Customer Reviews

Against The Streams

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

June Tabor's contralto is awesome. Her voice is a combination of melody and feeling that you seldom hear and this CD is one of her best.

The lyrics of Tabor's songs are as unusual and unexpected as her voice. SHAMELESS LOVE, the first cut, is a witty look at romance with a light, airy feel to it. PAVANNE tells the story of a female assassin none of us would wish to meet alone in a dark alley--or at a State dinner, for that matter! APPLES AND POTATOES is a sprightly humorous Irish traditional song. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, AN ANNIVERSARY, talks about what happens to Belle long after the initial romance.

The only cut that I cannot listen to over and over is HE FADES AWAY because it is such a tear jerker. The song describes the death of a miner from blacklung disease. Still, it is worth listening to at least once with hankie in hand!

This was the second June Tabor CD I ever bought, the first being an oldie, Airs and Graces. Whereas the first one was mainly traditional, this one is mostly contemporary. But she gives this material the same loving care that is evident on the older stuff. And if you are new to traditional music or to June, you may want to start here. The songs are some of the most beautiful she has ever recorded - and of course there is her unique voice, which is deep, dark, and rich. Do give this a listen.

Tabor is a rare artist, and one that performs complete the songs when she records them. The song, "He fades away," a song about an asbestos sickened minor, brings tears to the eyes. "Pavanne," a Richard Thompson cover, is chilling (which is fitting considering the protagonist is a terrorist). The instrumentation is wonderful also. Yup, highly recommend it.

I really like June Tabor. I enjoy listening to her while I do my Art work - sort of a personal muse in hindsight.