Kate Rusby - The Girl Who Couldn't Fly
|
List Price: Our Price: $11.65 You Save: $6.34 (35%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $11.63 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Girl Who Couldn't Fly
Free Music Review: A somewhat different album, some disappointments, but good album nonetheless
Hit: 4 Stars
First, I am a fairly big fan of Kate Rusby. She is exceptionally talented.
I will start with what I don't like about this album. I find many of Rusby's albums to be slightly difficult to get into so I always listen to the whole thing several times before reviewing it. This album seemed to me more difficult to get into than normal. It is inspired, but takes a little more effort to appreciate. Also it would have been nice if she credited Oliver Goldsmith properly for Mary Blaize (IMO, Goldsmith's original version was clearer than Rusby's). I would also like to see a version of the tradition balad "The Elfin Knight" rather than the brief song on this album.
If you are looking for more on Mary Blaize, check Project Gutenberg for Mary Blaize, Goldsmith and Caldecott.
However, there some real treasures in this album and some of them have become my favorite songs from Rusby. The best songs, IMO, on the album are The Lark, Mary Blaize, Moonshadow, and Wandering Soul. Wandering Soul has become my absolute favorite of Rusby's songs.
I keep getting a sense that "Game of All Fours" is a double entendra with sexual undertones in the good old tradition of Old English riddles.
All in all a good album but listen to it a few times before forming an opinion.
Free Music Review: Another good album
Hit: 4 Stars
Kate Rusby has set herself some pretty high standards in the past, and The Girl Who Couldn't Fly holds up pretty darn well. Kate's voice is in fine form, the arrangements are as clever and complimentary as ever, and there are definitely some gems here (Game of All Fours-charmingly saucy, The Lark, Bonnie House of Airlie-both way up there in the heartbreaking marks, Mary Blaize-brilliant instrumental work, Elfin Knight-great writing from Kate). This only gets four stars for two reasons: 1- it lacks that feeling of wholeness (consistency of tone and vision) that made Underneath the Stars so enjoyable 2-a few of Kate's songs (Moon Shadow, No Names, Fare Thee Well) seem a little lightweight in terms of songwriting-- more Old Man Time (from her 1st album) than Falling or Underneath the Stars (from her last).Free Music Review: Pleasant
Hit: 3 Stars
I like most of Kate Rusby's other albums but this one did not do all that much for me. The most I can say is that it was "pleasant".
None of the songs was particularly memorable. I just let her fade into the background while I was doing unpleasant tasks. Hearing her voice was pleasant.
Her voice is not particularly strong but does possess a certain airy quality. It was pleasant.
It was pleasant without ever being memorable.
Free Music Review: kate's first disappointment
Hit: 2 Stars
first, i love kate rusby. i LOVE her. i've included her cd "underneath the stars" in one of my amazon lists as the best cd of last year.
needless to say, when i heard of the release of this cd, i was thrilled. no one today seems to be able to soar to the heights of the celtic soul quite like kate can. her cd's have gotten better and better with each release, and on last years "stars", she truly peaked.
however, when i put this cd on, it sounded like....kate - but without that spark. i thought maybe the opener ("game of all fours") was just a weak starter. not a bad song, mind you, but it didn't seem as inspired as kate's usual rendition of irish traditionals.
the 2nd song, the 3rd, the 4th..i kept thinking...where is the passion?
i was really looking forward to the 6th track ("you belong to me"), as it's been a favorite of mine for years. bob dylan is a prime example of how someone can take this song and make you ache anew upon hearing it (his version is on the "natural born killers" soundtrack).
kate's version was so soulless, i was shocked.
the only redeeming quality of this cd (hence the 2 star rating instead of 1) are the last two songs, both written by kate (with "jack frost" being included as a bonus track).
on "the girl who couldn't fly", kate just doesn't seem to be climbing new heights...she seems to have backtracked. it's as if she knows what's expected of her, and she coasted through the recording of these tracks with no effort. it's simply a rare misfire on her part.
here's hoping that her next cd will find her back on the track of "ten" or the genius of "underneath the stars".