Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: akenaton
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 06:08 PM

I dont want to put Kate down,her music is pleasant and your right about it being attractive to new faces.What i meant was,to earn the title of a great performer there has to be something special ...Something right from the heart.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: raredance
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 07:41 PM

Well I "discovered" Kate a couple years ago which is no mean feat in North Dakota. My oldest son (now 25)happened to listen to my "Sleepless" CD. Truth to tell, we both fell hard. My regret? He has "Ten" and I don't -- yet. But I see above there is a new recording that I'm sure he doesn't know about 'cause he's been working in the woods all summer. Somehow I sense it is soon to be "Advantage, dad"

rich r

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: izzy
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 07:45 PM

Hallo, I'm new here ...so I'd appreciate it if nobody eats me alive (I was gently reared on the BBC folk board :)

About Kate Rusby --she does have a beautiful voice and all, (and she's pretty too, which helps) but she doesn't wake you up in the way that I personally expect English folk to, and which I would say is one of the things that makes it different from much of the Celtic music currently available today (though if you listen to the Voice of the People set you realise that Celtic wasn't always like that). As a die-hard Watersons, Maddy Prior, Swarb, Carthys-of-all-descriptions fanatic, I appreciate it when I hear an English singer putting power and feeling and vigour into their performance. I haven't listened to all that much by Kate Rusby, but what I did hear (the more recent stuff) had a disconcertingly country-and-western lilt to it. I'm afraid that puts me right off, when I sit down to listen to folk music. She COULD be terrific if she put more feeling into it. I had the same problem with Cara Dillon, who is Irish --I heard her music on the radio, thought she had a great voice, bought the CD, listened to it a few times and vaguely liked it, then put it on my CD rack and forgot about it for the next six months. Whereas "Rice" makes a sortie every few weeks or so, and the Watersons are on heavy rotation.


When it comes to English female folk singers --how about Anne Briggs and Lal Waterson? Not to mention June Tabor and Linda Thompson ("Never Again" playing in the background...)

Cheers,

Isabel

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: VIN
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 03:55 AM

Hi Polly, speaking of 'new faces of English folk music' i was at Saddleworth festival t'other week (maybe you was there?) and saw some young guys performing at the civic (i mean around thirteenish maybe, certainly too young to buy a pint) whose name escapes me. They were playing instrumentals brilliantly with fiddle, bohran, organ, piano accordian etc, and what conficence! Where they will go in the future, what musical direction they'll take who knows but it was a joy to watch. Anyone remember their name?

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,cittern
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 05:42 AM

Vin - that sounds like a description of Kerfuffle (sp?). Not seen or heard of them myself but their reputation has preceeded them.

Polly - I am sure you haven't annoyed anyone, there was a posting elsewhere on Mudact about why people keep coming back here when so may other folk/acoustic forums are so quiet. One reason was how much of the personality of the posters comes through on Mudcat, as this thread shows very well.

On the subject of people discovering folk music through Kate, Cara Dillon and the like, but not moving on, this is illustrative of a wider problem. People tend to establish a set of artists who they know they like and they rarely seem to take the "risk" of seeking out someone new.

This has an impact on the problem of trying to promote an unknown or new name in this scene (as in any other "market"). Clubs are understandably reluctant to book new names when the audience seems reluctant to turn up "on spec" to hear someone new. The natural result is that there exists a group of established names (Rusby, Carthy, et al) who the clubs/festivals/promoters know will pull a crowd.

I have found radio stations to be open to hearing someone new however and airtime can be generated if you keep pushing, and there is still no substitute to trawling around the country doing singers sessions and unpaid support slots. It is simply a question of putting in the leg work until you get to the "critical mass", achieved by Cara, Kate and probably Kerfuffle, at which a "buzz" is created.

Which raises another interesting point - what makes you go see a new name? What makes you "take the risk"?

Maybe a subject for another thread!

