Reviews
Artist: Craig and Willoughby
Album:Calling All Angels
Label:Cabritunes Records
Tracks:11
Website: http://www.craigandwilloughby.com
Looking at the track listing before getting hold of "Calling All Angels", it seemed as if it was a "Greatest hits" album. I am lucky enough to have been able to see Brian Willoughby and Cathryn Craig live quite a few times, so these tracks are like old friends. It's kind of strange to think that most of them haven't appeared on record before. If these songs are new to you, you are in for a treat.
I must confess that I might have been a little concerned that such familiarity with the tracks might make the album seem a bit dull. These songs are beautiful live, but listening to them on record might seem a bit like hearing a bootleg. Happy to report that this is not the case. The songs have all been carefully crafted by Brian and Cathryn, so no matter how many times you've heard them live, they still seem new and fresh.
The album is credited to Craig and Willoughby, but I think really it should have been Craig, Willoughby and Rynhart. Phil not only plays a variety of instruments on several tracks, he also recorded, engineered, produced and mastered the album, and he has done a masterful job. Under any other circumstances I'd say that the sheer quality of this album gives the music colour, but as Brian has a solo album called "Black and White" you might think that was just a cheap pun.
With the subtlest note from a violin or viola from Antonia Pagulatos, or a sudden explosion of drumming from Dennis Bryon, these songs really have been filled with depth and colour.
Music has always been a good medium for evoking emotions. Poets try to do it with metre, rhyme and aliteration; artists such as Dali invented a language of images such as melting clocks and weightless elephants to convey emotions; but music has always been better at stirring feelings. Happy songs can cheer you up; sad songs can depress you, but the songs on this album act as transport to faraway places and far off times.
"Alice's Song", for instance, has been given a music box feel, so it invokes memories of childhood. For those who may not be aware, "Alice's Song" was inspired by Brian's niece, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome. A version was released by the Strawbs for Autism awareness; Brian included it on "Black and White", and an instrumental version appears on "Fingers Crossed". I think the song has been given this childlike quality to highlight the fact that Alice is a child no more. She has grown up to be a beautiful woman, and is doing very well at college. Very definitely, this is my favourite version of this song so far.
"Two Hearts One Love" was included on Cathryn's solo album "Porch Songs", but unbelievably, this is the first time that a version by both Brian and Cathryn has appeared on record. Although there is no steel guitar on this album, the song has a similar plaintive feel, and from the opening notes you can feel the loneliness of driving back to Carolina with a broken heart. Although I've never been to Carolina, I'm sure that having heard this track I could do it blindfolded. For those that have heard this song live before, you'll know that Brian usually ends it by fading out on some glissando. Just at the point that this normally starts, there's a crash of drums from Dennis and Brian kicks in with a break on an electric guitar. Actually made me jump the first time I heard it.
The title track "Calling All Angels", was inspired by a news broadcast on a cable channel concerning the floods in New Orleans. With the recent tsunami fresh in her mind, Cathryn wondered how people had the strength to get up the next day after such tragedies and carry on with their lives.
"The Rejected Lover" is my favourite track on this album. Mary Hopkin joins Cathryn on vocals, and both have such wonderful rich voices. The resultant blend is magical. For Cathryn, though, this is far more than a song. It's a genetic spiral of DNA, linking her musical career back to the past. In 1918, Cecil Sharp recorded her great grandfather singing this song for his book "English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians".
When performed live, "Accanoe" always stuns the audience, particularly if played at a Folk Club, where the audience are more used to gentle ballads. Cathryn normally adds percussion to the song whilst also playing her guitar, by means of wrist-worn cymbals. On record, her percussion is enhanced by Dennis Bryon who beats out a thundering rhythm. Close your eyes and not only are you in Virginia, but you can feel the pain of the Chicahominy. A perfect reminder that Cathryn doesn't just write lyrics, she is a poet. Some marvellous alliteration, such as "through winter's blue black blizzards" and "our highest holy house"
"Genevieve" was inspired when Cathryn's aunt was critically ill with MRSA. The song is a celebration of her life, and also a celebration of the human spirit. Although suffering and possibly facing death, (fortunately she recovered), Genevieve wasn't feeling sorry for herself, but was dreaming of her days as a pioneer aviatrix.
"Genevieve" fades directly into an instrumental called "Genevieve in Flight". This is the first track on the album that I haven't previously heard performed live before. A dreamy, gentle tune that takes you soaring above the clouds.
"Rumours of Rain" was original single written by Brian and Cathryn for a charity Folk for Peace. Apparently the song came to Cathryn in a dream, and Brian had the idea of assembling a group of artists to sing/ play it. The original single featured a variety of artists, such as Dave Lambert, Chas Cronk, Ric Sanders, Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell, Nanci Griffith, and a host of others. This version is an acoustic duo.
"These Dreams", previously known as "This Night, These Dreams and You", is supposedly a love song for the audience, showing Brian and Cathryn's appreciation for listening to them. Despite the deliberately over-sugared lyrics, this is still a beautiful song and demonstrates Cathryn's ability to hold a note.
"Glenarm" is another instrumental, and again new to me.. On stage, you only get one Brian, but in the studio, with over dubbing, Brian can accompany himself. A real treat. Very reminiscent sound to the Strawbs around the time they made the DVD "Acoustic Strawbs Live at Hugh's Room, in Toronto", with Brian's use of the E-bow. Glenarm is the place where Brian was born. Listening to the song I get the image of rocky hills, looking somehow proud, wise, and yet mournful.
"Glenarm" fades directly into "The Green Glens of Antrim", a traditional song newly arranged by Brian and Cathryn. Not a song they perform live very often - only previously heard it once before, so quite possibly will be new to many. The song was played at Brian's parents' wedding, and features his father, Walter, on accordion. In photographic terms, the first half of the song has been coloured with a sepia filter. They've made it sound like it's played on an old phonograph. Suddenly, Brian's guitar cuts through the mists of time, and brings the song to the present.
If you like this album, which I am sure you will, why not complete your collection with the charity single of "Rumours of Rain"?
Pete Bradley