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Track Listings
| 1. Steel And Stone (Black Water) |
| 2. Braw Sailin' On The Sea |
| 3. Patrick Spence |
| 4. Beads and Feathers |
| 5. Green Grows On the Laurel |
| 6. Honk Toot |
| 7. Harvest Gypsies |
| 8. Fause Fause |
| 9. Poor Man's Son |
| 10. Rodney's Glory |
| 11. Navigator |
Product Description
Review
Originally hailing from Orkney, that bleakly beautiful archipelago scattered off the north coast of Scotland, Kris Drever cut his teeth on the Edinburgh traditional music scene in the late 1990s. The son of Ivan Drever, (of Celtic rockers, Wolfstone), Kris has picked up plenty of praise for his work with 'Britfolk supergroup', Lau, and this wonderful solo debut made him a deserving winner of the BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award in 2007.
The main reason for all the accolades is his singing voice - a rather nasal but warm tenor brogue with a pleasingly precise inflection that lends the material he interprets an undeniable ring of authenticity. This includes a fair number of traditional songs and tunes, but also several well chosen songs by contemporary writers, most notably 'Edinburgh's resident genius', Sandy Wright, who penned both the opening ''Steel And Stone (Black Water)'' and "Beads And Feathers". Andy McKay's country-tinged "Poor Man's Son" is a sublime piece of jail-bound story telling and Boo Hewerdine's socially aware "Harvest Gypsies" the only upbeat number in a set dominated by mid-tempo material and ballads. Thus, as with Lau, the delicate arrangements really catch your ear. Drever's melodic and muscular guitar work is his other major asset, although this is best heard in a live solo setting; of the two instrumental sets, "Honk Toot" is the stronger. Fans of The Pogues will recognise a lullaby-like version of "Navigator", and of the traditional songs, the most memorable is the bittersweet "Green Grows The Laurel", which has considerable chorus appeal. The unlisted bonus track is "Farewell To Fuineray", the song that landed him the deal for this album.
Of course, no man is an island, and the supporting musicianship is consistently excellent. Producer John McCusker appears regularly on gorgeously mellow, measured violin and his former wife Kate Rusby contributes deft backing vocals as do Eddie Reader, Frank Reader and Roddy Woomble. Of the other instrumentalists, the most noteworthy are drummer Roy Dodds and Donald Shaw on harmonium. Perhaps the album's greatest triumph is the fact that you don't even have to be a folkie to enjoy it. That probably makes it folk album of its year. --Jon Lusk
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By W. Christie
Format:Audio CD
What can i say but if you like good folk music then buy this album it's just captivating from start to finish. Stand out tracks for me are Black Water, Patrick Spence, Poor mans son and Navigator. Also there is the added bonus of a hidden track, the excellent Farewell to Fuineray. A very talented singer and guitar player Kris has been part of Kate Rusbys band for a while (Also highly recommended). Kate guests on the album along with Eddi Reader, Roddy Woomble, Andy seward, Andy Cutting and the albums producer John McCusker to name but a few. Kris was also in the excellent Fine Friday until they all decided to go their seperate ways. Kris made two brilliant albums with the other two members of the band that are also highly recommended. This is Kris's debut album and an excellent one buy far.It's so good that the more i play it the better it gets. I gaurantee you won't be disapointed in any way.
So don't delay go buy this album and enjoy it!! Cheers Kris keep up the good work.
So don't delay go buy this album and enjoy it!! Cheers Kris keep up the good work.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Maud Jane
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first saw Kris Drever when he sand "Farewell to Funeray" at one of Kate Rusby's gigs and can heartily recommend both the Fine Friday albums, which I have played more than any other CDs over the past year or so. I was delighted to find that this solo album had come out and I was not disappointed when I played it. Personal favourites are "The Harvest Gypsies" and "Braw Sailing on the Sea" but there is not a bad or lacklustre song on this CD.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By T. rose
Format:Audio CD
'Blackwater' was produced by John McCusker at Pure Studios. If I hadn't read the credits, I would have known it was John anyway both from the production and from his own contributions. Kris also has the sterling support of Kate Rusby herself, Andy Cutting, Eddi Reader, Roddy Woomble, Andy Seward and Donald Shaw - names to make your mouth water. I just love the way these people work together, live and on one another's albums - never incestuous, just great networking with each one taking their turn at the front. They add colour to the album, but Kris' voice and guitar are always the main focus.
