Reviews

Arthur Elliot "Sidestream"
Radio 99.7 FM Brisbane

The album is a delight, and I'll commence featuring it im my programme shortly.

Thanks

Arthur Elliot

Bruce Cameron "Come All Yee"
Music Show Bathurst

The music is well chosen and the performances and production are very impressive. The excellent sleeve notes achieve what many fail to do, thus provide useful and interisting information about the tracks as well as insights into what drew you to the material.

Bruce Cameron

Almost Acoustic

Spring came tumbling in on September 21 with Kate Delaney, Danny Spooner, and Martyn Wyndham-Read filling the vaulted space of the converted church with their solo sets

Kate's cleverly constructed set won the night though. In only a handful of mumbers she took us from the USA to Ireland and Australia with songs of longing and love, but lots of humour, and introductions that set the scene but never stymied the pace. The audience mad it pretty clear that Kate should be out and about more and we hope she takes the hint.

Andy Ross - ABC Music Presenter

JB Hi-Fi

Awarded 4½ stars in Roots section

This magnificent album heralds the long awaited return of singer Kate Delaney, one of the world's great interpreters of traditional and contemporary folk to the Australian music scene. An original member of folk icons The Larrikins, Delaney has absorbed the spirit of Celtic and Scottish folk, possessing a deep understanding of nuance. Her glorious voice backed by guitars, double bass, concertina, flutes, pipes, organ and fiddles is equally effective on toe-tappers, love songs, a cappella (the moving Uluru) Richard Thompson's melancholy Dimming Of The Day and the Pentangle favorite Lady Of Carlisle.

Billy Pinnell

Mary Jane Field

The lovely voice, of course, she was born with. She has been developing it over many years of singing, both as a soloist and for a long time in partnership with the late Gordon McIntyre, and it ranges over the octaves with a beautiful warmth and depth.

(As a choir director I have often held Kate Delaney up to my singers as an example of someone who uses a natural voice perfectly, whether or not there has been formal vocal training -- I laughingly say that it annoys me that it seems so easy, but, of course, the truth is I admire her singing very much.)

This album, entitled A MOMENT IN TIME, has been a long time coming. There have been delays, due to travel and other interruptions, but she has finally completed it and it has been well worth the wait. It is a beautiful production.

Production is perhaps not the right word for all the tracks, for apparently one or two of the songs were simply recorded live around a dining room table! But when so much talent is assembled, Kate's as well as her accompanying musicians and singers, the power and simple beauty of the music need no embellishments to give out a clear and beautiful sound.

O.K., here I go again! I'm almost embarrassed to admit that most of my reviews tend to be fairly positive. If I do have a negative comment or a criticism to make it is usually hidden somewhere between the lines. But in this case I really don't have anything negative to say, between the lines or otherwise. I'm sorry, I've got to be positive! I think everyone should have a copy of this beautifully-crafted album, especially people that love folk music.

There is quite a variety of styles in A MOMENT IN TIME, ranging from a very traditional feel in the singing and with the wind instruments to songs that are more modern or a bit more up-tempo. And just when you are lulled into the relaxing sounds of something with a familiar feel up there pops a surprise. There is one song, Lady of Carlisle, which has almost comic touches in the accompaniment. Musically satisfying, it is also a song that is fun and does not take itself seriously!

Kate has assembled a group of world-class singers and musicians to work with her, and their talents make great contributions to the songs. But she herself has come into her own, too. She has had an important hand in many of the arrangements for the songs, and a lovely tune she has written plus some words are part of one of my favourite tracks, Love's Coming. These touches are fitting underpinnings to her evergreen singing talents.

Not only will people enjoy listening to this album, but there is some lovely material that Kate has brought to life that will surely become more and more part of the folk scene. I hear that some people have already begun singing some of the songs, and well they should - just don't forget where they came from!

Mary-Jane Field