Rating: 5/5
Review:
An excellent album
I don't know how this is possible for an old folkie and
guitarist (albeit a pretty rubbish one) but I have managed to miss out on
Martin Simpson's work until I came across the superb Murmurs with Andy Cutting
and Nancy Kerr. I'm delighted to have
discovered him now – however late – and to be able to say how very good this
is.
Martin Simpson is a fabulous guitarist. His fingerstyle shows amazing technique and
skill, but it all sounds as easy and as natural as breathing so you're often
unaware of just how skilful it really is.
He has a lovely touch and the guitar work as a whole is just a joy. He doesn't have the greatest of natural
voices but uses it perfectly, so that it's evocative and speaks directly to
you; it's really good singing, I think.
As well as the top-class musicianship, I think what also
stands out in this collection of covers and traditional songs from the UK
and USA is
Simpson's sincerity and humanity.
Sometimes it's in the words, sometimes just in the performance and
delivery, but there's an engagement and unforced from-the-heart quality here
which is very engaging and genuinely affecting at times.
In short, this is a really top-notch album. I suspect people reading this will already
know Martin Simpson's work and won't need any encouragement from me, but for
what it's worth I can recommend this very warmly indeed.
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