Cove Struck Music
Carol Ponder & John Knowles : Going across the mountain
-songs of war and separation- (US,2004)**°° (G->PERF)
Now and then I come across a singer who sings with heartfelt expressions rooted in more traditionally inspired styles. But it was the very human heart driven and soulful voice of Carol’s track on the latest acoustic Rainbow sampler which made it so different for me. Usually I review music with a kind of inspiration that comes out of the instruments expressions and musical inspirations with intuitive spheres. More deliberate song driven music and styles, rooted in all kinds of accepted traditions on various levels, for me rarely digs so much into deeper unfolding heartfelt explorations, like Carol does. She also took the time to put together a well compiled song collection concept, with different angles and aspects on the same subject, with a goal of expressing its content with a self-experienced strength, with a curing heart and with a compassionate energy, creating its own variety of possible effects on a listener. Singing such a deeper personal concept in more traditional styles any time could show even more a vulnerable human condition. But Carol’s voice sings the songs with a soul, slightly bluesy -but more healed-,with some voice colourfulness which we usually expect only to hear from some 40’s black voices. She succeeds even with acapella. There’s a leaning towards the Appalachian / Irish song tradition where we get the impression how such songs can come into existence as if sung and inspired directly from a wife or at some point in the stories, a housewife who lost some family in the war or from similar experiences. John Knowles' acoustic guitar is sophisticated and professional, with a special and nice arrangement especially on “Owl’s Psalm”.
