Sue Brown And Lorraine Irwing
Album: The 13th Bedroom
Label: RootBeat
Tracks: 16
Website: http://www.sueandlorraine.com

As someone once said, the difference between a traditional song and a cover version is about a hundred years, consequently the intriguingly named "The 13th Bedroom" could be considered to be an album of 14 traditional songs and a couple of covers, though I'd challenge anyone not well versed in 'the tradition' to pick out the covers.

This is Sue Brown and Lorraine Irwing's second album, following on from their debut, "Call And Cry" though there has been an intervening period of a fourteen odd years, which judging by the quality of the release seems an extraordinary long time and no doubt comes with a story or two.

Interpretation of song is a skill comparable to writing one in the first place, more so when you are dealing with the more familiar side of the tradition, people tend to have favourite versions of songs they know through multiple artists, rather than those they know through just a single artist, often the creator.

The majority of the songs on the album are delivered accapella, with just a scattering adding light instrumentation for additional atmosphere, it's a light touch, but one that's quite powerful and really snaps your attention.

One of the great things about the internet, is that it really gives interpreters of traditional songs the chance to explore lots of alternate versions of the songs, discover rare verses that may not be in all versions of the songs and to chose which to include in their version.

"The Derby Ram" sometimes considered to be a song about a number of uses for a dead sheep picks up on the theme of fertility in both man and beast, an encouragement to breed, though I'm guessing within species though that's not entirely clear.

Sex, both in and out of wedlock, is a common theme in folk songs, as is murder and death generally. "The 13th Bedroom" takes on all those themes in a collection of songs that span a good couple of hundred years and more with some of the tunes.

Sue Brown And Lorraine Irwing have got superb voices for plain song, the harmonies are tight and expressive, which also adds to the question of why so long between albums. It matters not, what matters is does "The 13th Bedroom" cut the mustard? To which the only answer is oh yes in a strong and hearty English blend.

Neil King