Ani DiFranco
Not a Pretty Girl
Righteous Babe RBR007 (1995)

On Not a Pretty Girl, her seventh release on her own Righteous Babe label, Ani DiFranco exudes all the style and confidence of the major star she has become. Unlike some previous releases, where DiFranco relied on acoustic power chords and sheer vocal firepower to get her music across, here she creates a lush blend of electric guitar, bass, and her inimitably nervous acoustic strumming driven by the drums of her touring partner Andy Stochansky to create a dense instrumental storm equal to the vocal tempest she summons. She spits out the words of "Asking Too Much," a plea for 'someone who can flatten me with a kiss that hits like a fist or a sentence that stops me like a brick wall' with all the passion and adrenaline she can muster. The vividly abstract imagery of "Coming Up" is delivered as spoken word over a simple, edgy guitar and thumb piano figure. The gentle acoustic apology to a disappointed lover, "Sorry," packs increased emotional wallop set among all the tumult of DiFranco's other works. A more frenetic apology, this time to a man who has been left for another woman, is offered on the breathy "Light of Some Kind." On "The Million You Never Made," DiFranco offers up a fiery kissoff to the major record labels and the price belonging to their club exacts. DiFranco speaks her mind and frames her words with equally emotive, angular, music. In doing so, she has struck a chord with her Generation X peers, and offers a direct, if sometimes disturbing, view into the collective soul for anyone who stops to listen. - Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)

Brooks Williams
Knife Edge
Green Linnet/ Redbird GLCD 2121 (1995)

Williams' third Green Linnet release finds the understated singersongwriter retreating from the sometimes Celticinfluenced folkrock territory explored on his previous two efforts. Instead, he's opted for a return to the more sparse, rootsy sound of his earlier independent albums. Switching producers from fiddleman Johnny Cunningham to Canadian guitar ace Colin Linden probably had more than a little to do with the change.

Some things haven't changed, though. Williams' signature lyrical fretwork and lilting, passionate vocals reminiscent of James Taylor remain. The album features an engaging blend of ballads, bluesyfolk tunes, gospelinspired material and even the occasional infectious guitar instrumental. His choice of sidemen is no less diverse. Players from the troupes backing Loreena McKennitt, k.d. lang and Bruce Cockburn are scattered throughout.

After six albums, Williams is showing no signs of artistic atrophy. Knife Edge is another impressive step in a remarkably captivating career destined for greatness. The journey from ear to there can only prove rewarding for listeners. [MA 1345] - Anil Prasad (Ottawa, ON, Canada)

Various artists
Kerestina: Guitar Songs of Southern Mozambique19551957
Original Music

If you put this music on the deck and gave your listener no warning, they might suspect you had found some immigrant culture in Nashville, playing an urbane but rootsy blend of country blues. Only the foreign language would give it away as these guitarists/singers rolled through what surely must be a blend of folk, rockabilly, blues and rock.

The fact is, these 21 tracks come from Mozambique's urban and mining milieu of the 1950s and merged the folk and popular music of South Africa and other southern African nations into a sharp, edgy urban blues with a distinctly African rhythm. It may overstate the obvious, but the crossroots of African folk and American blues is at the heart of this music, as it blurs the distinctions between folk and pop, urban and country. Two notable tracks pull it all together, the frenetic call and response of Makiwani Makhuvele and the Shangaan chorus that accompanies him on one track, and the wild closing tune, a trio of guitar, mandolin and kazoo that takes you on a rhythmic rollercoaster ride that seems to find common ground in rockabilly and beguine. It's all strange and wonderful. - Cliff Furnald (New Haven, CT)

The Copper Family
The Copper Family Songbook: A Living Tradition
Coppersongs ISBN: 0 9526240 0 1 (1995)

The Copper Family
Coppersongs 2
Coppersongs CD2 or CT2 (1995)

Nearly one hundred years ago, farm bailiff James 'Brasser' Copper and his innkeeper brother Tom, of Rottingdean on the southern coast of England, sang some 50 songs to a Mrs Kate Lee, who was instrumental in forming the Folk Song Society - now the English Folk Dance and Song Society - the following year. Brasser's son Jim continued the family tradition and on more than one occasion wrote down for posterity the words of songs he, his family and friends would sing. Jim's son Bob, now the Copper family patriarch, collected traditional songs for the BBC in the 1950s. He also wrote several books examining the rural life that had virtually disappeared from the southern counties. Each book included songs collected for the BBC or learned from his family. Since the 1950s, combinations of singers from within the family have publicly performed their songs to considerable acclaim. The current lineup of Bob, son John, daughter Jill and Jill's husband Jon have even ventured to the U.S. in recent years to trumpet their pride in their heritage - something we English rarely do well, but the Coppers do brilliantly.

