"Little Lights" Kate Rusby - just gorgeous! (Kate Rusby in general)

Member Name: Feathers

Product:	Kate Rusby in general
Date:	11/07/01 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's just gorgeous!

Disadvantages: None

I am a huge fan of Kate Rusby so I'm not going to claim that this is a wholly objective review! "Little Lights" has been getting fantastic reviews from the press (both from folk and mainstream magazines) and effortlessly climbed to the top of the folk-y charts. I therefore feel that this review does reflect the views of other folk fans (finger's crossed!).

This is Kate's third solo album and like the first two it contains a mixture of traditional songs as well as Kate's own compositions. I think the real strength of Kate's albums is that the old and new material fits in so well together. When I read the sleeve notes I am often surprised to discover that I didn't manage to guess which were the old and new songs. Kate Rusby's real strength is her gorgeous lilting singing voice, she always manages to convey all the emotions in a song. On this album she is joined by her usual rabble of scruffy chaps (I saw them in concert, I don't think any of them have ever seen an iron!):- John McCusker, Andy Cutting, Andy Seward and co. There's some great instruments on this album: fiddles, guitars, cittern, double bass and whistles.

And now on to the songs:-

1) Playing of Ball - a nice traditional love song about a boy called Willie. I can't work out whether all traditional songs are about chaps called Willie or whether Kate just likes boys called Willie! This song also contains the word "bosom" which is one of my favourite words so I give it top marks.

2) I Courted a Sailor - One of those Kate Rusby compositions that sound like they've been knocking around for centuries. This song has a very bouncy chorus. I warn you that you will end up walking around the supermarket singing "Oh, I am bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie" under your breath. People may possibly start phoning for a padded ambulance at this point, but do not fret. A nice bit of tin whistling too. T
he heroine of the song actually gets the guy which is a nice change.

3) Withered and Died - a gorgeously sad song by Richard Thompson. It suits Kate's voice very well and Eddi Reader sings the backing vocals. If you want to have a good mope this is the song for you!

4) Merry Green Broom - a song traditional music fans will probably know very well. A nice rendition of it, but I have to admit that this is not my favourite version of this song (I prefer Jo Freya's version).

5) Let the Cold Wind Blow - Another Kate Rusby love song pretending to be a traditional song (and there are no boys called Willie in it!). A song about someone whose love-life goes pear-shaped (If you don't know anything about traditional music I should explain that hardly anyone ends up happily married in traditional love songs. Traditional love songs are generally about betrayal/death/other people splitting the lovers up. Any song that contains all three of these elements is generally much-admired ;o). Kate seems to be following in this fine tradition).

6) Canaan's Land - a wonderfully rousing song, although you will end up constantly singing "Where the soul of man never dies" whilst walking around the supermarket (if they let you in after the "I Courted a Sailor" incident). A nice bit of drumming at the end.

7) Some Tyrant - Another traditional love song. One of the less impressive songs on the album in my opinion.

8) William and Davy - 'tis Willie again! A Kate Rusby composition. I love this song, very bouncy and I like the guitar on it.

9) Who Will Sing Me Lullabies - I adore this song, it is just so beautiful. If you have ever woken up at 3 am feeling down this song is for you. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to the line, "I fear I am broken and won't mend, I know". I think the part at the end where Kate and guest artist Tim O' Brien sing "who will sing me to s
leep" over and over is just gorgeous.

10) Matt Hyland - Yet another traditional love song where the poor girl's nasty parents try to prevent her marrying her true love.

11) My Young Man - I have to admit that I usually skip this song as it always makes me cry. The song is about Kate's grandfather who developed emphysema whilst working as a miner. Kate begins the song by singing unaccompanied and then she is joined by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band (this is the point where you will get a lump in your throat). My father died of lung cancer a couple of years ago which is probably why I start crying whenever I hear this, although I have heard big hairy blokes admit that they got a bit tearful too!

All in all this is an impressive album, it's just a shame that so few people will hear it outside the folk scene. They were playing it in Border's though and I heard a few people asking what it was so it might gain Kate some new fans. If you've never heard folk/traditional music before this is probably a nice, gentle introduction.

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