fR314 PAGES 58-81 (14 pgs) 6/7/09 14:37 Page 1
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Photo: Judith Burrows
Photo: Luis Umbria
Mara Aranda & Solatge Martin Simpson
MARA ARANDA
her voice sounds too far back in the mix, as if tracks, Look Up, Look Down (a chunky blast
& SOLATGE
it’s been compressed to fit into the instru- of weirdness further enhanced by Simpson’s
mental ensemble, rather than free to flow banjola and BJ Cole’s pedal steel) and the
Dèria Galileo MC GMC033
around it. This sounds odd at first, but the almost punk-esque Stagolee (complete with
more you listen to the album, the more Jon Boden on fiddle) which top and tail the
Since the demise of Mara seems to find her own space in the album. Andy Cutting’s accordeon, Danny
l’Ham De Foc, singer music without losing her identity. Thompson’s bass and the godlike BJ Cole’s
Mara Aranda has con-
Housed in a smart digipak with booklet
pedal steel are key elements throughout, but
tinued to explore the
notes (and lyrics) in Catalan, Spanish and
with Simpson himself switching from gor-
traditional and reli-
English, Dèria highlights Mara Aranda &
geous slide (on the instrumental Greystones)
gious song of medieval Spain through collab-
Solatge’s artistic compatibility. Together their
to play an electric guitar at one point (Home
orations including Sephardic band Aman
skilful interpretations and arrangements
Again), it’s an album of constantly surprising
Aman, and the Al Andaluz Project with Ger-
allow them to explore this rich seam of tradi-
textures and rhythms. It was an inspired deci-
man medievalists Estampie. In her latest
tional song afresh while capturing something
sion, for example, to bring Nigel Eaton to the
offering, she tells stories of fiestas, smug-
of the ancient Mediterranean landscape and
party to play the slightly foreboding hurdy-
gling, love and death in rural Valencia, Cat-
its people in their performance.
gurdy soundbed that makes Sir Patrick Spens
alonia and Aragon. As with her previous pro-
such a compelling track. De Dannan’s Muire-
jects, which share some of the same musi-
www.galileo-mc.com, distributed in the
ann Nic Amhlaoibh and Kellie While add the
cians, the instrumentation is rich and varied.
UK by Discovery:
www.discovery-records.com
vocal harmonies that sweeten things up and
Josep-Maria Ribelles’ Celtic harp weaves in Sofi Mogensen
Keith Angel adds further lively percussion.
and out of the ballads providing a delicate
You imagine producer Andy Seward may
counterpoint to the insistent melodies com-
have been having kittens at some of the ideas
ing from Eduard Navarro’s Valencian dolçaina
MARTIN SIMPSON flying around, but he’s done a superb job in
(a member of the oboe family) and his collec-
marshalling them into a cogent whole.
tion of bagpipes from the Balearic Islands,
True Stories Topic TSCD578
After the triumphs of Never Any Good
Catalonia, Bergamo and Bulgaria. Navarro
Martin Simpson must
on Prodigal Son, Simpson’s songwriting con-
also contributes Swedish moraharpa (an
have been sorely
tinues to blossom. The nearest comparison
older version of the nyckelharpa), crumhorn
tempted to make Son
and lute, alongside Manolo López on double
here to Never Any Good is the reflective
Of Prodigal Son – not
bass and Jota Martínez on bouzouki, hurdy-
Home Again, with its potent imagery and
least because it’s a
gurdy, Renaissance and Moorish guitars, cit-
delicious chorus, but he proves there are
great title. But, exuding the irrepressible con-
tern, psaltery and Mallorcan drum.
many more strings to his bow in this area.
fidence that comes to a man who knows he’s
Will Atkinson is a lovely, joyous biographical
The band at full tilt produces a glorious-
in the form of his life at the age of 56, he’s
tribute to the great Northumbrian harmonica
ly intoxicating sound. In Romanç De La Por-
found yet another gear to thrust him into yet
player; An Englishman Abroad is a colourfully
querola (The Ballad Of The Swineherdess –
more uncharted waters. In many respects this
ramshackle vignette of New Orleans street
hear it on this issue’s fRoots 33 CD) Mara’s
encompasses all the various strands that have
life; and the satirical Done It Again incorpo-
voice meets the intensity of the bagpipes
occupied him across four decades – tradition-
rates the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty to
head-on, soaring above the harp and bass in
al song, guitar heroics, dirty blues, American
give it to Tony Blair and his fellow warmon-
the contrasting gentler sections. She’s equal-
folk, banjo and contemporary song, specifi-
gers with both barrels. But best of them – if
ly expressive in the tale of the Quatre
cally now his own. Yet there’s something –
that’s an appropriate term for a song of such
Traginers (Four Muleteers) and the tender
no, a whole lot – extra.
exposed pain – is One Day. Romany jazz gui-
Dansa Del Vetlatori (A Wake Dance), for the Radiohead’s Phil Selway for one, a bril- tarist Martin Taylor came up with the first
death of a child, that closes this collection. liant percussionist whose unexpected sleight lines and asked Simpson to use them to con-
Her distinctive singing style melds beautiful- of hand and unorthodox rhythms play a sig- struct a tribute to his son Stewart, a jockey
ly with the instruments yet on some tracks nificant role in the album’s two most extreme who died at the age of 21. Simpson has done
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