CD Reviews

In this section you will find reviews of the most recent albums by a number of the artists who are playing at this years music on the marr.

The reviews will be by our lovely MOM supporters. Stewards, Web Geeks, MC's ETC

The views stated in these reviews do not reflect the views of the MOM organisers, we think that everybody who plays at MOM is MARRVELOUS.

Enjoy

THE BROTHERS GILLESPIE

Songs From The Outlands

Private Label

James and Sam Gillespie live in the Northumbrian village of Wall, at what was the border of the Roman Empire. The music on their debut album honours the wildness that preceded and survived the colonists. The brothers sing in harmony. James plays fiddle, guitar and shruti box, and Sam plays mandolin, guitar and flute.

The spirit of place is most obvious in the Northumbrian songs. The Wild Hills of Wannie, with words by James Armstrong to an old piping tune; Devilswater, with James putting a tune to a supernatural poem by Wilfred Wilson Gibson (personal note – I was born thereabouts, in what was then a maternity hospital for Newcastle mums); and Bonny at Morn, an old song of a challenged family. From over the border comes My Son David; a version of Lord Randal learnt from an Alan Lomax field recording; the well-known Twa Corbies; and MacPherson’s Lament, with song and tune taken nice and slow (you’re going to be hung at the end, so why rush?)

Ireland, France and America are visited too. Spancil Hill is a strong opener. The Stolen Child

is an early poem by WB Yeats put to music by Emily Stewart. Faeries take the child from a world more full of weeping than you can understand. L’Aloutte, a French children’s song about plucking a lark, is followed by a Breton tune. Butcher Boy, an American relative of several Border ballads, comes with a tarantella.

The brothers’ New Age-ish voices blend well, as you would expect. Their musicianship is good, though not exceptional. The arrangements are leisurely, with each of the 10 tracks being given at least 5 minutes to breathe. Above all, this young duo’s music is from the heart.

This summer The Brothers Gillespie will be playing local festivals such as BAAFest in Bellingham and Music on the Marr in Castle Carrock, where I look forward to seeing them.

Cambridge Folk Festival is lined up too. So they are going places, and I wish them well.

Tony Hendry

Mairi Campbell

Seven Songs

Mairi is an award winning Scottish folk singer and musician.

The CD Seven Songs is exactly that, seven songs. As such it is a short CD of about 25 minutes. This has the benefit that you can easily listen to it in one session- a great accompaniment to cooking the tea !

All the songs are written by Mairi and her husband, David Francis. Mairi accompanies herself either on the piano or on the violin.

I was distinctly underwhelmed when I first listened to the CD. However, I thought I must be missing something as only the best artists appear at Music on the Marr. I am not quite sure what I was missing- suffice it to say that the songs rapidly grew on me after a few play throughs and is now a firm favourite of both me and my wife.

Mairi has a beautifully powerful voice which infuses meaning and sentiment (but not sentimentality) in to every song. She draws on things that are important to her, her family, where she lives. Each song is a carefully wrought gem. My favourite was ‘She Glows like the Sun’ which has a powerful pulsating rhythm

Seven Songs is only Mairi’s second album: I can only hope that more are forthcoming. But at least I will be seeing her live at Music on the Marr

David Rawsthorn

Nancy Kerr

Sweet Visitor

Released in 2014, Sweet Visitor is the first solo album by the vastly experienced Sheffield based singer and fiddle player Nancy Kerr. Kerr broke onto the folk scene in the mid 1990s interpreting traditional tunes with co-fiddler Eliza Carthy. In more recent years she has developed her own singular song writing style and this record comprises songs written by Nancy herself and played by a small group of musicians including her husband and usual musical partner James Fagan.

Nancy's songs tend to concern themselves with social injustice and the vulnerability of much human existence. They are told in the style of traditional ballads with a poetic allusiveness which often makes the meaning of the song subtle. One fine example in this vein is "Where Jacarandas Grow" in which Kerr uses the non-native tree which has colonised Fagan's home city of Sydney to muse upon the nature of immigration. In the midst of this fractious and unpleasant EU referendum it's certainly affecting to hear these words sung in Kerr's marvellous voice:

"A league abroad poor souls are calling

To set their children free

And daughters, sons, father and mothers

Are cast into the sea

Upon a storm that beats our waters

And may we never know

Such winds of fear that blew them here

Where Jacarandas grow"

Three of the songs on the album were written for a Radio 2 retread of the famous mid century Radio Ballads, in this case interpreting the 2012 London Olympics.(Kerr was born in the East End).The best of these is a fine song called Apollo on the Docks in which Kerr sees the Lea Valley invaded by Greek Gods sprinkling gold rain and silvery bright dollars "on the poor banks of the Lea" which, despite this, is still stalked by "poverty's spectre" in the guise of austerity.

