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After far too long between solo outings, England's leading man of folk returns with a surprisingly relaxed, refreshed set, Signs of Life. While there's plenty of traditional material, like the epic revisiting of "Prince Heathen," which Martin Carthy first recorded with musical partner Dave Swarbrick back in the '60s, and a wonderful take on "Sir Patrick Spens," the emphasis is far more on the modern, be it Hoagy Carmichael's "Hong Kong Blues," a tune he recalled from childhood, or Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel," beautifully rendered as country blues, or most unusual of all, a very moving version of the Bee Gees' "New York Mine Disaster, 1941" which makes the listener realize that at heart it's a folk song. His guitar technique, never flashy, is sparer than ever, but never less than effective and gripping, while his voice has mellowed beautifully into something that not only befits a folk veteran but also carries wisdom. The highlight of the disc, however, has to be "Prince Heathen," a song he's grappled with for 30 years and has finally completely made his own. Even as he reduces it to something simple, it grows more complex in his hands, showing itself as one of the great ballads. While it might have taken him a while to make this record, the contents are more than worth the wait.
© Chris Nickson /TiVo
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Gibb Robin Hugh, Composer, Lyricist - Gibb Barry Alan, Composer, Lyricist - Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Simpson Martin Stewart, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Presley Elvis, Composer, Lyricist - Axton Mae Boren, Composer, Lyricist - Durden Thomas R, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - June Tabor, Composer, Lyricist - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Peta Webb, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Flynn James Gerard Essex, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carmichael Hoagy, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Dylan Bob, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Martin Carthy, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Dave Swarbrick, FeaturedArtist - Carthy Martin, Composer, Lyricist
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
Album review
After far too long between solo outings, England's leading man of folk returns with a surprisingly relaxed, refreshed set, Signs of Life. While there's plenty of traditional material, like the epic revisiting of "Prince Heathen," which Martin Carthy first recorded with musical partner Dave Swarbrick back in the '60s, and a wonderful take on "Sir Patrick Spens," the emphasis is far more on the modern, be it Hoagy Carmichael's "Hong Kong Blues," a tune he recalled from childhood, or Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel," beautifully rendered as country blues, or most unusual of all, a very moving version of the Bee Gees' "New York Mine Disaster, 1941" which makes the listener realize that at heart it's a folk song. His guitar technique, never flashy, is sparer than ever, but never less than effective and gripping, while his voice has mellowed beautifully into something that not only befits a folk veteran but also carries wisdom. The highlight of the disc, however, has to be "Prince Heathen," a song he's grappled with for 30 years and has finally completely made his own. Even as he reduces it to something simple, it grows more complex in his hands, showing itself as one of the great ballads. While it might have taken him a while to make this record, the contents are more than worth the wait.
© Chris Nickson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:57:09
- Main artists: Martin Carthy
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Topic
- Genre: Folk/Americana
2006 Topic 2006 Topic
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