Kate Rusby - Little Lights
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Free Music Notes for Little Lights
Free Music Review: Clearly "an acquired taste" as all the others have said!
Hit: 4 Stars
Having been a fan and an acquaintance of Kate's for a number of years now, I expect anything I would write here would be somewhat biased in her favor. Surely there can be no doubt that in the often lackluster world of folk musicians and singers, new and refreshing talent always is welcome. When Kate "burst" onto the UK music scene from somewhat obscure beginnings in the band Equation, with her debut release with fellow-Equation vocalist Kathryn Roberts, most critics felt she was an answer to their prayers for a young, enthusiastic voice to revive traditional tunes and create new folk-inspired songs. Hers, however, is a generation blessed with inspired talent, e.g., Eliza Carthy (daughter of the legendary Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson), Kellie While (daughter of the extraordinary vocalist Chris While), and Bill Jones (soon to have her first American release) to name but a few.What endeared fans to Kate from the start was her humble, self-effacing charm and wit, and her understated stage presence, little of which comes across on her studio recordings. I would argue that a live album would be the best way to become familiar with Kate Rusby, but alas none exists (save for a few tracks on the obscure "Cow Song" CD-single issued only in the UK). While "Hourglass" and "Sleepless," Kate's first two albums, served to introduce audiences worldwide to "La Rusby," "Little Lights" is intended to expand the horizon a wee bit. Unfortunately, it is, as some here have very correctly maintained, very much like the previous two releases and so does not suggest a real growth or development in Kate's style and depth. Could Kate record, say, a jazzy "torch album" (as in the late Sandy Denny's "Like An Old Fashioned Waltz" album), or a set of introspective self-penned ballads (as Chris While & Julie Matthews often tend to do)? That is yet to be seen. What does seem certain is that without some broadening of the scope, "Little Lights" may prove to draw the line between the diehard fans who'll buy whatever Kate can produce, and those who are keen to hear a singer with virtuosity and maturity yet to be discovered. Meanwhile, this is an enjoyable effort and one well worthy of Kate's current level of development.
Free Music Review: The Sweetheart of English Folk
Hit: 4 Stars
The 3rd solo album by the 27-year-old sweetheart of English folksong sung in a very broad, fragile, haunting Yorkshire accent. Her dusky alto conveys a confessional intimacy. She was once in a band with Kathryn Roberts (The Equation), and she's also been briefly in The Poozies.
There are 4 of her own songs, plus one co-written with John McCusker (The Battlefield Band), and an achingly mournful cover of Richard Thompson's "Withered and Died".
The traditional folk songs Rusby sings are usually brooding; beautiful meditations on love lost (track 1), stolen (track 7) or deferred (track 10).
(Track 1)is adapted from a traditional folk tune originally titled 'Lovely Willy'. In the jaunty ( track 2), a woman awaiting her seafaring lover's return gets two wishes - marriage and a commitment to remaining on land. (Track 5) is apparently inspired by the "two stupidest birds in Yorkshire". (Track 6) is a traditional spiritual promising "everlasting joy," featuring former Fairground Attraction vocalist Eddi Reader's heavenly harmonizing. Kate lends a salty wit to (track 8), a song she wrote about two brothers squabbling over a young maiden who leaves them both with "their bellies empty, their hearts still sore." Disease is a subject not easily handled in song, but she avoids any whiff of morbidity in the moving (track 9), dedicated to Scottish folk singer Davy Steele, a recent victim of cancer. (Track 11) is a deeply personal song about her own grandparents: her tribute to her grandmother's devotion to her now-senile emphysema stricken coal-miner husband, describing the heartbreaking end of a loving, hardworking life --in which her molasses-rich voice is accompanied by a heavenly brass choir.
As a bonus track, (at 6:07 of #11)the Rusby clan gets together for an impromptu family rendition of "The Big Ship Sails."
These are all story-based songs, so they fit in with the traditional stuff.
She named the album after a long drive home in the fog, when cat's eyes were the only salvation. "Also you can see for miles from the studio window and because most of the time recording was done through winter when it was dark earlier, all you could see was thousands of little lights twinkling away."
Free Music Review: Kate, it's time to move on.
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been a fan of Kate Rusby's since first hearing her solo debut Hourglass in 1998. As I put on Little Lights in 2001, what I hear is mostly the same thing -- a gorgeous voice, lively songs combining the traditional canon and Rusby originals, and a spare guitar-voice-fiddle arrangement. This last one is the one weakness Rusby is beginning to manifest. Sonically Little Lights is dead identical to Hourglass and her 1999 follow-up Sleepless, and frankly, it's starting to get a little tired.Rusby remains a wonderful singer who can convey both tragic balladry and wry popular tunes with equal abandon. But as talented as her producer John McCusker is (his chiming cittern work is just gorgeous in a live setting), I think their partnership needs a shot of innovation. None of their vocal and instrumental arrangements in Rusby's three solo albums has ever quite matched the degree of depth, expression and ingenuity that Rusby's work with The Poozies had in abundance. And while I appreciate McCusker and Rusby's aim towards a "purist" approach, it's beginning to hurt her music. Rusby can introduce fresh elements to her proven formula without sacrificing integrity. Judging by what she's already given us, it is not a question of talent, but a matter of choice. Perhaps it's time to try a new producer?
Free Music Review: Not as good as the first two, but still wonderful.
Hit: 4 Stars
Fans of Kate Rusby will love her third album, "little lights." There's some great material, and Kate sparkles on the uptempo songs, especially "i courted a sailor" and "william and davy." I dare anyone not to cry the first time they listen to the album's last song, "my young man." But the slow songs tend to drag and leave one wanting her to pick up the tempo a bit. (With the exception of the aforementioned "my young man" and the beautiful "matt hyland.") The album is great but lacks a little something that "Sleepless" and "Hourlglass" had. If you're a die-hard fan like me, you'd listen to Kate sing just about anything. But if you'd like an introduction to her work, I'd suggest buying one of the first two albums and then giving "little lights" a listen.
Free Music Review: Beware the hype
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a VERY good CD. But on first listen I was a bit disappointed. How could Rusby live up to the claim that she was the best voice in English folk music in 100 years? She does have a lovely voice and the songs are nice. But she doesn't eclipse Sandy Denny. Her song writing doesn't match that of Kate Wolf or Lucy Kaplansky. Still, I'm right well pleased with and glad to have made the purchase now that I've given it a few listens. (I would really rate it 4 1/2 stars, but of course that's not an option.)