Search - Karen Matheson :: Down River

Supple yet vulnerable brilliance

Peter Grant | Hobart, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA | 05/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There has never been any doubt about the vocal skills of Karen Matheson. The superb lead singer of Scotland's Capercaillie has one of the finest voices in the entire folk or world music scene. On this her third solo album she has finally matched that voice to songs that fully illustrate its supple yet vulnerable brilliance.



The songs are a deft combination of traditional and contemporary. Many are in Gaelic, some harking back to Matheson's childhood (the achingly beautiful "Chi mi bhuam" and the delicate "Gleann baile chaoil"); others of more recent provenance (eg Brendan Graham's haunting "Crucan na bpaiste"). James Grant (fretted instruments and backing vocals) provides two of the English language songs. The touching "Singing in the dark" is unusually but effectively in waltz time.



Another outstanding feature is the musical input of Ireland's Donal Lunny. His characteristic bouzouki work and co-arrangements with Matheson and producer Donald Shaw give considerable rhythmic drive to a number of tracks. An exquisite Gaelic song "O nach eisdeadh" and a mesmerising "Puirt a beul" exemplify this. The result is to broaden the appeal of an album that was already full of heart and soul. And it tends to reinforce my view that it's in the marriage of Gaelic language and Celtic music that Karen Matheson's talents are most powerfully manifest. Without doubt this is her finest solo album so far.

"

Silky and Lovely

editorbob | Ohio | 01/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beautiful, silky, sensuous music from one of Scotland's finest singers, frontwoman for Capercaillie. Considerably softer than Capercaillie's usual, and pure pleasure to listen to. I also recommend "Time to Fall" and "The Dreaming Sea.""