5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Robin Williamson: Genius, 13 Feb 2001
One of the finest of Robin's many fine solo albums, this is a mature and engaging work from a multi-talented musician and songwriter. Less experimental than some of his String Band work, with less magic and mystery than earlier solo outings such as "Myrrh", it still contains beautiful and highly evocative imagery throughout. His masterful harp playing adds lustre to the reflective "Scotland Yet"..."the frizzle of chips and the frazzle of the fried egg....and the kettle, always on the boil", "Lammas", "Verses at Ellesmere", "Verses at Powys" and the deeply moving "Innocent Love" are all up to par with his more celebrated songs. "Scotland Yet" was given a powerful reading at the 1997 reuinion gig with Mike Heron, while "Innocent Love" was an unexpected delight at the more recent String Band reunion concerts - Robin charmingly serenading his wife Bina (for whom the song was written). This album does have its harsher moments ("Political Lies" is every bit as uncompromising as its title suggests) - but it all makes for a very satisfying album, one which is well worth adding to the collection.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
change of voice, 19 April 2010
This review is from: Ten of Songs (Audio CD)
It took Robin some years after "Songs of love and parting" before producing another album of original songs - in fact, the intermediate "Winter's Turning" contained little or none of his own material. "Ten of songs" (sic!) saw him return with some truly great work, although the first encounter with it was, for me, something of a shock - both instrumentation and voice were quite different from what I was used to: the instrumentation definitely more "modern" (electric guitars and all) and his voice rougher than ever.
There was a lot to enjoy, however. "Ancient song" is a great opener, "Lammas" a fine reworking of the song he recorded in 1981, the unusual "Political Lies", the epic and most enjoyable "Scotland Yet", the less captivating songs "Skull & Nettlework" and "Here to Burn", the fine songs "The Barley", "Verses at Ellesmere" and "Innocent love", and the outstanding "Verses at Powis", for which song alone you should buy the album: great and moving lyrics with music to match - a melancholic and achingly beautiful vision of life & death & the earth & oneself all intertwined ....
Although not as well-balanced throughout as records like "Glint at the kindling" and "Songs of love and parting", this record contains some superb songs that you, Williamson connoisseur, should not be doing without.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Bardic Breakthrough, 25 Feb 2009
This review is from: Ten of Songs (Audio CD)
This album sees Robin bring together many of the threads of his previous solo career and his work with the Incredible String Band, creating a unique package of poetry, story and song that shows him to be a true inheritor of the ancient tradition of the Druid Bards. 'Scotland Yet' sees him in reflective mood about his homeland, while 'Political Lies,' though inspired by Maggie Thatcher, seems destined never to lose its relevance. Other tracks range from the Pagan ('Ancient Song', 'Lammas') to the personal, all woven with Robin's trademark mastery of a range of ancient and modern acoustic and electric instruments. Another great album from a musical master.
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