75 f
It would be very easy, therefore, to dis- miss this album as terribly passé but that would be to miss its great charm. Calhoun sings in a very pleasant, utterly sure and lis- tenable voice and the recording is devoid of the modern augmentation of the natural sound that is so commonplace now. This is a simple, uncomplicated, in some ways unde- manding album, but why shouldn’t it be?
www.waterbug.com Vic Smith MARINA ROSSELL
Inicis 1977-1990World Village WV 498041.47
The DVD of Catalan diva Rossell’s 2008 Barcelona concert was reviewed in fR 329/330. Here’s a boxed set of her first seven albums, in card slip-cases with a booklet containing all the lyrics and her own observations on each album; the latter are translated into English, but the lyrics just into Castilian Spanish. Throughout her long career, from her first album at age 21, arranged by Lluis Llach, she has drawn on the range of Catalan song from the popular folk songs of her childhood through settings of the poems and songs of others to her own compositions, at times articulating contemporary social and political concerns in her country but musically and poetically, allusive rather than haranguing.
The sophisticated arrangements are gen- erally big productions, drawing on the full resources including string orchestras and sometimes traditional instruments, but always to the fore are the lyrics and her voice, commanding and soaring with great passion and also fine subtlety; no brassy showbiz divadom, what Marina Rossell cherishes and conveys are the songs.
www.worldvillagemusic.com Andrew Cronshaw
MARK RADCLIFFE
What Remains Of The Day 101 Records 101RECCD26
Manchester in the rain remains, to anyone south of Stoke, a perplexing image, mixing northern grimness, steely mill’n’factory sky- lines and Lowry-like people, heads bowed into the wind. Mark Radcliffe though makes it his album cover and in doing so captures a moment to which anyone of a certain vintage from t’north can relate directly. Amongst them I count myself. His books are the very stuff of life in this neck of the woods, penned with a wry observation, a dose of self cyni- cism, lashings of humour and a world-weary truth. With Chester’s only drinking Celts – The Family Mahone – on sabbatical, now appears his first collection of glumness, doggerel and experience, all tied together with moonlight- ing Mahones on production and mates filling proceedings on various folksy instruments adding to an air of resigned joie de vivre.
Turn 50 and it seems you get all reflec- tive about things, you examine your life, your loves, your family, your mates, your music. Is this the Radcliffe mid-life crisis brought on by evacuation to Radio 6? If so airing his con- cerns via a silver disc shows his way with stream-of-consciousness lyrics, a bit like Jake Thakray on Boddingtons.
There is no doubt Mr Radcliffe has a turn of phrase. A deal of fun is to be had waiting to hear what his next rhyming couplet will be as he deadpans rather than sings of long- gone student innocence, journeys on narrow- boats, departed friends, changed places and his dislike of fuss or mither – me too Mark, is it an age thing? Local mutterings place him around northwest clubs this autumn touring the songs. Don’t expect anything too edgy or
Nimrod Workman
groundbreaking should you venture along, but do expect an urbane wit, drinking songs, stories and largesse. What Remains Of The Day is a gentle but diverting little release which probably tells you more about its author than a decade’s worth of radio shows.
www.101cmpany.com Simon Jones NIMROD WORKMAN
Mother Jones’ Will Musical Traditions MTCD512
This Musical Traditions CDR features wonder- ful West Virginia singer, coal miner and trade unionist, Nimrod Workman. The selection of songs and ballads, some previously released on a 1976 Rounder album (and others previ- ously unheard) includes 26 songs from his repertoire, a mix of old British ballads, some Appalachian standards, learned at the apron strings, some religious numbers and some powerful songs of his own.
Perhaps the most notable of these are his accounts of his own life. Black Lung Song, for example, is a grim response to being diagnosed with black lung disease after having worked, since the age of 14, for 42 years down the mines. Workman had been active in union poli- tics throughout his career and in later years he continued to work for the miners’ cause, help- ing them claim compensation. Despite his ill- ness, Nimrod died at the grand old age of 99 in 1994; clearly a determined man.
That grit shines through his delivery. Lis- tening to his impressive bank of unaccompa- nied songs is a captivating experience: you can picture Nimrod, an animated old man with a twinkle in his eye. His timeless and toothless singing is intense, particularly on ballads such as hair-raising What Is That Blood On Your Shirt Sleeve? (a version of Child ballad Edward) or Loving Henry. Old classics like Oh Death are delivered with a deadpan chill.
There is the odd moment of light relief, like the humorous ditty The Devil & The Farmer’s Wife or the short but sweet spiritu- al duet with wife Molly, Little David Play Your Harp.
As ever with MT material, there is an informative accompanying booklet. Available for £12 from Musical Traditions, 1 Castle Street, Stroud, Glos GL5 2HP;
www.mtrecords.co.uk
Sarah Coxson
MESCHIYA LAKE & THE LITTLE BIG HORNS Lucky Devil Self-released, no cat no
Meschiya (Ma-shee-ya) Lake is a former sideshow performer who’s been busking with New Orleans jazz bands like The Loose Mar- bles since 2007. She switched to singing coun- try for a while with The Magnolia Beacon, then returned home to form her own old- time jazz band in 2009. That band, The Little
Photo: Phyllis Boyens-Liptak
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