Customer Reviews:
  An album I keep returning to year after year..... April 23, 2009
As the insightful review above stated, this is not the sort of music that will thrill most people straight away. However, isn't it time we persisted with some things in order to discover the weatlh of enjoyemnt contained within?
After readng a newspaper review of the album Apples, I was intrigued enough to chase up the music. And I am so happy I did. Whilst this style of folk music is not my usualy favourite( I find a lot of the the trad stuff a wee bit "same-ish") I am so happy to have found an album so full of reality and great story telling.
The tracks that stand out to me and that I find I keep replaying over and over again are the astonding trio of laments: Rigs Of Rye, Garden Gate & I Love My Love. I categorize them as "cold climate " songs. By that I mean they are autumnal, conjuring up images of bleak cold mornings in green countrysides whilst telling of love and love lost.
Those three tunes are heart rending and will appeal to anyone who is even remotely introspective.
I suspect this album will stand the test of time and will become a cornerstone of the genre.
Kudos to you June. I just wish you weren't so troubled by air travel, as that means I shall in all probabilty never see you sing these songs live.
 The English Queen of Folk April 8, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
June Tabor is an acquired taste, I've noticed. For me, the first listen to her way back in the late '70s had me smitten. What still amazes me is that she will not be bound by trends; wasn't then, isn't now. Folk music has enjoyed a revival over the last couple of decades, thanks to great, vintage folk and bluegrass reissue albums in CD format, and people like Tracy Chapman, who showed us in the 90's that a single voice with a guitar can still weave a spell, Bonnie Raitt, who stuck by her passion for the blues, even while she was trying other stuff, and Bob Dylan, who still has the muse in 'im. But few artists take the kinds of risks that June Tabor does these days. And I'll bet she doesn't know or care if she's taking risks. Tabor is an artist in the true sense of the word. She creates to satisfy her need, and if the rest of us like or dislike it, she will never betray her instincts (and I'm sure she's thrilled when some of us heed the call). Yes, for some, Tabor's voice can be monotonous (I've heard this criticism of her from friends whom I've tried to 'wow' with her music). She's somber, too, so I'm told.
Tabor knows her will, and it is not to be commercial (or even avoid being commercial). She is a story-teller of the first order, and thus, a true folk troubadour. But lest I paint her as a didactic, I must say that her lovely, motherly voice has beauty and nuance, and that her phrasing is nearly flawless; it's all in the service of the lyric, and along with this attention to detail, she doesn't let a great melody get away. June is a straight singer with little interest in showing off her vocal prowess. She sticks to the melody and treats it like a narration or conversation; in other words, she may be singing a definite melody, but her voice is coloring all of the lyric's meaning in subtle shades.
There are a couple of highlights on this recent recording which convey my point, above. The last song, "Send Us A Quiet Night," accompanied by piano, shows off June's ability to create a mood, as well as any of her past material. The sense of yearning is not melodramatic. It's wistful and maybe a little depressed, but when the strange harmonic sounds come in, and the echo is increased, I, for one, am sent aloft. This is for a night of staring up at the stars.
My big favorite, though, is one of the of the longer tracks (it's over seven minutes). "The Dancing," has a lengthy acoustic accordion opening that seems to threaten boredom to come. Just as one is lulled into a stupor, June starts to sing. The melody is gorgeous, and June gets us in the mood for a night on the town, dancing. There are no drums here, no disco lights. But the bass keeps the slow, sensual rhythm, and the listener is transported into another place, another era. This is a timeless beauty; one of the best performances of June's incredible career. Her hushed but sure voice, underlined with a kind of tembling anticipation of something that will release her, is both soothing and intense -- an unusual combination of qualities. "But oh, Monday morning, she comes 'round too soon, the sound of the flax mill, the beat of the loom, but tonight the band's playing a romantic tune; the dance; aye the dancing, the dancing's tonight..." the resignation of the work day is somehow mitigated by the dance after work, and June gives this song a lift with her total understanding and knowing of what she speaks. The result is something sad and melancholy and yet, at the same time, uplifting and full of heart. This song is the hypnotic centerpiece of APPLES, and it's kind of unfortunate that it's the very first song.
I only say this because I totally understand where my friends and music critics are coming from, when it comes to June Tabor's music. I have to say, this stuff takes concentration and patience, and some investment of time to appreciate. If you want the kicky beat, the infectious hook, look elsewhere. But also, if you buy this, and aren't immediately haunted, save it for a rainy day, literally. Wait 'til you want something contemplative and transporting, quiet and beautiful; June Tabor may have your ticket to paradise.
Full disclosure: I'm a long-time, devoted fan who owns most of Ms. Tabor's vast catalog, including her lavish, 4-CD boxed set, which I have also reviewed on Amazon. June Tabor, for me, is the English Queen Of Folk.
Practically peerless artistry than transcends genre. May 19, 2007
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Once again,another fine effort from June Tabor and friends i.e. Emerson,Harries,and Cutting.Production is appropriate,playing is collaborative and symbiotic,and the vocals are almost without parallel.If forced to compare to a few other singers,I'd say that Tabor's singing reminds me of Judy Collins,Sandy Denny,Niamh Parsons,Diamanda Galas,Patti Smith,Edith Piaf,Beth Orton,Karan Casey and Karrin Allyson.Use this as a ROUGH guide if you've never heard her as her product is really quite unique.To describe each individual song will not serve the reader as this cd must be heard in it's entirety.Highly recommended.Five stars.Take a chance on this cd as it's a faily sure thing in an age of glitz and hype.
|
