Urban & Eastern
Bridie Jackson & The Arbour : Bitter Lullabies (UK,2011)****+
I still remember Bridie’s previous album, with an impractical to store oversized package with silkscreen painting. This one comes in a paper digipack.
And wow, she seems to have moved on ever since. The arrangements surprise because of the subtle perfection used, especially the acapella polyphonic arrangements, reconsidering the origins of the genre a bit.
The first track, “We talked Again” starts with a beautifully resonating like glass deep xylophone with singing to it, with a very quiet meditative effect, resonating beautifully with its own melody and rhythm, then there’s cello added to it and vocal harmonies, equally beautifully arranged. The vocal harmonies on “Bitter Lullaby” made me think about such subtle harmonies I have rarely heard such harmonies being done so perfectly they are able to create in this private and unique setting. The third track, “Promises are broken” is acapella polyphony with male/female voices and is like some inspired folk version of polyphonic music. “Aliens” is with a crumhorn with guitar and violin arrangement and singing that develops beautifully its emotions with passion. The singing reminds me a bit of Faun Fables here. There’s a folk chamber music feeling thanks to the combination of these instruments. Also the guitar has been played passionately, in combination with a ukulele or small guitar. “The Burden of Survival” tracks shows Bridie’s talent of playing the guitar and slowly developing the guitar theme, with some bass string rhythm with it, the voice is added to it, as well as vocal harmonies. More passionate guitar playing we can hear on “The woman with Milk Teeth”, in combination with crumhorn and later violin. Also here I am again reminded a bit of Faun Fables. “Mucky” is more up-tempo with backing vocals of pupuppupaa’s that are a bit gospel-like. This is combined with ukulele pickings and double bass. There’s more blues in the voice here but it is a more happy up-tempo song. “Please forgive me my human ways” is like an old gospel song, sung acapella. The last track, “All you love is all you are” clearly is a song cycle conclusion, with some cello and piano added. A very carefully arranged, passionate album that comes highly recommended.
