Brass Monkey
Eliza Carthy
Two wonderful releases that feature members of the Carthy clan, both Going and Staying and Anglicana show a reverence for tradition that few performers can equal.
Brass Monkey's latest I can only describe as comforting. With Martin Carthy and John Kirkpatrick at the helm, lovers of English music can expect a quality recording. But what has always distinguished Brass Monkey from other folk acts is the superb brass section, which lends such terrific color to the songs. At times, Brass Monkey sound particularly adept at a British military sound, or like Percy Grainger with more stomp and 'rumpty-tumpty.' Certainly the first song, "Put the Road in Order," has an imposing march cadence. Brass Monkey also show their alliance with working people's plight on the Carthy-sung "Doffing Mistress."
Eliza Carthy does not shy away from the grand ballads, either. Her eight minute version of "Just as the Tide Was Flowing" is delivered in a heartfelt, spare approach, as is the live recording of Eliza singing "In London So Fair" while accompanying herself on the piano. "In London" is one of the great parting songs, whereby a young woman disguises herself as a sailor to pursue her love that has taken to the sea. Naturally, the female sailor isn't immediately detected, and she gets to test the commitment of her man; marriage inevitably ensues.
Anglicana is a jewel of an album, and Eliza pays plenty of homage to her parents. "Bold Privateer" is such a minor-key song, it sounds as if Martin taught his daughter the tune, and indeed he gave her this song. The one non-traditional track on the record is an instrumental Eliza wrote in honor of her father. Elsewhere, the "Little Gypsy Girl" (which features some great concertina playing by Will Duke) reminds one of mother Norma's singing; and, in fact, Norma provides background vocals here. So while Anglicana features a host of young guns in Eliza's backing band (Ben Ivitsky, Tim Van Eyken, Barnaby Stradling), it is an album well anchored in its English roots. It takes some risks with the acoustic setting; there are minor electric flourishes (Tom Salter's electric guitar sounds like South African township jive on the "No Man's Jig" set), but nothing so radical that the tradition is turned on its head. Anglicana is yet more evidence of the major artist Eliza Carthy has become. - Lee Blackstone
"Doffing Mistress" and "Little Gypsy Girl" traditional, (c)(p)2002 Topic Records, UK, used by permission
Topic Records are available from cdRoots
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