Best regards
John Robinson
http://www.JulieEllison.co.uk

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 06:33 AM

Fantastic, but childish voice becoming fashionable with some young folkies.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,polly
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 10:58 AM

Thanks all. She can't be responsible for what is said about her, it's true (unless it's on her website, I suppose). As for thanking people, credits and being proud of your accent, I don't know anyone on the folk scene who doesn't do those things (people do judge her on mainstream music terms-in folk music these things are not particularly special qualities), but as for being slagged because she is popular-it's true, some do do that, but I don't. I wish her the best of success, and hope that others are able to become as famous to balance things out a bit, provide an alternative sound and ideology. It's funny, people spent years rejecting the "waify girl with guitar" image (Julie Felix, etc), and it is still so very attractive and powerful, in a way. I imagine if she held strong opinions on things ( as Joan Baez or similar), she would really be a force to be reckoned with.
Some folks like a nice noise and since that is a large part of the function of music I guess I give up. There'll always be all kinds of music, puff and substance, and people will choose for themselves. Quite right.
pv

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: old git
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 05:29 PM

VIN,
that group at saddleworth were called "Heyfever" (i think that's the right spelling)
i agree   they were brilliant

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: okthen
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 05:38 PM

Saw Kate a couple of weeks ago with 'catter RolyH, I was blown away, I had thought she might be a "little girly lost on a great big stage" how wrong could I be, that lady OWNED the stage, she gave a mature proffessional more than just competant performance. Her band were of equal calibre. If you get chance go see her, if you've seen her already you'll know what I mean.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,Sibelius
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 06:41 PM

Well, is Kate Rusby's music English, not English, folk music, not folk music, trad., not trad., manufactured, not manufactured?
Remember what that aggressive Carthy girl's (ouch!) dad said: the worst thing you can do to a folk song is NOT SING IT!

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: michaelr
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 08:58 PM

okthen, I agree with you completely. Kate is maturing into a major talent and a force to be reckoned with, not only as an interpreter of traditional songs, but also as a writer, composer and arranger. I look forward to many great albums to come from her.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 02:32 AM

She still sing bloody miserable songs at times (And I know that is the English song tradition)

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: okthen
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 04:03 AM

Guest 2:32, you have encapsulated the essence of traditional English song, songs which reflect the national character, a national character sculpted and trained by weather, social conditions, and tens of successive governments, governments which understand that the British people are not happy unless they've got something to moan about and have diligently endeavoured to supply the demand they have created. So is it any wonder our songs are bloody miserable.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,Santa
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 05:21 AM

Well, Kate herself jokes about all folk songs being miserable, but I don't think that it is actually true of the English tradition. Such certainly exist, but alongside bucolic drinking songs, pastoral delights and sweet love songs. They may have the sailor going away, but back he comes. (With his broken ring on a bit of string...)

It was pointed out that English night visiting songs have happy endings, whereas the Scottish ones end in death, murder, drownings and the destruction of families... A gross simplification I'm sure, but maybe you've been listening to the Scottish songs Kate sings?

There are of course the sad songs about industrial working conditions, but many of those have been played up (or written) by the left-wing side of the folk movement. I'm certainly not knocking them, but when you're pressing for change you aren't going to play up the sunny side of life. Even when your predecessors did - to name but one example, Tommy Armstrong wrote his happy bouncy songs too.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: smallpiper
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 06:04 AM

I like her and what she does and long may she continue to do it. I do find it supprising that people find her music samey, but then it shouldn't because I can't count the number of times I've heard people complain about trad music because it all sounds the same! A quote from a punter at whitby "same music different people , I can't stand that diddly diddly mafia" oh well thank god we're all different eh?

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 08:52 PM

THough some of the above is hard conversation I find it all very interesting. I think Polly has asked some very interesting questinons about whats English and what isnt.I like what Less said as well and Citern too.I like the effort of looking at whats english and whats celtic baced. I think Martin Carthy over the years has done very well at making Irish tunes sound English ( His family is Irish isnt it ?? ) . And I think he has done it well because of his joyfull interest in Moris danceing and that lilt is a strong subtext in his playing. ( along with a great right thumb from the delta)
          When somethings as good as Kate's work I dont want to put it into a catagory so I will just think of her as a very good musician who loves where she comes from and loves the music she plays. I dont think its HER fault that others have tryied to pigion Hole Her into a type. Shes a Yorkshire born woman who plays music she loves. I play blues and english music as well and I am not Black or English. Its just music I have to play !
            The great thing about Kate and Johns music is how they work off of each other. I love the open style of Whoever's classy guitar things . I havent seen them so I have no idea whos doing what . I think ( I guess) Kate has a wonderful sence of space in her playing .. The mandolin work on " A Bold Young Farmmer" is the best of "less is more". We have years to see what she dose and I for one will follow her work with joy and great happyness she is there.I also think John is very good at adding and leaving room for her to shine. I worked very hard at staying out of Lui Collin'd way but adding on stage for years so I know from where iI speak. Great job Kids !!! All the best to all here, Guy Wolff

