Category: Singers
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Clare Teal: Twelve O’Clock Tales
There’s not much to say about this: Clare Teal, one of Britain’s best loved jazz singers, and also a broadcaster, is famous not only for her voice but for signing the biggest recording contract by a British jazz singer. She specialises in singing standards and for this new CD is joined by The Hallé Orchestra,…
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Sigvards Klava: Arvo Pärt, Da Pacem Domine
To call this CD awe-inspiring is like saying the Grand Canyon is big or Formula One noisy. Just as the Grand Canyon is so big it’s hard to take in the first time you see it, this is so awe-inspiring that it knocks the senses a little at the first play through. We visited Auschwitz…
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Gerald Finzi: A Finzi Anthology
We’ve been playing this collection of the work of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) a fair amount, as it is enjoyable and relatively undemanding. Finzi was one of the most characteristically “English” composers of his generation and while he did write some Christian texts, being an agnostic of Jewish descent he tends not to be overtly religious.…
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Shakin’ Stevens: Echoes Of Our Times
The Brexit vote, the death of Elvis, John Major/Edwina Currie — some events are so unexpected that they change your world view. Right up there with them is this is new album from Shakin’ Stevens. It’s very, very good. In a proper, serious rock, sounds-a-bit-like-the-Beatles way. It’s a collection of strong songs with a blues/…
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Hattie Briggs: Young Runaway
This enjoyable folk/pop album reminded us of Texan singer Keri Noble. We bought her 2005 album Fearless and play it quite often still; what makes the album is her voice, which is crystal clear and refreshing. Nothing you could put your finger on, just honest and easy on the ear, with no vocal gymnastics, quirks…
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Jeff Finlin Life: After Death
This is another album to beat anyone who says “there’s no good music any more” over the head with, before administering a blow to the temples. True, Finlin is a veteran performer who has a decent fan base but not his own Wikipedia page; he’s probably one of those people whose fans can’t believe he’s…
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Bat For Lashes: The Bride
This remarkable album follows the story of a woman whose fiancé is killed in a crash on the way to the church for their wedding (complete with Leader Of The Pack-style sound effects). The bride goes ahead with the honeymoon on her own and the album reflects on meditation on love, loss, grief, and…
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Gemma Ray: The Exodus Suite
This late night, gothic CD sounds like it was made in another era, when albums were albums and twitter was only the sound that birds make. This is meant to be listened to as a complete work, like in the old days. Any fans of geology (or indeed Santorini) will appreciate track one, Come Caldera,…
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Mick Harvey: Delirium Tremens
Fair play to Bad Seeds’ Mick Harvey; he’s made plenty of good music in his time, so if he wants to scratch an itch and revisit the songbook of Serge Gainsbourg, he can. Like Nick Cave’s band, Gainsbourg sounded cool but could talk dirty, so Harvey is paying tribute to a man who influenced his…
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Charlie Parr: Stumpjumper
Listening to albums in recent weeks we’ve despaired at people who moan that “there’s no good music any more”. There’s more good music about than you can shake a big stick at, and Charlie Parr is a case in point, though he’s neither young nor new. See the word “blues” and you might think dull…
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