Sponsored by BIrnam CD reviews A L LLOYD Bramble Briars & Beams Of The


Sun Fellside FECD240


BRIAN MCNEILL The Road Never Questions: The


Best of Brian McNeill Volume 1 Greentrax CDTRAX360


MARTIN CARTHY & DAVE


SWARBRICK Walnut Creek: Live Recordings


1989-1996 Fellside Recordings FECD243


I must declare an interest here. Like many others I knew Bert Lloyd both as a friend and mentor. To quote Vic Gammon from his highly detailed, erudite and illuminating introduction and liner notes (a booklet of 60 pages), “his influence as a performer was tremendous, he was extremely supportive of and generous to younger performers with both material and encouragement.” Martin Carthy, Anne Briggs and Frankie Armstrong immediately come to mind. In addition, singer-scholar Vic Gammon adds, “many singers performing today are unaware that they sing versions of songs that were at least collated if not refashioned by Lloyd.”


This double CD consists of 33 skilfully re- mastered tracks of classic story-songs, which demonstrate Bert’s mastery of the narrative, where the words are paramount; calibrated in perfect diction and delivered in his characteristic and unique style.


My particular favourites on CD1 are his Lord Bateman, a chilling Long Lankin and a quite superb Dives And Lazarus. On CD2 we have such gems as The Daemon Lover, Lover’s Ghost, Henry Martyn, the macabre Bramble Briar (Bruton Town) and a fine The Shooting Of His Dear (Molly Bawn). Young singers in particular would do well to acquire this production – Bert’s beacon still shines!


Fellside are fully justified in describing this handsome, keenly priced package as a “benchmark production”.


Geordie McIntyre The Living Tradition - Page 40


How can you have a CD sub-titled The Best of Brian McNeill that doesn’t include No Gods And Precious Few Heroes? By calling it Volume 1, of course. The Road Never Questions is a compilation of tracks chosen by McNeill from his numerous solo and duo albums, from when he was still with the Battlefield Band, of which he was a founder member, right up to one he made with students at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, where he was Head of Scottish Music.


There’s a good mixture of breakneck speed tunes (The Condolences Set, The Heroes’ Reels), more lyrical pieces (Jamie Come Try Me, Miss Hamilton) and McNeill’s songs, which while they invariably convey a message, always have a strong narrative as well as that human touch about them (Strong Women Rule Us With Their Tears, Ewan And The Gold). He plays beautifully whether with others – especially on his ‘duo’ albums with Tom McDonagh or Iain MacKintosh – or multi-tracking with himself, as he did on Unstrung Hero.


He has some interesting things to say in the excellent liner notes about traditional music. His love of this ‘strange beast’ is clear from every instrumental. Fiddle is his first instrument, yet it seems that whatever he picks up, including guitar, mandolin and concertina, he excels. Even ragtime guitar! (The Dallas- Domestic etc etc). Impeccably played and arranged, McNeill’s music, and this CD, is full of spirit, full of heart.


Graham Gurrin


It seems odd to be astonished by a CD from an institution. After all, I had a hunch it was going to be good, but that’s exactly what this album is - astonishing.


The album has a cross-section of the pair’s collaborations over three decades, going right back to Broomfield Hill from Carthy’s debut album, which sounds just as fresh as it did in 1965. With such beautiful mandolin playing from Swarb, it’s easy to miss how well Carthy is singing.


The ornaments in Swarb’s fiddle playing on Arthur McBride have to be heard to be believed. Well worth putting up with the slight distortion in Carthy’s voice. And that’s I think the key to why these performances are so special. Because they were not particularly intended for publication, they have that edge that live performance always has, particularly by such accomplished performers as these.


They are both very physical performers, particularly live. Listen to Ship In Distress - just fiddle and voice. Swarb briefly plays with unusual warmth, but quickly brings in that muscular attack. And you can hear Carthy’s percussive guitar style in his voice. Like I said, astonishing.


Though songs predominate, there are an interesting couple of sets of tunes as well as the delightful Porcupine Rag, complete with false starts. Carthy says “I’ll see you at the end” and their excitement is palpable as they


Sponsored by BIrnam CD


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68