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: Beverley Barton
Date: 10 Oct 03 - 08:46 AM

poor miss rusby! i hope she doesn't read any of this. i have bought all her albums to date and think she's great,in fact, she's the only "folk" singer in my cd collection

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: michaelr
Date: 10 Oct 03 - 07:54 PM

Has anyone heard her new album? If so, consider posting a review.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,eliza c
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 01:37 PM

hi,
The family is Irish a few generations back, but dad for a long time worked with Scots ballads, anglicising them. That was what they put him forward for the MBE for, apparently (the Scots, that is). People tend to see the family as performing only English stuff, when in fact the Watersons and MC always did a pretty eclectic mix of Brit and American material. Same thing with Kate really, people see it as English when in fact it's a mix (quite a Celtic-sounding mix to my ears, especially with John arranging and producing for so long and people like Mike Mcgoldrick playing.Nice though.). Could be an English trait, I suppose.
I'm not sure about the English songs having happy endings. I tend to sing the sad ones, where he's dead or drownded at the end, and I do do mainly English stuff, because I'm a nerd!
x cheers

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 05:30 PM

Thanks eliza c for the clarification. Very good music always draws from tons of great subtexts. Bringing up the Scotish rythums is an obvious important addition to the mix ( very interesting ) and put that with the strong lilt of the Morris dance rythum what a great tention he gets. He was great on THursday night in Pawlling Ny . !!!!
            Isnt Kate's a "Bold Young Farmmer courted me " a wonderful wonderful peace on the new cd. Sad though so it has the Saddly ever after thing soan up ! I do like the production team's work on the latest cd "Ten" on miking and post production mixing. The work is not over compressed and sounds very present ( a hard thing to pull off ) . A class act !

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 10:47 AM

Someone's lent me Ten, and I've been listening to it while driving in the mountains. Fabulous.

Rusby has fantastic control, timing, pitch - and her voice, already beautiful, is going to mature into a rich, full alto.

Some of the songs are truly eerie, like Maid of Llanwellyn; others are from a very *female* viewpoint, like the first song on the album, about a lad taken by the soldiers and turned into a lout, and his wife's feelings about this.

Amazing stuff, from a wonderful artist.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 07:05 PM

Hmm. Can someone tell me about Maid of llanwellyn? I looked it up and it gave three verses, which I'll quote. But what makes Rusby's version so fantastic is the chorus she inserts, which turns it from a sweet but ordinary love song into something pagan and strangely hauntingl:

No sheep on the mountain, no goat
No horses to offer, no boat
Only hens I have with me,
They are one two and three
But the Maid of llanwellyn smiles sweetly on me.


The original verses are these:

Maid of Llanwellyn

I've no sheep on the mountains nor boat on the lake
Nor coin in my coffer to keep me awake
Nor corn in my garden, nor fruit on my tree
Yet the maid of Llanwellyn smiles sweetly on me.

Rich Owen will tell you with eyes full of scorn
Threadbare is my coat and my hosen are torn
Scoff on my rich Owen, for faint is thy glee
When the maid of Llanwellyn smiles sweetly on me.

The farmer rides proudly to market and fair
And the clerk at the ale house still claims the great chair
But of all our proud fellows, the proudest I'll be
When the maid of Llanwellyn smiles sweetly on me.

Subject: RE: Review: Kate Rusby - opinions please?
From: GUEST,In the Studio
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 08:18 PM

Nice voice nice songs - but... a bit samey - I must admit I've only heard a few of her songs but found them to be so samey that I didn't persue listening to any more (this of course could be my loss).