Timbreland Rec.
Nancy Elizabeth : Battle and Victory (UK,2007)****
Nancy Elizabeth Cunliff shortened her name for her full cd debut, after a brilliant mini-CD. There’s a lot of variety in it within the range of a singer-songwriter with an architectural vision of an arranger. Some of the tracks are inspired with arrangements of a 22-string Celtic harp or are arranged with close in richness of sound instruments like this Far East dulcimer called khim, or bouzouki. Especially here a certain English elegance reveals itself, strengthened by the location where this album is recorded, a 17th Century white stone cottage in the remote Welsh countryside, and a village hall outside Manchester, bringing closer in mind the sounds from troubadour times and of course of Renaissance England. But the range of expressions goes beyond all this. The arrangements are detailed and worked out well and with certain ambitions, are often sparse but detailed, and when with many more layers, are always engaged with a strong feeling for significance.
Nancy Elizabeth sings and played also, beside the 22-string harp, khim and bouzouki, acoustic and electric guitars, Appalachian dulcimer and Indian harmonium (both with a small improvisations), electric bass, melodica, melody box, violin, glockenspiel, percussion, bells and hands with contributions of Peter Philipson (acoustic and electric guitars, bass pedals, percussion, mandolin, synth bass), Danny Noorbury (cello), Paddy Steer (drum kit), Stuart Eastham (a very classical double bass on the opener), Paul Blakesley (double bass on one track), Luke Das Gupta (flugel horn, trumpet with some great arrangements), Ros Hawley (C clarinet) and Jasper (purring).
PS. The LP release is printed on fitting red vinyl and is limited to 750 copies.
