I like Eliza Carthy. She is definitely 'a good thing'. Daughter of British folk aristocracy Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, she has stood up for authentic British (and world) music all her life. She has a wonderful voice and enhances all she touches.
We used to have a CD shop in Deal, and I bought this there in his sale, thinking it was something I ought to hear.
My problem, is that, no matter how good and authentic it is, there's only so much English folk music I can listen to and still enjoy, and that's measured in minutes, not hours, so I'm approaching this album, which I've owned for two decades and rarely played, with misgivings.
It is, as expected, mostly English folk song, and reel, but there's enough variation in treatment to keep it interesting. The Light Dragoon kicks off, a fiddle and voice folk song, but Greenwood Laddie feels more laid back, almost jazz-tinged, and later on there's an almost swing feel to Stumbling On. There's a bluesy guitar-harmonica feel to Go From My Window, and these songs resonate more than the folk songs done straight. Carthy's voice makes everything good to listen to, but if the trad folk isn't your thing, then there's a limit to the appeal.
3* - this is a lovely collection, the medium rating representing my preferences, not the quality
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