Reviews
Anna Anise Album: Aneth
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: https://www.annaanise.com/
Anna Anise is about to release her début album, following on from the EP Awakening in 2024. Whilst that drew its influences from Ireland Anna has stayed in her own county of Cornwall for Aneth (Wonder), using both English and Cornish languages and largely Cornish musicians.
Opening the album, and setting out her stall from the start, Anna has released a Cornish language version of Harry Glasson's "Cornwall My Home" - "Kernow Ow Thre" and it's the only cover amongst the ten tracks. This is quite an athemic song anyway and Anna has emphasised that by giving it a blues edge and introducing backing vocals, strings and a choir as it builds. It's an impressive start.
Switching to English for "Skins And Bones" this is another lush song, a ballad with lots of strings about communication, or miscommunication, between people where what is heard isn't necessarily what arrives in the brain. Anna has an appealing voice, rich and nuanced which works well here.
There are so many good tracks on the album it's hard to pick the highlights. "Ankevi a Wrug" is bilingual, as are several other tracks, and a much simpler piece with a gentle flow and looks at how contentment tends to come when you're in the moment, not thinking about the past or future.
"Not My Song To Sing" is an interesting concept. It came as a commission when Anna was visiting bot people with a Cornish heritage and indigenous people in northern California. She's telling their stories but they remain their stories, not hers.
"Mildir Morgowr" is in Cornish and is about the sight of the Morgowr, a Cornish sea monster. A punchy song but I've no idea what happens. I enjoyed it though as it bounced along with some excellent fiddle backing.
As a début album this is very strong. Anna has made it mainly her work and, bravely I think, not taken a safe route. By writing and singing songs in a language not spoken by many she's shown it is still a living force with relevance to both people and places today. Any linguistic difficulties the listener may have are overcome by the emotions and timbre of the songs so you still get a feeling of what they're about. Music is a universal language and Aneth shows it can cross borders.
Vinyl and CD will be available at live shows, mainly around Cornwall, the west country and Wales through November with a digital release in December
Tony Birch
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Kernow Ow Thre
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