Customer Reviews

An Echo of Hooves

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June Tabor makes a short written statement on the back of her current CD that says, "For me, the Ballads of the English (and Scots) speaking peoples are storytelling at its stark, urgent best. As you listen- for these are songs in which poetry and music are equally important - feel the wind and rain, see the Hunter's moon rise and catch an echo of hooves on the night air."

After listening to this brilliant performance, one senses that Ms. Tabor wrote the above as a mission statement regarding the making of this recording, since her stated beliefs are exactly what she accomplishes. Simply put, this may well be considered Tabor's best work ever.

The entire collection is a selection of old Ballads of the British Isles. Thus one must be prepared that the "stories" sung here are not happy ones. But Tabor and company ( Huw Warren, Mark Emerson, Tim Harries, Martin Simpson, and Kathryn Tickell) create a tapestry of sounds for these songs by varying the combinations of instruments used for accompaniment and by making choices about tempos and moods. In a showcase of her magnificent voice Tabor even goes it alone ("Rare Willie") in a move that would put most other singers to shame. The recording shows that these people know this music and they were well aware of what they were going to do with it from the outset. It plays itself out with complete confidence and self-assuredness.

Tabor is extremely engaging in her singing. For those who have found her recent offerings a little mannered or "icy", you'll be happy to find Tabor quite the opposite here. She's often bold and forthright and yet when need be she sings with extreme pathos. Her voice is like no other. She grabs on to these Ballads and breathes life into them making them relevant for today's listener.

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection, since they are all of great merit. But I would certainly single out "The Border Widow's Lament" for its sheer beauty and sadness. Also noteworthy is "The Cruel Mother" which is a gruesome story. Tabor imbues it with sense of tragedy by simply using her voice to give it an almost hypnotic reading. She glides over the gruesome details of the poem as if she were singing it from somewhere within her that doesn't even take notice of the grotesqueness of the tale. It's that approach to the song that makes it all the more chilling and disturbing.

This recording is truly an amazing effort and Tabor fans (and hopefully others) should fall completely in love with it. This is certainly one of the largest of the jewels in Tabor's crown. However, I don't think Tabor is looking for any personal "jewels" here. Her goal seems to be to give these Ballads respect, dignity and renewal. And she accomplishes that in a manner that no other artist can approach.

If you already love June Tabor I suspect you'll love this - an album of well chosen (mainly Scottish borders) traditional folk songs.

The musical accompaniments are understated while June sings with much expressiveness within her somewhat formalistic styling: this serves to allow the lyrics prominence and they tend to the typically melodramatic as you would expect of such ballads.

That said I would also love to hear these songs sung a little looser by other singers and instrumentalists. But.... I adore Tabor's style so for me this CD is essential.

The beautiful insert booklet has all lyrics plus notes on the events on which some songs are based and/or something of the provenance of the tunes and words.

So for Tabor lovers: highly recommended -my favourite of hers along with Angel Tiger. (And "Cruel Mother" with Appalachian sources for tune and lyrics is stunning and almost worth the admission price by itself).

If you don't know Tabor beware - try to sample her first as I know people who dislike her singing.

The Echo of Hooves represents a welcome return to June Tabor's roots in pure English and Scottish traditional music. Her singing, often mannered and aloof in her recordings of recent years, is restrained, even intimate by Tabor standards. One would never imagine her singing, like an authentic source singer, on a front porch in a rural backwater -- her classical training is always in evidence -- but even so, she inhabitants the often tragic, hundreds-of-years-old narratives in a way that never fails to persuade. Stark and impeccably executed, the arrangements never get in the way of singer, song, or story. None of the melodies are the standard ones that an experienced listener would associate with, say, such familiar ballads as "Bonnie James Campbell," "The Cruel Mother," or "Hugh Graeme." The program perfectly concludes with a moving reading of the magnificent "Sir Patrick Spens."

June Tabor's newest release "An Echo Of Hooves" marks a much needed return to her folk singing roots. As usual, June's voice is beautiful and the arrangements by Huw Warren and herself are absolutely incredible! All the songs are stories and the arrangements bring the action to life, as if you were seeing a movie. My favorite song on the entire disc is "THE CRUEL MOTHER". It's a chilling ghost story made even more bizarre by the piano arrangement of Huw Warren and the almost "serial killer-ish" tone in June's voice! The arrangement is written in a lydian scale, which gives the song a beautiful white sound of angelic purity, but the subject matter is dark and demented, it's absolutely a work of sheer genius!! I think a whole movie could be made just from this one song! The images that passed through my mind gave me the chills, and I've been haunted by it ever since I purchased the CD several days ago. A lot of research, feeling, and plain hard work has gone into the making of this CD, so I hate to say anything negative about it. But, I think the recording leaves a lot to be desired. The piano sounds muffled most of the time. Personally I like a more bright sounding piano. I don't know if this was intentional, or just a lack of production funds. I prefer the recording quality of the piano on Angel Tiger much more. Even so, if you love June Tabor, folk music, or just a good story, this disc is for you!

June Tabor is not anyone's background music. You can't put her on to exercise, type a letter, etc. You'll get lost in the words and find yourself transported someplace else. Sometimes to a place you don't want to go. I echo the other reviewer's sentiments on "Cruel Mother." This is a song to be listened to first in the daylight. The album is primarily Scottish, full of all the gloom and dark humor.

I have been an admirer of June Tabor for many years. I have purchased many of her recordings, and thourghly enjoyed them.

But...

This is something different and extraordinary, The readings of these traditional songs is elegant, eloquent and (with risk of being pedandic as well as alliterive) very well enunciated!

Some of them, I knew, these took on a whole range of deeper meaning. Those that I did not know were a pleasure to (more alliteration) encompass.

Her voice is so expressive, and carries the melodies so well, the brilliant accompianment, sparse, (less is often more) but so well uderstood, is a revelation

This is wonderfull music, enjoy!!!

This is one of her best!An essential, must-have.If You are reading this review, chances are, you love June Tabor.If so, buy this,you need it.Music doesn't get better than this.I would give it much more than 5 stars if I could!