Mediaeval Baebes
Album: Of Kings and Angels - A Christmas Carol Collection
Label: Queen Of Sheeba
Tracks: 17
Website: http://www.mediaevalbaebes.com

Legend has it the Mediaeval Baebes were born when a group of friends [including Katharine Blake, a former member of madrigal goth-rock band Miranda Sex Garden and Nick Cave backing singer]broke into a North London Cemetery dressed in white gowns and crowns of ivy, to perform songs for the occupants . This was in 1996, and seventeen years later, the Baebes are still singing, albeit having had many changes in personnel. Katharine Blake is still at the helm as music director, singer, musician and producer.The band also comprises Esther Dee, Clare Marika Edmondson, Sarah Kayte Foster, Emily Alice Ovenden and Josephine Ravenheart. The Baebes have had several albums in the higher reaches of the Classical Album Charts and their latest is "Of Kings And Angels- A Christmas Carol Collection".

At first glance at the CD cover, my immediate reaction was of trepidation as Christmas albums not really my kind of thing. Sure, there are some classic Christmas recordings, by the likes of Phil Spector, The Beach Boys and even Bob Dylan, but most Seasonal offerings leave me cold [ho,ho]. Looking at this album, I thought "does the world really need yet more versions of old chestnuts such as "We Three Kings", "Good King Wenceslas", "The Holly And The Ivy", "Silent Night" and so on?

However, not to prejudge the album, I stuck it in my car's CD player on a journey through the Cheshire countryside and I was most pleasantly surprised. The Baebes have managed to breathe new life, albeit it a retro fashion, into these ancient carols in a way that is refreshingly different and attractive. This is due, in no small part to the imaginative mediaeval- style arrangements of the group's stunning vocals and the unusual period instruments, including recorders, zither, psaltery, harp, hurdy gurdy, crumhorns and viol de gamba.

In this way, the Baebes manage to make the familiar sound unfamiliar. However, they do not confine themselves to the "classic" carols, they do break new ground with three less well-known pieces, all sung a cappella.The first of these is "Ther Is No Rose Of Swych Vertu", a mediaeval text sung in Middle English, which celebrates the Virgin Birth.It is superbly sung by the Baebes with lead vocals by Katharine Blake, Esther Dee and Josephine Ravenheart. I bet it sounds great when they sing it in a cathedral.

The next unfamiliar piece is "The Angel Gabriel", a Basque folk carol which again demonstrates the Baebes' outstanding vocals, as does the 12th century carol "Veni,Veni Emmanuel", which is better-known as "O Come,O Come Emmanuel".This time, lead vocals are spendidly sung by Clare Marika Edmondson and Sarah Kayte Foster.

On more familiar territory are "Gaudete" [which was a surprise hit for Steeleye Span in 1973] and "In Dulci Jubilo", an instrumental version of which was taken to number four in the charts by Mike Oldfield in 1976.

Overall, this is a beautifully produced [by the multi-talented Katharine Blake ] album for the festive season and I am sure that I will be giving it several spins over the forthcoming holiday period. It's the perfect antidote to the tired standard Christmas musical fare of Slade, Wizzard, Wham and Shakin'Stevens!

Peter Cowley