When I reviewed Lucy Kaplansky's album Over the Hills in 2011, I said I might try another of hers called The Red Thread. Over two years later and I was still in two minds whether to buy it. In the end it is a pleasant enough modern folk music, again very reminiscent of Nanci Griffith. The same mix of her own songs and covers. Her voice and the band make for a decent recording. However the same cannot be said for her latest album Reunion. As she is appearing at The Stables in Milton Keynes next year, I had hoped that her new songs would tempt me to go. So it was quite disappointing that this CD was so ordinary. Not only are her own compositions pretty boring, but the chosen covers are not worth listening to. At least I will save the price of the ticket.
Now Lissie (Elizabeth Maurus) is a completely different singer and her latest album Back to Forever is tremendous. I was so impressed with her albums Catching a Tiger (2010) and Why You Running (2009) and her new recording continues in the same super vein. It has a real rocky feel and she has contributed to the writing of every track with other members of the band etc. She is now one of my favourite artists. With that in mind I also found a cheap copy of her 2012 release of six covers called Covered Up With Flowers. Not quite as impressive as her own songs, but definitely worth a listen.
I had forgotten that Minnie Driver had actually released an album before her Seastories that has grown on me since my downbeat review in 2008. So I plunged in again with her debut Everything I've Got In My Pocket. All eleven songs are written by her and are basically the same laid back easy listening crossover of folk, country and pop. Nothing spectacular, but easily worth the £1.27 (including postage) I paid for a second hand copy.
It's hard for me to be critical about Patti Griffin's debut album from 1996 Living With Ghosts. It was recommended by Kate Atkinson as one artist that her fictional detective Jackson Brodie would listen to. It was originally meant to be a demo, just Patti and her acoustic guitar, but the record company put it out as it was. And of that type, it is certainly a superior album. Her songs are hauntingly beautiful and her voice is terrific. I just felt that some backing instruments and better production would have made this a great recording instead of one that left me just a little flat.
The reverse is true for Laura Cantrell. Her debut album Not The Tremblin' Kind and the follow up When The Roses Bloom Again are full of country folk joy. There is again a mixture of her own songs and covers. She is a cross between Nanci Criffith and Lucinda Williams but has a better voice than both. The recording sparkles with uptempo numbers and catchy ballads. The band is excellent throughout, although they could have dampened the twangy guitar on the second album. Unfortunately, it is even worse on her latest album No Way There From Here has gone too far up country for my taste, violin and all.
No comments:
Post a Comment