Laurel Macdonald
CHROMA
Wicklow 09026
also available on amazon
This haunting blend of music from the traditions of Cape Breton and the new technologies of this modern time is at the same time comforting and disquieting. Before this sets off bells in your head, know that I am using that term, disquieting, to indicate that much of the music has a strong edge to it, LAMENT OF THE BIRDS, or TRANS-CHANT. Her music displays a strong base from the traditions of Cape Bretons community and its Scottish/Irish roots back to the old times. No matter how far she takes the new technology the base and strength of what she grew up with is still strongly evident. Those of you familiar with Mary Jane Lamond's SUAS E! will have an inkling of what to expect here as she was the co-producer of that disc along with Phillip Strong who is alone as the producer of this one. Like Mary Jane's disc this one too is sung in a mixture of the Gaelic and English languages with a very good effect. She has a voice that is breathy and soft, almost floating with the music as a bird soars on the thermals. "LAMENT OF THE BIRDS" is a perfect of this ethereal and yet strong voice that holds the listener right there transfixed by the visual image the voice projects. At other times the voice speaks with the power of the earth, it seems to well up from the depth of the earth as if it was an oil well that was just now gushing as it was tapped, "TRANS-CHANT". Part of her effectiveness is the use of the music to support the effect of the voice she is striving for. It is a disc that I thoroughly enjoy, except that I find that I have to be in the mood to hear it. It is a very powerful voice that laurel macdonald speaks with.
Produced by - Philip Strong
Songs and times ( I can't decipher the notes to make out all the credits but it appears that Laurel Macdonald wrote or adapted most of what we hear)
1 a wing and a prayer - 5:46
2 Agnus Dei - 5:14
3 lament of the birds - 6:13
4 oran na h-eala - 4:27
5 seek you the lambs - 8:25
6 book of colour - 4:53
7 northsong - 3:44
8 trans-chant - 4:06
9 upon silence -6:50
musicians -
laurel macdonald - vox, bodhran vacuvox, whirlgigg, slide, elbow, prepared, flutter, tremolo bowed & fingerpicked guitars, and bell
david woodhead - bass
john gzowski - lead, ambient, inifinite guitar, and electric bowed dowel
paul brennan - drums
phil - percussion, rhythm guitar, drums, toob, hand drums, shaker, prepared piano, and keyboards
rob piltch - ambient, pedal, and lead guitars
patrick o'gorman - uillean pipes, and whistle
david travers-smith - trumpet
mark duggan - maringa (clay pot)