John Wright's voice is one of the best on the English acoustic/folk scene, and this album will underpin his reputation as a fine singer. Although the songs he chooses are perhaps less varied than some of his other recent recordings, there is an appealingly mellow and chilled feel throughout this understated album.

As always, Wright has assembled a good band of eight other musicians, of whom Terry Coyne on whistles, Joe Broughton on fiddle and young singer Ruth Notman on harmony vocals make a particular impact.

Ray Hearne's song "Calling Joe Hill" provides a strong opener. This is a beautiful and quiet version of an excellent song (see my review of Hearne's album Broad Street Ballads here on Rambles.NET). It is the type of song that immediately highlights the quality of Wright's voice and the high-calibre instrumental backing of his band. Four Thom Moore songs are chosen, including "Sligo Down to Spain," with its effective touch of incorporating an Irish weather forecaster at its conclusion, and "Gorgeous & Bright," which is more expansive than most of the songs on the album and includes some inspiring whistle playing.

Overall, I would have liked to have seen a wider selection of different types of songs with more change of pace, but everything included is undeniably well delivered. Notman's voice complements Wright's particularly well, not least in Jimmy McCarthy's "Dance as Old as Tears," in which the fiddle lifts the whole song. Allan Taylor's pensive "Standing at the Door" is very suited to Wright's voice as is the concluding "Over My Mountain" by Dougie McLean, which is an elemental song simply underpinned by classical guitar, whistle and fiddle.

by Andy Jurgis
Rambles.NET
10 February 2007

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