Search - Natalie Macmaster :: Yours Truly

This is music with meat on its bones!

MTR | Northeast USA | 01/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard Natalie MacMaster in 1998 when I was blown away by a track I heard (Catharsis) on a local college radio folk music program. I called the station to ask who, what song, and what album, and have counted myself among NM's fans ever since. She is an amazing talent, who continues to work her fiddle (her voice, really) like a master sculptor of sound.



Having said that, "Yours Truly" still took me by surprise. This is the locomotive of NM's musical development really speeding up - music you can practically chew, with gravy and potatoes on the side. The tracks take you on journeys of glorious imagination via beautifully constructed arrangements, ranging from gentle, soothing melodies to those toe-tapping, frenzied, delicious rhythms we all have come to expect and love - in fact, one of them is downright headbanging! The excellent musicians featured on this album are a reminder that no matter how exceptional the solo artist is, she only as good as the band beside her. You almost feel that they all inspire each other to play their best, and their best is what you get. This album gave me a new appreciation for the cello and the hammond organ. Some tracks contain so many different instrumental "voices" I almost expected some unpleasant collisions, but what results instead is a well choreographed acoustic ballet, with all the sounds skillfully dancing with and around each other. As far as Michael Macdonald's rendition of "Danny Boy" is concerned - sure it's been done better, but with a bit of imagination, I found it quite warm and stirring. (All you MM anti-fans, don't let one little track stop you, the rest of the CD's worth it)



The wonderful thing about NM is that she's all about the music, following her own, true instincts despite the expectations of traditionalists, mainstream listeners or bean-counting record execs. The greatest musicians of our time have been the ones who are courageous and talented enough to break the "rules." It's a shame more record companies don't realize that.



My recommendation: buy it, play it loud, enjoy it, dance to it. Word of caution: put on cruise control if you listen to this CD in your car or you might accidently get a speeding ticket."

Part of the monomyth

Arthur Shuey | Wilmington, NC USA | 11/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"[from her online bio]She has shared the stage with Santana, The Chieftains, Paul Simon, Pavarotti, Faith Hill, Don Henley, Michael McDonald and dozens of distinguished symphony orchestras, and has appeared on national television programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, ABC's New Year's Eve special "ABC 2002" and Good Morning America.



There are reasons why she's appeared in such varied and renowned company. As an individual artist, she can keep up with them and excite them. As a Celtic music purist, she knows that there's one story in all the cultural history of humankind, and that each good tune is a chapter in that story, and other real artists hunger, as she does, to be part of the telling of that story.



Yours Truly is poignant and playful, dramatic and deep, free and focused, as needed and when appropriate. It's blue-eyed soul. It's what you'll want to listen to when you don't know what to listen to."

Yours Truly Continues to Impress

Ronnie P. Guimond | Reston, VA USA | 10/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Three months ago I never even heard of Natalie Macmaster, then I heard her music on Accuradio's RadioCelt. Three CD's later (Live, Blueprint and now Yours Truly) I'm a big fan.



Natalie's latest release continues to impress me with it's energy, variety, and quality. Every song offers a different treat musically. Volcanic Jig is a great song. It builds as it ebbs and flows and finishes strong--this song has some pop! Natalie's step dancing can be heard vividly on David's Jig which is another catchy high energy tune. Mother Nature and Danny Boy are two songs with vocals.



My favorites include Volcanic Jig, Flea as a Bird, David's Jig and the Traditional Medley which is also features (I think) some more nifty stepping beat by Natalie. Traditional Medley is probably one of my favorite Natalie Macmaster songs--I never tire of hearing it.



What makes Natalie's brand of music so listenable is she gets everything possible out of her fiddle (to our benefit) and blends the talents her band of excellent supporting musicians into each and every production. It all makes for a unique style of kind of Celtic, kind of folk, even kind of popular music that keeps me listening for hours and hours on end. If your looking for something different yet very, very good--and I mean GOOD--get this CD!"