FOLK reviews Click on any ALBUM COVER to buy now
Claire Hamilton Peter Bellamy Phil Hulse
Celtic Harp Fair England’s Shore Unpredicted Storm
Romance
Fellside Fellside
Smith & Co
FECD216 FECD217
SCCD1158
DK

DCP
Celtic Myths
& Legends
The late Peter Bellamy remains pre-eminent Some young acoustic guitar slingers never
among the second generation of English folk get beyond a Stella-fuelled angst, content to
Smith& Co
revivalists who followed MacColl and Lloyd, luxuriate in the bedsit staples of ‘girls don’t
SCCD1159
now transcending cult status. Peter’s distinctive understand me and my parents hate me’ but
singing style, albeit based on traditional East Hulse is one of those whose anxieties have
JO’R Anglian singers (notably Harry Cox and Sam always made for more rounded, thinking-
Larner), may seem to epitomize the term person’s songwriting.
Claire Hamilton originally studied Classical harp
“acquired taste”, but it has since proved
As a member of the once-indie/now-folksome
at London’s Guildhall School of Music before
enormously influential and its essence can
Queensberry Rules – an outfit that’s always
branching into other realms including those of
be heard in several of today’s singers, notably
thought outside the box, his are articulate
the Celtic and cotemporary genres. Celtic Harp
Damien Barber and Jon Boden.
reflections on the personal edge to our current
Romance is a double CD set, in which she
This bargain (two-discs-for-the-price-of-one) military embroilments, home (“we’ll never
features a number of popular and contemporary
set delivers arguably the most unadulterated tire of the place that brought us up”) and a
pop standards in an instrumental setting with
(and least mannered) Bellamy: Peter’s first changing society, sung with a decent-hearted
her distinctive Celtic harp playing out front.
three fabulous solo LPs (Mainly Norfolk, Fair insightfulness.
Neatly eschewing the standard song books she
England’s Shore and The Fox Jumps Over The
Think Jez Lowe circa Tenterhooks with a dash
reaches for the more recent rock/pop waters for
Parson’s Gate), dating from 1968 and 1969
of Steve Knightley and you’ve hit the nail on
her source material. The atmosphere on Celtic
and originally released on Xtra and Topic.
the head. No smoke or mirrors, no fat, but lean
Harp Romance is tranquil and unashamedly
Peter’s interpretations of the discs’ 38 songs
incisive and indelible songs with evenness twixt
romantic as befits the title by turn quietly
are tremendously assured, both unrivalled and
feisty pride and a looming dejection make this
flipping the concept of easy listening on its
definitive, and no enthusiast of English folk
head. Hearing Aerosmith’s Don’t Wanna Miss
songs or singing should be without this reissue,
debut worth concerted and repeated listening.
A Thing, Tears for Fears’ Mad World, and Lou
which fully merits the tag “essential”.
www.philhulse.com
Reed’s Perfect Day played in a relaxed manner
with quietly subtle backing makes for an
A. L. Lloyd
Catriona Watt
enjoyable if unusual and strangely compelling
listen. Celtic Harp Romance eschews blandness
Ten Thousand
Cadal Cuain
for cleverly inspired readings of recent Miles Away Footstompin Records
standards.
Fellside
CDFSR1739
Celtic Myths & Legends finds Claire delivering a FECD219
JO’R
mixture of Celtic music, song and story etched
within the bardic tradition. Many other solo
DK
Catriona Watt won the title BBC Radio Scotland
recordings of instrumentals played on the
Celtic Harp stick to familiar material, but Celtic
Folklorist Albert Lancaster (Bert) Lloyd, who
Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2007
Myths & Legends stetches out to encompass
died in 1982, was (along with Ewan MacColl)
after a moving and beautiful performance at
contemporary Irish material such as Moving
unquestionably one of the most influential
The City Halls in Glasgow. Catriona has since
Hearts’ Lake Of Shadows here re-titled The
figures of the English folk revival that began
performed all over the world, as a solo artist
Dark Lake and unfamiliar pieces from the Welsh
in the 1950s. This bargain-priced set, released
at Celtic Colours, Canada and with the band at
harp manuscripts including Gydion’s Englyns.
in celebration of the centenary of Bert’s birth,
Forde Music Festival Norway, and Denmark.
collects together some of his very earliest
A highly accomplished artist her debut album
Her vocal styling’s on Grainne’s Song (Rich and
recordings, originally made between 1953 and
Cadal Cuain places her at the forefront to the
Rare) recall the melodic flounces of Pentangle’s
1958, of traditional songs from England (disc
current crop of Scottish-Gallic vocalists. Her
Jacqui McShee while her storytelling creates an
one) and Australia (disc two).
voice is rich and sonorous and her interpretive
aura of bardic theatricality as displayed on W.B.
Yeats’ The Song Of Wandering Aengus when
On the English songs he’s mostly accompanied
approach is both controlled and finely-honed.
coupled with her gentle harp playing crates a
by Alf Edwards’ concertina, whereas for
Ailien Duin is familiar as the theme from Rob
mood of relaxed simplicity. A loving homage
the Australian songs he employs additional
Roy but here is restored to its austere beauty
to the wells of Celtic music and folklore Celtic
musicians including Peggy Seeger. Bert’s
with an effective unaccompanied reading.
Myths & Legends offers spacious contemplative
singing is duly authoritative: magisterial and
She also flourishes on the dramatic Luinneag
soundcapes. It is also a unique showcase of
commanding, while also superbly entertaining
Mhicleoid, while the dance music set A ‘Bhean
musical, vocal and instrumental capability.
and highly musical. The 39 selections have been
Eudach shows equal aptitude at up tempo
expertly remastered for this key release, with
material. Cadal Cuain signals the arrival of a
every word clearly audible and every expression
new and exciting name in Celtic music circles.
telling. These recordings represent an object
lesson on how to deliver such material,
and they form a historical document that,
refreshingly, hasn’t dated at all.
www.fellside.com
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