CD REVIEWS FOR APRIL 2007
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
EDDI READER
Peacetime
Scottish-born, Eddi Reader is the former lead vocalist from Fairground Attraction and has previous solo releases on RCA, Warner Bros. And Compass.
Eddi's sixth solo album, the highly anticipated Peacetime, is a luscious captivating album, bringing together some of UK's finest folk musicians to perform a collection of beautifully orchestrated folk-pop masterpieces.
Produced by John McCusker and with the help of songwriter and guitarist Boo Hewerdine, the album masterfully melds earthy arrangements with haunting orchestral overtones - all in the service of Reader's angelic voice.
Eddi Reader re-connected with her Scottish roots after her father's death at the end of the Nineties. "I fell back in love with that little bit of Scotland," said Reader, "I wanted to do a traditional album that related to the Celtic and Scottish music that I'd heard bits of throughout my life.
"I listened to it after leaving school and going to Kilmarnock folk club, through all the folk clubs in Scotland and the folk festivals to busking and street singing. To someone brought up on Elvis Presley and the Beatles, that stuff was as exotic as it would be to someone from Norwich.
"It taught me stuff about Scotland that I didn't know - the North of Scotland, Gaelic music, the Celties and the Gaelic tongue. When my dad died I gathered up all these ideas."
Eddi Reader has the face and voice of an angel. Her website, however, is quite interesting and hilarious, she's a woman who speaks her mind in spades. Her website is: www.eddireader.com.
Some of the 15 tracks on the album are: Mary and the Soldier; Aye Waukin-o; Ye Banks and Braes O'Bonnie Doon; The Afton; Leezie Lindsay; and The Calton Weaver to name a few. Peacetime is recorded on the Compass label, for more information, visit: www.compassrecords.com.
AMATI STRING STUDIO
Sizzlers Fiddle Group
The Amati String Studio is a specialty education music school in Vancouver for students of violin, viola, cello, classical guitar and double bass. The school places emphasis on both individual and group instructions with students starting as early as three years old.
These young Amati Sizzlers Fiddle Group have put together a CD that consists of world folk music as well as several well-known Celtic medleys and airs. The kids have put a lot of energy and fierce fiddling into their "Sizzler album," each time you purchase one of their CD's, you are helping not only the school but some young up and coming musician to reach his musical dream.
For more information about Amati Sizzlers Group and to purchase their CD's. www.amatistringstudio.ca.
CARA DILLON
After The Morning
Born in 1975 in Dungiven, County Derry, Ireland, Cara demonstrated her striking vocal ability in winning the All Ireland Tradition Singing Trophy at the tender age of 14 and a year later she was in her first band, Oige.
She went on to sing with De Daanan and then folk supergroup, Equation, joining the latter in 1995 as a replacement to Kate Rusby.
Cara Dillon has that haunting traditional folk voice that can reach the soul with just a hint of her Derry accent.
There are 12 tracks on After The Morning and each is a gem. Dillon is joined on this album by many of her other well-known musician countrymen.
Some of the tracks on the CD are Garden Valley, which speaks of the loneliness of the immigrant in a strange land. October Winds, was written in memory of Cara's late father. Bold Jamie, is a poignant Irish Romeo and Juliet tale. The Streets of Derry, which is about Cara's home county in which Cara is joined on vocals by Irish superstar Paul Brady. On the last track, Grace, Dillon is also joined by Cathal Hayden, Irish fiddle player extraordinaire.
Anyone who loves traditional folk music and song will want After The Morning in their collection. After The Morning was recorded on the Compass label. For more information, visit: www.compassrecords.com, or www.caradillon.com.
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