Amazon.co.uk Review: Although academically rooted in the traditional music of the British Isles (Mum and Dad, need it be reiterated, are Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy) ace fiddler and folk starlet Eliza Carthy describes Anglicana as "an expression of Englishness as I feel it". This--given her one-girl quest to make archaic Yorkshire sword dances and songs about courting farm labourers acceptable to 21st century alternative-lifestyle persons with studs in their tongues--is a fairly candid admission that mild interpretative forces are at play.
Rummaging through Dad's old dusty song sheets and century-old Lincolnshire field recordings for inspirational sources, Anglicana is a country mile from the mainstream pop gloss of 2000's major-label release Angels and Cigarettes, offering a healthy contrast of the familiar and obscure, all of which is indubitably "traditional" bar the one self-penned instrumental, "Dr McMBE", a meditative little tribute and acknowledgement to her Father's scholarly acclaim and trip to see Liz at The Palace. Be it the well-worn "Just As The Tide Was Flowing"--a tune much-favoured by Vaughan Williams and 10,000 Maniacs--in which the sombre tone of a melodeon gives way to the sweetness and tragedy of Carthy's voice, or the shadowy, atmospheric versions of "Bold Privateer" and "Worcester City"--a poisonous, crime-of-passion tale rattling from the speakers with a muscular combination of Carthy's brusquely-scraped fiddle and Donald Hay's martial drumming--Anglicana is as faultless as these things come. The whole thing is aptly curtain-called by "Willow Tree", a swinging mélange of jazz violin, trumpets and saxes, resembling the late 1960s Kinks doing a sundown, cider-slurred cabaret slot at the village fete. --Kevin Maidment
Customer Reviews
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Rating: - Traditional English folk songs in a contemporary setting
Eliza Carthy, daughter of folk singers Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy, emerged in the late nineties as Britain's leading female folk singer. Eliza has always sought to bring a contemporary edge to her music, perhaps hoping in the process to get more people to take an interest in Britain's folk-song heritage. It is sometimes said that a great song will survive any interpretation, but adapting traditional songs written in an entirely different era when there was little or no backing music to a contemporary ... Read More
Rating: - A new genre
Eliza Carthy boldly lays claim to a new genre with the inspired title of this beautiful album. It fits her music perfectly and needs no further explanation. Whereas she has in the past ironically sounded more dated when occasionally attempting more modern and experimental musical forms, her exploration of traditional material invariably sounds fresh and forward looking, and here she is again helped by a varied and fine collection of mostly acoustic musicians.
Her affecting version of the old favourite ... Read More
Rating: - First time
As a long time student of American folk ('Americana') I thought is was about time I investigated my own folk music. What a revelation. The whole album is a joy. I cannot write about individual tracks as I have already given it away and need a new copy. Track 3 (As the tide was flowing?) is achingly beautiful with its sustained drone backing. I am inspired to delve further into English folk with confidence and expectation. Show me the way to Cambridge....
Rating: - A landmark
Unless Eliza surpasses herself, (and I wouldn't put it past her) this will stand as one of the albums of the decade. I think she's finally realised that she's at least as good a singer as her parents. There's a confidence and muscularity to her singing on this that's lacking on her earlier records.
Of course, there are quibbles: No matter how lovely its tune, 'Just As The Tide Was A Flowing' should surely be taken a little faster (it works live though). However, any criticism fades into insignificance in ... Read More
Rating: - pretty much faultless...
well i thought that rice was pretty damn good, but when i got this for christmas (i had to restrain myself heavily from buying it beforehand) i nearly fell over. everything i liked about rice is included here - eliza's beautiful and highly characteristic voice, her wonderful fiddle playing and her flair for arranging songs in unexpected and delightful ways..
although i am a big fan of paired down arrangements usually, i'd trust any song in eliza's hands. alongside more traditional folk arrangements we have ... Read More
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