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pioneers. Rebel Of Raï focuses upon this exper- command and energy, and the band has just It is subtle and relaxed as befits songs
imental period in his career. To the uninitiated, the right balance of live instruments and like The Song Sings On dedicated to Tommy
the sound of ‘80s raï might seem anything but intensifying electronics, with strong visuals Makem and the opening The Young Man’s
rebellious: it is poppy, well produced and often including, er, a giant raven. Dream which echoes earlier songs like
thickly layered. Yet religious conservatives
In sound, energy and inventiveness the
Woman At The Bann. Social conscience isn’t
remained deeply opposed to it: in early ‘80s
new album is as strong as the debut. In
too far behind on The People Have Spoken
Algeria, it was illegal to perform the genre in
comparison with its predecessor, though, it
and Make Those Dreams Come True, but his
public. Having received vicious threats, Khaled
seems to be shaped by sounds and episodes
protests are observant rather than didactic
was forced to leave his home country (Rachid
rather than melodies. Perhaps it’s because all
and his polemic more universal than national.
Baba Ahmed, his early producer, was mur-
the tracks this time, while still using Tommy Sands is a wordsmith in the vein of his
dered by Islamic fundamentalists).
influences and melodic ideas from tradition, contemporaries Eric Bogle and Pete Seeger,
Long-standing fans of the singer might be are attributed as band-composed. A natural but his Irishisms make his oeuvre a unique
disappointed to learn that many of the tracks enough progression, and I don’t mean they body of creative work. Let The Circle Be Wide
featured here can already be found on his should just stick to ‘trad. arr.’, but the age-old offers another choice gathering from his
early studio albums. But for anyone seeking an cussedness of traditional melodies makes musings begging mainstream discovery.
introduction to his work, this compilation them the grit in the pearl; they’re what the
www.appleseedmusic.com
showcases the King of Raï at his most defiant. present-day musician is strangely enthused by
www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/nascente
and has to come to terms with and interpret.
John O’Regan
It’s hard to stand outside oneself musically to
John Ridpath
new-make those kernels of grit with
unexpected shapes for which one tries to find 2 DUOS
FILIPPO GAMBETTA
interesting and ingenious ways to make fit.
Until The Cows Come Home Artes ARCD
(Actually, that raises a possibly
3043
Andirivieni Felmay FY8148 interesting thought – that whereas musicians
in a tradition are often working with the old
Not to be confused with The Two Duos Quar-
Andirivieni is another impressive solo outing
and familiar, it’s often the alien-ness of the tet of Wood/ Cutting and Tweed/ Carr, this
from Filippo Gambetta, the talented young
traditional material that thrills and particular 2 Duos is a fortuitous conjoining of
melodeon player from Genoa. The opening
challenges present day musicians two established pairings of young musicians
track Kevät is a showpiece for his virtuosity
rediscovering folk musics.) in the process of discovering and celebrating
and composition skills as he negotiates the
common ground between their respective
complex melody and wonderful shifting
Of course, as a non Danish speaker it’s
traditions. 2 Duos teams Claire Mann (flute,
rhythms, ably abetted by some equally nim-
the melodies and sound one hears rather
whistle, fiddle) and Aaron Jones (singer and
ble flute playing by Michel Balatti. The versa-
than the beauty or relevance of the lyrics
bouzouki player with Old Blind Dogs) with
tile Gambetta also contributes clarinet and
they carry. These are new songs, drawing on
German musicians Gudrun Walther (singer
Jew’s harp on this track. Gambetta resists the
traditional idioms rather than the western
and fiddler/ accordeonist) and Jürgen Treyz
urge to play fast too often and intersperses
pop mainstream, from a Danish band that
(guitar), each of whom is well accustomed to
the uptempo tunes with expressive slow
doesn’t sound like any other and is a match
band work too (leading Secret Orders and the
material, such as the reflective Conossci Te
for playing the biggest gigs and for
German outfit Cara respectively).