Evident throughout Bob's writings and the family's performances is their enthusiasm for their tradition and the songs it has given them. That enthusiasm leaps from the pages of this song book, which is something of a national treasure, collecting together for the first time the words and music of 65 of the family's songs, introductions from each member, scenesetting photos and anecdotes. There are some gems here - "Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy," "Hard Times of old England," "Spencer the Rover" - and the book's fold flat spiral binding makes it ideal for a singaround.

On the recording the Copper Family members divert from their usual style of singing largely ensemble pieces to include solos and duets - all impeccably performed, although most of the spinetingling moments are Bob's. At 80 years of age, his renditions of "Dogs and Ferrets" and "Banks of the Sweet Primroses" are sublime. If you want to hear wellsung traditional English songs, the recording is a treat. But the book is indispensable. - Graham Gurrin (Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England)

Alias Ron Kavana
Galway to Graceland
Alias Recordings ARK002 (1995)

The opening track, "Shamrock City" sets the tone for this CD. It's got such a loose session feel to it that you immediately feel like you've just walked into a casual freewheeling pub session with a crack band. This doesn't change as the tracks go by. There's a noholdsbarred feel to this studio album, giving it more of a "live" than studio feel. Having said that, the album does seem to be a bit thrown together (perhaps in a rush to get something out to tour behind) and it could have been tightened up with the omission of a couple of songs but this is a slight quibble. The Alias band this time out includes drummer Les Morgan, fiddler Miriam Kavana, bassist Rod Demick, and Andy Martyn on accordion.

Much of the music has a decidedly American slant to it, interesting because Kavana and band rarely tour in the States. He has a clear affinity for roots music from many sources and this is the overriding theme of the album. There are no boundaries or borders with everything from Irish to Caribbean to blues featured. The real kicker is Jagger/Richard's "19th Nervous Breakdown" paired with "The Blacksmith's Daughter." It may be a bit much for some tastes, but it gives a good feel for what Kavana is all about. There's also a fair amount of Cajun flavor tossed in, particularly on "St. Patrick's Day in New Orleans" and "Katy Boyd's Waltz/Cajun Train." Other highlights include the Richard Thompsonpenned title cut and "Watch Out Willie (Trip to Durrow, and Gravel Walk)," a nearly sevenminute uptempo ramble that highlights the instrumental prowess of the band.

While this may not be Ron Kavana's finest recording hour (or, more accurately, 73 minutes), it can still top much of the folk rock that seems to be appearing in a nonstop flow from all corners. There is easily enough great stuff on Galway to Graceland to recommend it. - Denise Sofranko

Rua
AoTeaRoa
Greentrax CDTRAX 103 (1995)

This second album from the New Zealand based Celtic band Rua provides a taste for what their fine live shows are like. Sporting a completely new set of songs, the album mixes equal parts of traditional music, original compositions and imaginative cover versions of tunes from Mary Chapin Carpenter to the Beatles. Much of Rua's sound is colored by Jimmy Young's choice Northumbrian piping and James Wilkinson's superb fretless bass playing. These two can achieve a fine synchronicity when paired with drummer Matthew Lawrence and guitarist Jon Hooker, on such instrumentals as "Jeltic Music" (which incorporates both "The Plain Tree" and "Breton Air") in addition to their fine coupling of "Sir William Hardie's Waltzurka" and "The Warrior Jig." Vocally, the band has not one but two aces up their collective sleeves. James Wilkinson's powerful, Clive Gregsonlike voice that can muster the force needed to sing the furious song "Raider" or the calm of "Eleanor Rigby." Denny Stanway has a lovely, expressive voice that lies somewhere between Niamh Parsons' range and Mary Black's depth. Though both her songs on this album are covers, she is able to draw from such blatantly nonCeltic writers as Mary Chapin Carpenter ("The Moon & Saint Christopher") and Eddi Reader ("The First of a Million Kisses") and evoke an almost traditional feel to their material. Her playing of African, Latin and Celtic percussion gives further depth and nuance to the band. - Lahri Bond

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