Customer Reviews

Angel Tiger

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

 

 

June Tabor is never going to have a hit. Her murky voice, her careful selection of material, her deliberate delivery and her sparce arrangements mean her work is not "obvious". Appreciating Tabor takes some concentration, but the effort is awesomely rewarded. (for some context, only Richard Thompson gets my attention and praise more) This is one of her best works. June takes her time, doing things right. Do yourself a life-long favor: give her a listen.

This must be one of the most sublime albums ever recorded. The spare arrangements & that voice! This is to listen to, to think about, and be transported by. "10,000 Miles" is a masterpiece and if only the song went on forever. The really great thing about June Tabor is she prefers to record live, with the backing instruments, no stops, no drop-ins, no overdubs. What you get from her is a performance, a realness.

Rich alto; carefully tailored, spare settings; perhaps her best. A sui generis amalgam of pop, folk, torch, rock that evokes Judy Collins in her prime, but with a smokier, more affecting voice. More Celtic than Tabor's other albums. Perhaps less consistent quality in song choice. Would benefit from more variation in songs-too consistently somber and downbeat. [50:27]

This is another of Tabor's signature blends of traditionals and today's folk. Her arrangements as usual are so sparse as to almost seem austere, highlighting her smoky contralto. "Ten Thousand Miles" and "Let no Man Steal Your Thyme" are wonderful covers of traditionals. In addition, Tabor makes work from today's composers her own: Billy Bragg's "Rumors of War" speaks evocatively of today's world. Elvis Costello's "All this Useless Beauty" seems written for her.

While this is not my favorite Tabor CD, it's definitely worth a listen and purchase. You will not regret hearing her sing!

This album of sparse arrangements and subdued instrumentation displays Tabor's husky voice in all its power. The first masterpiece is Sudden Waves, a sad love song that becomes sheer poetry in her expert singing. Her version of Billy Bragg's Rumours Of War with its atmospheric instrumentation is also impressive, whilst The Doctor Calls has a complex structure and several tempo variations. The highlight of the album is her interpretation of Elvis Costello's All This Useless Beauty, a real tour de force with lyrics that suit her voice like a glove. Ten Thousand Miles is another timeless gem, one with lovely rolling piano and an arrangement that gives her voice a chance to soar. Despite the traditional songs like Let No Man Steal Your Thyme and Ten Thousand Miles, I would not call this an album of traditional folk music, but rather a form of art music. My favourite June Tabor album still remains Freedom And Rain, her collaboration with the Oyster Band, but Angel Tiger ranks as one of her classics too.

This is a great return to the style of Joan's first two albums for Topic. Sparse arrangements and, of course, great singing. Many wonderful moments, like when the reed noise comes in on the last track. Plus an Elvis Costello song. Nothing not to like at all.