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Elly Roberts reviews
Proper Records
- Released: September 2008
- Rating: 6/10
- Vote and comment on this album:
Baezs swansong? Possibly.
In her prime, Queen of Folk Joan Chandos Baez had one of the greatest voicesIve ever heard.
A few years ago I saw the civil rights campaigner at Liverpool Philharmonic:the pristine voice has sadly jaded. One-time Bob Dylan squeeze and Woodstockstar has released her 24th studio album produced by Steve Earle whos (almost)done for Baez that Rick Rubin did for Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond et al.
This covers choice features some of her favourite composers, including Earle (naturally)Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Patty Griffin, and our very own Thea Gilmore. Nowinto her 50th year of performing, Baez, now 67, continues to delve into otherwriters repertoire, which she is best known for, to sustain her career,despite being a composer herself. Her natural soprano vibrato and three-octaverange isnt to be heard, due to age, adopting a somewhat subdued style, muchlike Robert Plant did on Raising Sand.
Overall its quite a sombre affair, but does retain her trademark sweetness andwarmth when her voice hits its stride, though it never reaches its formerglory. It glides into action with Earles country blues shuffle God Is God,a great start.
Its best moments really happen on the divine stripped-back country-tingedRequiem by Eliza Gilkyson and Tom Waits tragic Iraq war ballad Day After Tomorrowwhich tells the tale of frightened GI missing home. Both allow Baez to workat her best without overwhelming instrumentation, and the all-acoustic band workwonders backing her.
The mood lightens a tad on Earles I Am The Wanderer, who remains anexcellent song writer and the splashes of Tim OBriens mandolin dazzlethroughout. Earles gospel inflected Jericho Road, done a Capella, with handclaps, book-ends a solid enough an album, which might re-engage her with heradoring fans, though strong commercial success is unlikely.
Nevertheless, with sufficient rotation it becomes more and more engaging.
File under : Possibly her best in years.
Weblink:joanbaez.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. God Is God
2. Rose Of Sharon
3. Scarlet Tide
4. Day After Tomorrow
5. Henry Russells Last Words
6. I Am A Wanderer
7. Mary
8. Requiem
9. The Lower Road
10. Jericho Road
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.