The two strongest songs on the album are perhaps a little more direct than the rest. "Hard Songs" drifts across the world referencing the less well-off cultures which provide us in the rich West with our basic needs like food, clothes and coffee at a price we can afford. While in "Lie Low", which was inspired by the story of a female soldier giving birth on the front line in Afghanistan, Kerr beautifully reimagines the Selkie myth as the soldier changes into a seal and slips away from the from the front line "far from the banks of the war". On this fine song Kerr is accompanied by the unmistakeable guitar of Martin Simpson and it must be said that as with all fine singers sometimes the greatest impact comes from the most uncluttered arrangements.

This is a strong and sensitive record which, apart from the odd stray into standard folk rock territory, shows Kerr's singing and songwriting off to great effect. Hopefully she will be performing much of this material at the Marr this year.

Gary Weston

Fara

Fara EP

This 7 track EP stands an introduction to the recently formed Fara - a quartet of talented young female musicians from Orkney (apparently a full blown CD is in the works) who as individuals have already won several awards. The band is comprised of three fiddle payers and a pianist with lead vocals delivered by Jeana Leslie who has a fine clear voice. The record consists of our sets of tunes, two songs and a lovely slow reel with the intriguing title of "The Loon and his Quine". The tunes, both traditional and self-penned, are played in a lively and rousing manner and are sure to go down well at this year's festival. The fierce sound produced by the three fiddles is underpinned by the excellent pounding piano of Jennifer Austin who provides a one-woman rhythm section all of her own. The festival tent will turn into a ceilidh hall in no time!

The two songs are very fine indeed. "Three Fishers" is a setting of Charles Kingsley's Victorian poem about the women left behind when the herring fleet goes to sea. The poignancy of the piece is reinforced by some beautiful harmony singing. "My Heart's in the Highlands" is a version of the iconic poem by Robert Burns. Leslie's singing, the backing vocals and the gentle piano are certainly evocative of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

This EP is short but very sweet and bodes well both for the new CD and, of course, their performance at this year's Music on the Marr. I'm quite sure that Fara will live up to the great tradition of Highland bands to perform at the festival such as Breabach, Manran and Skerryvore.

Gary Weston

Kasai Masai

Sondela 2007

Kasai Masai are a band now based in London but originating from the Kasai region of the Congo, in the heart of the equatorial rain forest.

Their music has no suggestion of London and everything of Africa. The first track, Yetombale instantly transports you to another continent and started me moving to the African drum beat and rhythm, bringing a smile to my face. I had chosen the right album to review.

The tunes on the CD range from the likes of the title track, Sondela, with more gentle, whilst still up beat, African grooves to chill to and gently tap your feet or sway to through to some more high energy tracks such as track 9, Soukous.

I started to move to the rhythm and very soon dance as soon as I started to listen to the album.

By track 3, Je Je, a track primarily drum rhythms and voices I was having a full-on dance in my living room. It gave me the sound of carnival.

Track 5, Tumalele, starts with a xylophone type instrument, and then comes a beautiful rolling rhythm that just flows over you. My smile just got bigger at this point.

For me this album provides all the uniquely beautiful sounds, the drum beats, additonal percussion, the string sounds, the distinctive African voices and irresistable rhythms, that I want to hear from an African band. I had several moments through the album which reminded of the lovely sounds of the music of Paul Simon's musicians. And the whole album is so upbeat. My smile muscles were aching at the end of listening to it.

I can't wait to see them at Music on the Marr. And I hope to see you there with me on the dance floor.

Helen Davison

The Pitmen Poets

Recorded Live

This is a terrific Album/CD. It has a mix of great traditional mining songs from NE England, and excellent original songs crafted by the current Pitmen Poets ((Billy Mitchell, Bob Fox, Benny Graham and Jez Lowe), with amusing and informative anecdotes that link it all together cleverly. The beautiful harmonies and virtuosity of their playing made me excited to think they are coming to Music on the Marr, and we’ll get to see them live. None of this is surprising really, because if you if you look up their website (www.thepitmenpoets.co.uk) you soon discover that these guys have long and distinguished careers writing great songs and performing with distinction over many years.