Stesso or the filmic impressionism of MisterO,
trouncing pop and rock bands that are
which was composed by his acoustic bass
nothing like as interesting, colourful or
On the face of it, a collaboration
player Riccardo Barbera.
individual. It’s a fine, exciting CD in its own
between Scottish and German musicians
right, and strongly recommended as one of
might seem an unlikely prospect, but their
The English title Runaway Lane reminds
the year’s most striking releases in a Danish
one of the Bert Jansch song Rosemary Lane
friendship, initially formed over a three-day
roots scene that’s now really delivering and
and it opens with a very Jansch-like guitar fig-
session-blitz at 2006’s Wimborne Folk Festi-
diversifying.
ure before living up to its ‘runaway’ theme
val, quickly crystallised into a three-week tour
and accelerating into a hectic and bewilder-
www.westparkmusic.eu, via Proper; of Germany last April and the parallel live-in-
ing series of tempo and melodic changes. On
www.valravn.net, www.myspace.com/valravn the-studio recording of just under half of this
La Lattuga Turbolenta Gambetta proves he is Andrew Cronshaw
CD, the remaining tracks then being complet-
also no slouch on mandolin and the changing
ed via cyberspace. Not that you’d be able to
time signatures and intricate melodies are
spot the difference, for a tremendously
reminiscent of Chris Thile. The musical style
TOMMY SANDS
relaxed joie-de-vivre characterises all the per-
changes again for the brisk smoothness of
formances, which focus on group dynamics
Fica Mal Com Deus, a cover of a tune from
Let the Circle Be Wide Appleseed APR CD and a refreshingly unhurried quality within
the influential late 1960s Brazilian band
1114 the ensemble playing rather than on parad-
Quarteto Novo. Amongst all these varied
ing individual virtuosity per se.
Tommy Sands from Mayobridge in Newry Co.
instrumentals, there is space for just one song
Down, a member of the Sands Family, has cre-
Interestingly, then, only three of the
Gigi, for which guitarist Claudio De Angeli
ated a niche as a singer-songwriter. Writing
tracks turn out to be purely instrumental, ses-
provides the lyrics and the vocal.
material that echoes his rural Northern
sion-style tune-sets: Beyond The Glen com-
Gambetta is brimming with challenging
upbringing and wider issues such as political
bines two Scottish tunes with an Asturian
musical ideas that stretch the musicians to
statements and social comment, he has
street-march, Spike Island Set fits a Barra
their limits, but the variety of the material
penned some classics including the seminal
puirt-a-beul between two storming Irish
and the melodic nature make it an accessible
There Were Roses. His latest album is his first
tunes, and Tube Station (pairing John Carty
and sublimely pleasurable experience.
all original (almost) set in over a decade. The
with Stockton’s Wing) kicks off with some
www.felmay.it, distributed by Egea UK. songs are of the same emotional and narra-
superb twin-fiddling. The disc’s vocal contin-
Michael Hingston
tive cloth as before, statements which
gent is even more enterprising; while it’s
observe rather than judge.
inevitably defined by the distinctive qualities
of the quartet’s two lead singers, some tight
and well-considered harmonies from Claire
VALRAVN
Valravn’s Anna Katrin Egilstrød
and Jürgen also form an integral component
Koder På Snor Westpark 87180
of the sound-picture. Aaron gives us keen
and abundantly lyrical interpretations of
Valravn is Faroese singer Anna Katrin songs both well-loved (Braw Sailing,
Egilstrød; Danes Martin Seeberg on viola, Beeswing) and less-known (Midlothian Min-
flutes and jew’s harps, Søren Hammerlund ing Song and David Francey’s Saints And Sin-
with hurdy-gurdy, mandola, nyckelharpa ners), and an especially fine version of Sandy
and samples; Swiss/ Ecuadorian Denny’s Solo is laced with a lovely dobro part
percussionist Juan Pino, and producer (Jürgen). Gudrun concentrates exclusively on
Christopher Juul’s keyboards, sound German-language folk material, providing
manipulation and live electronics.
some really delightful discoveries: the beauti-
For their eponymous first album, ful song of unrequited love Stets In Trauer
enthusiastically reviewed in fR299, they (originally from Switzerland), two ballad-nar-
wrapped Danish, Faroese and Icelandic ratives and an “evening-song” (adult lullaby).
songs and some originals in powerful, wild
The diversity of the material proves no
grooves and textures that sometimes, in a
drawback whatsoever, and this CD delivers a
good, moving-things-on way, reminded of
subtly enthralling new project that doesn’t
Sweden/ Finland’s Hedningarna. The live
need to shout to prove its worth.
show is mighty impressive, too; Egilstrød is a
magnificent vocalist, caressing, whispering
www.2duos.com
and howling the songs with magnetic David Kidman
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