COLUM SANDS - Song Bridge
Spring Records SCD1067
The Sands family is undoubtedly among the most influential musical clans of Ireland, and Colum has enjoyed a long career as singer and composer of songs to stimulate the grey matter as well as entertain the listener. The focus and inspiration for this collection of self-penned songs is the venerable guitar pictured on the cover. Its story is deeply intertwined with Colum’s own, and the reflections inspired by it, and by the wood from which it was made, are the songs you’ll find here.
They’re skillfully crafted, and delivered in Colum’s gentle, understated way. But listen to the words – the low-key performance hides a sledgehammer punch. There are songs here about issues that surround us all and should concern us all, but along with the more optimistic subject matter, they’re couched in that trademark Sands poetical simplicity, and there’s an undercurrent of long-term optimism about the resilience of humanity which finds its best expression in the title song and its sleeve notes.
For his many fans, this will be an excellent addition to their collections, and if you want to get to know one of the more interesting and thought-provoking routes taken by contemporary folk music, this CD will certainly fill the bill.
www.columsands.com
John Waltham
This review appeared in Issue 135 of The Living Tradition magazine