This is an excerpt from the print edition of Dirty Linen magazine #100 (June/July 2002). the magazine is available on newsstands and by subscription.

Aly Bain & Ale Möller
Fully Rigged
NorthSide/Whirlie NSD6064 (2001)

The north-of-Scotland Shetland Islands and the Nordic countries of mainland Europe have more in common than long winter nights and cold, rough seas. First settled by Norwegian Vikings in the ninth century, then Scottish territory for the past 500 years, the Shetlands mix Nordic and Celtic cultures with the vigor of the North Sea winds. Fully Rigged is a collaboration between two master traditional musicians that showcases this connection. Aly Bain, a longtime member of the Boys of the Lough, is one of Shetland's foremost fiddlers, while Swedish mandola and wind-instrument player Ale Möller has been a vital part of the Scandinavian folk revival with bands like Frifot and Nordan.

Traditional dance music is the focus of this collection, featuring tunes from the Shetlands and Sweden, but with a couple of overseas visitors thrown in. Deep, brooding tones are the order of the day, enhanced by Bain's frequent use of the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle (with sympathetic drone strings to add resonance). Notes fly in all directions as a rare Shetland sword dance tune leads to a modern Swedish polska, and a cow's horn introduces a pensive traditional New Year's tune called "Da Day Dawn" that gives way to a medley of bright, swirling dance melodies. The upbeat piece called "Winyadepla" and the haunting "Da Trowie Burn" are traditionally said to be "trowie" (troll) tunes, brought to the mortal world by fiddlers who had been kidnapped by the little people who live beneath the ground.

There are quiet moments, too, like the surprisingly delicate Shetland wedding tune "The Unst Bridal March," which leads into a pair of progressively faster dance tunes as the party gets going. The two North American tracks on the disc are also among the highlights, a hard-driving "Bonaparte's Retreat" with some serious bow-bouncing, and a novel Hardanger fiddle arrangement of the Quebec tune "Hangman's Reel," both employing unconventional Nordic tunings that give the melodies a harder edge. And for those who might be new to these traditions, Bain and Möller provide extensive notes on the material and the fiddle tunings used. - Tom Nelligan (Waltham, MA)

Johnny Cash
The Essential Johnny Cash
Columbia/Legacy AC2K 86290 (2002), 2-CD

The man in black just turned 70, so what better way to commemorate the event with a truly essential collection of his finest? Now, I suppose hardcore Cash fans will grumble that something is missing. It's hard to imagine there won't be complaints, in fact, given that Cash released so many albums over nearly 50 years. But these three dozen songs, spanning two discs, certainly do him justice and make clear why he's so widely revered by so many. All the best-known tunes are here, starting with his earliest recordings on the Sun label that propelled him to stardom — "Cry, Cry, Cry," "Get Rhythm," "I Walk the Line," and "Ballad of a Teenage Queen." There's also "Ring of Fire," "Tennessee Flat Top Box," and "Orange Blossom Special." What else? How about "The One On the Right is On the Left," the well-known live versions of "Folsom Prison Blues," and "A Boy Named Sue." Then there are duets and collaborations, such as "Girl from the North Country," with Bob Dylan, "Highwayman," with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, and "The Wanderer," with U2. No, it's not all here. But that's not the purpose of any collection called essential. For Cash die-hards, this is superfluous. But for others, who want a best-of that doesn't skimp, this is certainly a solid representation of a giant 20th-century talent who combined the best of pop, country, and rock, and did so with the attitude of an original. - Ed Silverman (Short Hills, NJ)

Gunnfjauns Kapell
Dansä Läite
Sjelvar SJECD 14 (2001)

Gunnfjauns Kapell is a five-piece band formed 20 years ago on the island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea just off of Sweden. This is the group's sixth release. The instrumentation includes fiddle, mandolin, guitar, flutes, accordion and bagpipe. Dansä Läite opens with a grand waltz of nobility and grace, the "Gunnels vals." Then the group launches into a set of four songs, including one about dancing in old shoes and one which teases the boys for not wanting to dance (do they have a problem with that in Gotland too?). There is also a gentle a cappella song about the triumph of love over the infatuation with financial portfolios, a set of children's songs with a quiet, almost haunting setting ("Sletkalsgilde"), and an original schottische, "Trumbromsen," with a Breton feel. The band shows both a classical prowess, on a minor-keyed polska, "Lärbropolskan," and a dose of instrumental pyrotechnics on "Mördarpolskorna" (which they refer to as their "killer set," due to the aerobic workout it requires).

Most of the material is traditional, from Gotland, but there are a few original pieces as well. There are short notes in English regarding the provenance of the material. The playing is meticulous, the arrangements are mature, and the singing is graceful. The ballads, polskas, waltzes, and a schottische are all played with spirit and accomplishment. This is a gem. — Ivan Emke (Corner Brook, NF, Canada)

Hotpoint Stringband
The Road to Burhania
Make 'Em Go Wooo Productions (2001)

Hailing from the fertile fields and lush forests of southern Ohio, the Hotpoint Stringband is a contradance ensemble with groove and flair and an international edge. The standard contradance instruments are here — the clawhammer banjo, fiddle, piano, bass and guitar — but there are also appearances from the likes of the oboe, doumbek, didgeridoo, djembe, and kanjira. As is the case with a dance band (and Hotpoint does play dances), the need to keep the dancers supplied with rhythm is central. However, there is so much more here than just a solid beat. The material includes a mix of classics from the dance floor like "Elzic's Farewell," "Folding Down the Sheets," "Staten Island Hornpipe," "Swingin' on a Gate," even "Buffalo Gals." There are also a number of contemporary and original tunes, such as an ode to Jerry Garcia ("Jerry Can Dance") and a spooky celebration of a late-night horror movie host, "Ghoulardi's Reel."

This recording marks an evolution from Hotpoint's last, as there is an increased use of the vocal chords along with all of the other instrumental chords. There is a version of "The Cuckoo" and a swinging take on "Sandy Boys." As for the mysterious Burhania of the title, it is allegedly a mythic site of fine food and good music, as well as the homestead of the two of the members of the band. The Road to Burhania shows that Hotpoint is not afraid to take chances with arrangements and to allow an instrument to take a lead that varies somewhat from the confines of the tune. These qualities make this a CD that is suitable to be enjoyed, even during those few occasions in the day when dancing is not possible. - Ivan Emke (Corner Brook, NF, Canada)