As the Album unfolds we are introduced to traditional music of the original Pitmen Poet ,Tommy Armstrong, a 19th century performer from County Durham - you are transported back to cruel times, but there is a lot of humor present also. Traditional favorites from the CD for me included Stanley Market and the Shiel Raw Flood / Off to California - the latter song involves audience participation - and you can feel how the audience enthusiasm is generated skillfully by these performers, who also know how to make us laugh.

What surprised me was the way the modern songs stay true to the original themes and roots of the original Pitmen Poets, but successfully introduce a feeling of modern country music, maybe even a feeling of Nashville. 2 of my favorites were ‘The Devil’s Ground’ and ‘The Ex Pitmen’s Potholing Pub Quiz Team’ - the latter song has a delightfully amusing Country and Western themed chorus - I only hope I get to hear these ‘desperadoes’ sing it live, especially as the instrumentals are great too.

The importance and role of women in these mining communities also get some space on the album- ‘The Collier Laddie’s wife’ and ‘Wor Nanny’s a Maizor’ providing this.

I reckon we are in for a memorable treat from Pitmen Poets.

Paul Hayton

Whapweasel

Festivals

Whapwealsal are a band that originated as a Ceilidh band from Numberland and in some of the tracks within the album you can get a sense of this origin but the band is much more than a Ceilidh band and fuse reggae and folk together while throwing in a few traditional style songs as well. The album shows that a band can still talk about traditional topics such as the sea, love, drink and trials and tribulations of life of an ordinary person but can still be fresh, innovative and pushing the boundaries of what people see as the folk music scene.

I have to admit that I had never heard of the band whapweasel before listening to this album and I didn’t know what to expect from their album Festivalis. I found the album a real joy to listen to as I liked the variety of different types of musical styles within the album with a combination of tracks with a distinctive reggae influence and more tradition style both of which vary between the instrumental to tracks with a fusion of excellent vocals and musicianship.

I enjoy listening to bands which are not afraid to experiment with the meaning of what folk music is in the 21st Century and this album shows how you can blend traditional musical instruments such as mandolin, acoustic guitar and fiddle with the saxophone, trombone and different percussion instruments. The result is a great album, with a great fusion of vocals and various instrumental types and style, with the brass instruments complementing the more traditional instruments perfectly.

My favourite song of the album High Barbaree / No money for Vodka as I liked the upbeat style that I think will be great to hear when they are live at the festival, the energy of the band when live also comes through in this song, which is hard and not always achieved when transferring songs from the live gig to the studio. I also like the combination of the drums and bass guitar throughout the song and makes the track distinctive within the album.

Overall this is a great album and shows that folk music is still relevant and pushing the boundaries in the 21st century and I can’t wait to see them live at the festival.

Stuart Glencross

The East Pointers

Secret Victory

Formed as recently as 2014, The East Pointers are a trio from Prince Edward Island on Canada's east coast who sound like they have been playing like this for years... Tim (fiddle, percussion and lead vocals) and Koady (banjo and vocals) Chaisson are cousins with a musical family pedigree going back generations... Jake Charron ( guitar, vocals) from Ontario makes up the trio and has a wealth of experience of his own playing worldwide.
The album Secret Victory was produced in 2015 and is a fine example of their Celtic influences, some Irish, some Scottish... The album is mainly instrumental with just a few songs... "Cold".. Is haunting and harmonious .. A piece of calm among the jigs .. It makes me think of Scotland though they probably think of Canada.. "Last Blank Page" is another song, beautiful vocals, perfectly matched to the instrumentals ... Moody and almost nostalgic There's just enough vocals in between the tunes to leave you wanting more but the tunes are so good in their own right it isn't a necessity...
The album makes a great start... Kicking off with the lively title Track Secret Victory and flowing seamlessly into The more gentle The Drift which builds up and up until you are tapping your foot and fingers ... The amusingly named The Stubborn Mule has a few parts stepping up a pace part way through and is banjo at its best... I can't wait to see him play this..

This band is going to be great to watch live, I can really visualise them on stage. I listened to the CD mostly driving around Cumbria for work; (having been recommended it by 2 musical friends.. ) I wasn't disappointed... It's perfect driving music as it is so energetic but I am really looking forward to seeing them play live... I envisage a room full bouncing people and hands clapping and stomping feet.. With everyone exhausted at the end but wanting more...
It's hard to sit still listening to these guys.. And rightly so...

I'd definitely recommend buying this album if you appreciate Celtic influences and good, lively jigs and tunes... And I'm definitely going to get in and watch them play...

Rachael Dyson

The East Pointers

Secret Victory

Rachael Dyson

July 20th-23rd 2017