The traditional material includes the well known - Patrick Spence (didn't think I ever wanted to hear another version but Kris makes it new again) and Green Grow the Laurel, together with Braw Sailin' on the Sea and the secret track (don't tell anyone) Farewell to Fuineray which others may know but I didn't.
Contemporary material is well chosen to include laments for lost work which, though hard, gave people identity in Boo Hewardine's Harvest Gypsies and the magnificent Navigator, to the consequences in Poor Man's Son when work has no identity and robbery is turned to instead, to more elusive themes with Steel and Stone (Black Water) and Beads and Feathers.
All in all, there really is nothing to fault in this album. We're going to be hearing a lot more of Kris Drever, make sure you start here.
Paul Villiers
The traditional material includes the well known - Patrick Spence (didn't think I ever wanted to hear another version but Kris makes it new again) and Green Grow the Laurel, together with Braw Sailin' on the Sea and the secret track (don't tell anyone) Farewell to Fuineray which others may know but I didn't.
Contemporary material is well chosen to include laments for lost work which, though hard, gave people identity in Boo Hewardine's Harvest Gypsies and the magnificent Navigator, to the consequences in Poor Man's Son when work has no identity and robbery is turned to instead, to more elusive themes with Steel and Stone (Black Water) and Beads and Feathers.
All in all, there really is nothing to fault in this album. We're going to be hearing a lot more of Kris Drever, make sure you start here.
Paul Villiers
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5.0 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kris Drever - the Orcadian wonderboy
This is such a great CD. It is an early showing of treasure to come but Kris Drever is already a consummate professional on this album. Read more
Published 12 months ago by joolsem
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth a Listen
I bought this album after hearing the track Steel and Stone, had never heard of Kris Drever before that. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Solitaire
5.0 out of 5 stars
Black Water
Excellent debut from Kris, make sure you buy it!
Fave tracks, and all are great...Poor Man's Son! Harvest Gypsies, and Black Water. Read more
Fave tracks, and all are great...Poor Man's Son! Harvest Gypsies, and Black Water. Read more
Published on 22 July 2010 by Jimmy Jones
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not for me
Kris Derver's undoubtably a fine musician, but I couldn't warm to this album at all. My main gripe is his rather flat, limited voice, which really grates on me after a few songs. Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2009 by oldhasbeen
3.0 out of 5 stars
a little over hyped
this is certainly a good album but for me nothing special, maybe that's because I've got too many albums -thousands of them- so it's hard for something new to stand out. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2009 by Hugh Crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
I bought this album after buying Woomble, Drever and McCusker, which in itself is a very good album, but Kris Drever album leave's it far behind. Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by Mr. M. J. Law
5.0 out of 5 stars
Black water deep joy
I saw Kris at Celtic Connections this year and was blown away. He's won folk awards but is just as much part of the nu-folk and anti-folk scene. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2009 by JuJuDollie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Orkney's Finest
We saw Kris at the Orkney Festival this year, and bought the album on spec: glad I did. A fine set of songs and tunes, with just the right mix of new and trad. Go buy it now !
Published on 28 Jun 2008 by Mr. P. S. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply devine music & singing
Don't usually write reviews but only give albums "stars" but just had to say how wonderful this album is. Read more
Published on 7 May 2007 by Iain Mcpherson
5.0 out of 5 stars
More a fan letter than a review!
We heard him in session with Andy Kershaw then live, playing guitar with Kate Rusby so we took the plunge and bought the album in the interval. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2006 by William Purcell
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