Pauline Vallance
Album: Golden Slumbers
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.paulinevallance.co.uk

This is a very straightforward disc, presenting a sequence of soothing songs as an aid to sleep, beautifully melodiously and unpretentiously sung by Pauline to her own accompaniment (clarsach and flute), occasionally doubletracking harmonies or instrumental parts but never obtrusively so. Pauline just lets the songs work their magic; she does not patronise her listeners, and injects no extraneous drippy sentiment or gimmicks: how very refreshing this is.

Aside from its self-evident functionality, its relaxing, soothing intent, the disc's aim is to preserve some Scottish lullabies to pass on to the next generation, and its twelve tracks show the range of material that can be used as lullabies, with feelings and subject matter covering the expected babies, children, birds and boats but also sweeties (the children's song Ally Bally) and even the Highland Clearances (Jim McLean's Smile In Your Sleep, aka Hush). Pauline also includes a couple of Gaelic lullabies, one - Baloo Baleerie - dealing with the possible stealing of children by fairies and substituting them for changelings, this forming a link with the preceding track, a Highland Lullaby on the same topic. Perhaps the most affecting performances on the album come on Dream Angus, Fhir A Bhata, Eriskay Love Lilt and Pauline's own composition Hush My Baby which expresses all the important qualities you wish for your baby.

By the way, the album was part-funded by Enterprise Scotland, and to further promote the project Pauline will be holding workshops and concerts for family groups and carers; I can imagine no finer advertisement for her mission than this comforting, appealing and relaxing CD.

David Kidman