REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

 


 

 

 
Gina Le Faux - In My Life

Gina Le Faux - In My Life

LFM006

This largely self-penned CD might lead you to think Gina Le Faux has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. But Hank Williams's Alone And Foresaken fits seemlessly into the programme, as does the delightfully trad arr Le Faux song Kellswater, the Beatles' In My Life and even the set of original fiddle tunes. Partly this is down to sensitive production by Martin Simpson and Andy Seward and accompanying musicians including Simpson on guitars and dobro and Andy Cutting on melodeon. But more importantly it is Gina's beautifully lilting vocals and exquisite finger-style guitar playing. And along with the accent, she does also have that Liverpudlian sense of self mockery, so the largely autobiographical lyrics avoid self-indulgence.

The less said about The Critic's Song the better, but Hold On To Love is full of hope and quite life-affirming. In case you don't know, Gina used to be George Faux, fiddle player extraordinaire, who made quite a name for himself on the folk circuit throughout the Eighties and Nineties. Then he disappeared off the radar for some ten years during which time he had perhaps the ultimate life-changing experience along with all that entails, including 'negative feedback' from the Press. Hence the chip.

She also developed a problem with her left hand which meant she couldn't play, not the best situation for a professional musician to find herself in. But she's sorted herself out, the hand's better and this is her comeback CD. It's a shame we had to wait for so long.

Graham Gurrin

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This album was reviewed in Issue 84 of The Living Tradition magazine.