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LORI WATSON - Yarrow Acoustic Sessions

LORI WATSON - Yarrow Acoustic Sessions
Isle Music Scotland ISLE05CD

Lori Watson’s approach to all her songs is very much her own; often challenging and different, but always interesting, and her fine voice and ability to tell a story enables her to carry her interpretations through to achieve her aims. This has been aided by her accompanists, in particular Duncan Lyall, and the end result reminded me somewhat of the collaboration between Lorcan Mac Mathuna and Daire Bracken, whose work I have enjoyed a great deal.

The majority of the tracks is traditionally based, with the balance being poems set to music plus Robin Williamson’s October Song to finish the album. Stand-out tracks for me were Fause, Fause and Fine Floors In The Valley – both familiar, but with such a fresh, different take that you have to sit up and take notice – and the poem Capernaum, with its haunting air and powerful words, was excellent.

I did have minor reservations about one or two elements of the accompaniment on some tracks; on a few occasions the effect was obtrusive and vaguely discordant. An example would be the sound resembling a tree being felled on What A Voice, but perhaps I’m missing the point?

This album is the first half of a themed project aimed at evoking Lori’s native Yarrow Valley, with the follow-up due out later this year. I’ll be keeping an eye out for it – if it’s as creative and stimulating as this offering, it’ll be well worth a listen.

www.loriwatson.net

John Waltham


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This album was reviewed in Issue 123 of The Living Tradition magazine.