Scottish sounds, English classics, (the long ballad „Three little babes“ is simply a masterpiece), Turkish influecnes, Gypsyswing, Old Time, everything is there. Dan Abrahams writes many of the songs himself and plays guitar, Rachel Walker is a genuine devil’s fiddler and has a perfect voice for ballads. Early bird and night owl, seemingly opposites, but there is a point where they can meet, if the one gets up very early and the other one carries on until very late. And then you gets such convincing results as on this album. Old fans of the Exiles will enjoy „Geese from the East“, one of the tunes from this medley is a wonderful hommage to their legendary LP „Hale and the Hanged.“
© Gabriele Haefs


Dowally "Early Bird / Night Owl"
Own Label, 2021

Artist Video

www.dowally.com

The writing team of Walker and Abrahams has created the bulk of this third album, a combination of their dark modern folk and the funky end of traditional music. The Dowally duo seems to have become a quintet, with accordionist Phil Alexander, cellist Graham Coe and Michael Starkey's banjo boosting the fiddle and vocals which lead most tracks. Morning, a slow and sombre pre-caffeine instrumental, is followed by the first of three truly miserable songs: infant deaths, betrayals, watery graves and unquiet souls, the standard fare of Scottish ballads. Dark Clouds has a more oldtime feel, while Dance of the Swan brings Bulgarian rhythms on Rachel Walker's fiddle, and Geese from the East blends Daniel Abrahams' delicate fingerpicked guitar with the moody modal Lads of Laois and a sprightly accordion version of The Sally Gardens. The plucked strings of Cinepizz open a final phase on this album, jazzier, coolly contemporary, but with the rawness and rough edges which are part of Dowally's undeniable charm. The bluegrass banjo bite of Back to Bute is soothed by the final gentle song Sleep, drifting off somewhere between Honolulu lounge music and La La Land. Distinctive, addictive, and strangely uplifting.
© Alex Monaghan


Brian Finnegan "Hunger of the skin"
Own label, 2021

Artist Video

www.brianfinneganmusic.com

A tour de force of an album, by Brian Finnegan, the master of the Irish flutes and whistles, of Flook fame. This music was composed by Brian during many nights of the COVID lockdown - as he says „only in the night hours, after my children had gone to sleep did I find some semblance of stillness in which to turn complex old and new emotions into a form that has pointed me in the direction of ‘home’ all my life... music.”
Once the raw ideas had formed, Brian sought remotely ideas and input from musical peers and friends, from many different genres and traditions - apparently using 23 different and distinctive ways to communicate remotely!
What has come out of these nights is awe inspiringly clever, beautiful and intoxicating. So if there is anything good that has come out of the lockdown, this impressive album must be high up the list!
“Hunger of the Skin” fuses Celtic traditions with rock, electronic, ethnic and so many other sounds, in a very similar vain to the grand “solo” albums of Michael McGoldrick (he who was alongside Brian a founding member of Flook - this album reminds that they are in their musical ideas still musical soulmates). Lots of friends have helped to create the massive sound of this album; there‘s too many to name in this impressive line-up, yet there are three who appear more frequently: Liam Bradley on percussion and loops, Patsy Reid on strings, and most importantly the person which has helped to bring this all together as Producer (as well as helping out as guitarist, bouzouki player, programmer, accordionist etc.) Sean Og Graham.
Embedded in this energetic and powerful fusion music are a number of spoken poems (in Gaelic, English, Russian), floating in the tunes more like a dream than reality. So many layers and aspects wait to be discovered in this music that it is simply mind-blowing – all the various musical ideas of the master himself, but then the diverse input from all the guest musicians – be it trombones, sitar, Indian singing, Russian poetry, steel pans, the unmistakable input from Brian‘s „brothers and sister“ of Flook (his words).
An absolutely thrilling album which is eagerly awaiting to enter the top 10 of 2021 CDs, and should hopefully also scoop many an award. I am eagerly waiting (hoping) for Brian to bring this music to live audiences as and when COVID allows to.
© Michael Moll


Brian Finnegan "Hunger of the Skin"
Own Label, 2021

www.brianfinneganmusic.com

Another decade, another solo CD! Brian Finnegan is without doubt one of the world's finest whistle and flute players - his work with Flook broke more ground than a gang of navvies, and his 2010 release The Ravishing Genius of Bones showed the depth and polish of his solo skills. From the album title to the order of tracks, everything is measured and considered here. No wonder, then, that this release is exactly the same length as his last one.
Hunger of the Skin is solo in name only: you can't write music this groovy and not get sax, bass, trumpet, steel drums and all the cool contemporary instruments into the mix. Finnegan lists two dozen guest artists, plus the whole of Flook, as contributors here, and I'm sure they were all delighted to be part of his project. His main accomplice is Seán Óg Graham, versatile on strings and keyboards, and the subtle magic of the button accordion of course. The output of all this talent is rich, complex, layered, identifiable as part of the contemporary folk genre of McGoldrick, Ainslie, Power, Amini and others. These are big pieces, only one or perhaps two melodies per track, mostly five minutes or more, each one an exploration, a thorough investigation of the theme. Several have words overlaid, and the cover contains poems and artwork to fit the varied moods of the album.
The man, the mouth, the music - Brian Finnegan is a true master and a musical hero for many folk musicians, and Hunger of the Skin shows us why. The title comes from a monologue by Tony Donnelly, what sounds like reminiscences of an Ulster childhood. It's preceded by Trees, a beautiful slow piece that puts me in mind of the late great Peter Ostroushko, and followed by the deliciously funky Tony which epitomises the excitement of Finnegan's music. In more traditional style, the set of three slip jigs ending with the topical Red Planet Blues edges towards Lúnasa, McSherry, maybe even Beóga - definitely Irish despite the Latin or African rhythms. By contrast, Ollin could only come from Finnegan, a magical celebration, dazzling dexterity and a driving beat. From the opening Dust, almost an accelerated version of Pink Floyd's Money arranged as a whistle duet, to the open-hearted words and simple notes of Dare which make my scalp tingle, this is a remarkable album and a rare work of art.
© Alex Monaghan



FolkWorld Homepage German Content English Content Editorial & Commentary News & Gossip Letters to the Editors CD & DVD Reviews Book Reviews Folk for Children Folk & Roots Online Guide - Archives & External Links Search FolkWorld About Contact Privacy Policy


FolkWorld - Home of European Music
FolkWorld Homepage
Layout & Idea of FolkWorld © The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld