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Amazon.co.uk Review
Folk music seems simple, and many pretenders pull into town with little more than a presentable voice and a handful of beginner guitar chords. Much more infrequently, performers come along with basically the same constituent parts but through the sheer force of their artistry and integrity are able to use these simple elements to communicate whole lifetimes of experience. Such a performer is youthful Kate Rusby, who sings with the focus and depth one usually associates with the graceful compensations of age. Her crystal-clear voice (reminiscent in turns of Linda Thompson and Sandy Denny) rings out from the first cut. Rusby's assured delivery is dappled with small, unmasked idiosyncrasies that add emotional immediacy. Meanwhile, the all-acoustic presentation is inventive but never slick or overwhelming. Hourglass announces an important new light in the traditional British folk scene. --Anthony Bonet
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I first encountered Kate Rusby in an interview in a guitar magazine, and, as she is shortly to visit Morecambe, thought I would purchase a CD before purchasing a concert ticket. Reviews on this Amazon site made choosing difficult, but in the end I opted for this one.
As other reviewers have commented, Kate Rusby's voice is delightful, with a lovely natural sound. Especially winsome is her refusal to mask her Yorkshire accent, and as a fellow notherner I like to hear "mother" pronounced as "mutha", "love" as "luv" and so on! And the voicing is lovely too; listen to the magical voicing of the word "rode" in the lines "..she rode through fields of barley, and she rode through fields of corn.." on "Rose in April."
In the interview I read, Kate Rusby said she considers herself a singer rather than a songwriter. I agree with another reviewer who thinks "Hourglass" is the best song on the album. Besides THAT haunting voice, there is some lovely imagery of "Old Man Time" whose hourglass for Kate seems to have less sand than most people's, causing Kate to wonder if God didn't give him all her sand, or whether hers has been shared with someone else, or washed away, and to wonder if she brought some in a sack, perhaps he'd give some back. Marvellous!
The CD is a mixture of originals, traditional, and traditional lyrics adapted or put to original tunes. The arrangements are very tastefully done, too, with all of the (variety of) instruments adding to the sound without encroaching on it. In the interview I read, Kate expressed a preference for sad songs - plenty of those here! I haven't exposed myself to "traditional" folk music for quite a while, this could now change. I can't wait for the concert, and intend purchasing her other CDs.
46 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Kate Rusby has a honey rich mezzo voice, and she has gathered around her a group of subtle, sympathetic and tasteful musicians. She has here recorded a set of songs and tunes which combine the cream of the folk tradition with her own lyrical compositions. Those are the bald facts - and they they do not begin to describe what an absolute joy this CD is. I have already saved a place in my choice for Desert Island Discs (well, we can all dream) for the heartbreakingly beautiful Annan Waters, which features some delicately underplayed piano from Kate, and I have been forced to reconsider my view that nothing more could be done with the shanty Bold Riley. But the list of gems does not end there; her voice descends to a sensual contralto for the seriously mellifluous As I Roved Out, and she adopts a lighter mood for the jazzy waltz Radio Sweethearts. I could go on; there is not a weak track on this CD. Buy it; it will move you.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Kate's first album is her at her best, and I cannot stop listening to it, particularly Old Man Time which has to be her best ever song. I would tell everyone to buy this album if I could. Even people who hate folk cannot fail to fall under the spell of Kate's clear voice.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
As ever, Kate's voice is wonderfully soothing and her musicians brilliant. If you have never seen her perform live, though, you are missing a real treat - Kate and the band are... Read more
Published 9 days ago by Karen Garnett
gorgeous music!
No wonder this little lass is at the top of the tree in folk (well in my opinion she could be the top in any genre! Read more
Published 8 months ago by beretta
Kate Rusby
Very entertaining music and also some good old favourites
after attending her live concerts I find the disks very good
and relaxing
after attending her live concerts I find the disks very good
and relaxing
Published on 17 Mar 2009 by Edward Munro
One of the best!
This had to be one of the all time best Kate Rusby albums. It has fantastic songs and a lot of them are either fast and memorable, or slower but at the same time catchy. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2007 by Silven
Hourglass
This was my first exposure to the fantastic talents of Kate Rusby and although I have expanded my collection of her albums to include later material, this, her first album, will... Read more
Published on 1 July 2005 by Rich Milligan
Everything she does is magic!
Kate is an incredible artist. Anyone who hasn't already heard it should also listen to her album with Kathryn Roberts (1995, Pure Records) as well as Sleepless, which is also... Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2000 by pat@patriciataylor.co.uk
No surprise she won the Radio 2 Folk album of the year
As of 9.2.2000 she is the Radio Two Folk Artist of the year and was also awarded R2 Folk Album of the Year for her second album "Sleepless". Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2000 by C. Gwilliam
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