Reviews

Artist: Hilary James
Album: English Sketches
Label: Acoustic Records
Tracks: 14
Website: www.folksong.co.uk

I don’t generally like repeating what has been said in sleeve-notes but for those not in the know, the wonderfully gifted Hilary James possess a voice that is quintessentially English and as such performs with diction that would put many of the current crop of ‘so-called’ TV presenters to shame.

On this recording (and all her previous albums) James’s dulcet tones will possibly inveigle their way into your memory in much the same way they did for me casting my mind back to when I was at junior school and although nostalgia can be a funny thing I can distinctly remember listening in awe of ‘folk’ singers such as Shirley Abicair and Isla St Clair. As you would expect, emanating from the outstanding catalogue of music provided by Acoustic Records this recording has quality stamped throughout it and in addition to the established trad arr, Hilary’s settings of the words of Shakespeare, Hardy and Baring-Gould are genuinely exquisite.

Of course, being joined in exalted company by Simon Mayor (mandolins/violin and guitar etc) and Belshazzar’s Feast aka Paul Sartin (oboe) & Paul Hutchinson (accordion) amongst others the technical, but never sterile skills of all involved is more than impressive.

This is the kind of album that will not only settle comfortably in any true ‘folk’ enthusiasts record collection but will also impress anyone who feels they want to add the words ‘musical taste’ to their CV

Peter Fyfe

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