A Review of the And Did Those Feet CD
"Hymn For A Glad Tomorrow"
"Hymn For A Glad Tomorrow"
by And Did Those Feet
Osmosys Records OSMO CD017
This review is written by Dai Woosnam, daigress@hotmail.com, 3/05
Well, any Brit reading the name of this music group, would
latch-on straight away to the reference. The words are by William
Blake, and they were made immortal by their fantastically good setting
to music by Hubert Parry. The song/hymn “Jerusalem” is thus perhaps the
most popular quasi-sacred piece in Britain today, despite many of my
fellow Celts feeling a bit miffed that the England rugby fans have
commandeered it. (From my point of view, if it stops them debasing that
great negro spiritual “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” with their absurdly
silly hand actions – straight out of the “Birdy Song” - well, I’m all
in favour of the rugger fans “stealing” it.)
But I guess to people reading this from outside the British
Commonwealth, the title of the group must seem a bit of a puzzle. But
to me, just seeing their name (before even taking the CD out of its
jewel case) was enough to indicate what sounds would be coming my way.
And I was not wrong.
Perhaps, think “New Age”. More accurately, think of “The Incredible
String Band” of glorious memory, and imagine that their kids are now
ruling the roost.
For Richard Ellen, the group’s founder (and composer on most of the
tracks) has that dreamy quality that made me wonder whether the disc
was made out of some edible/smokable herb! He is aided by a
Welsh-speaking singer called Ina Williams: very good she is too, but
for this Welshman, she sort of undoes the mood, because it is apparent
that a reefer would never enter her mouth. Why? Well because her fine
voice EXUDES “the chapel”, and she would be terrified that such
behaviour would enrage the chapel deacons!
There are others making up this group (methinks it will always be a
group with an ever-changing personnel). They are an odd sort of
collection: one rather fancied that were Chaucer alive today, he’d set
them off on a pilgrimage to Canterbury!
There is an Israeli opera singer called Natasha (real name, Ayelet
Amitai) who has sung in lead roles with the Israeli Philarmonic. And a
poetess from West Wales who narrates her arresting poem on Clemmie
Churchill. And one of the tracks they play is by Gavin Beckwith (he of
the equally quirkily-named “Quietly Spinning Man” duo, who I reviewed recently here on KCP), and I
have a hunch that Beckwith is another candidate for the pilgrimage to
Canterbury!
But, guess what? I know you think that I am being faintly condescending
to them here, and that I am now going to slate the album. Well, I have
news for you: I am not. In fact I come to PRAISE “Hymn For A Glad
Tomorrow”, not bury it.
Is it going to be an album I will play again and again? I doubt it. But
I cannot deny I found it pleasant on the ear, and the lyrics both made
sense and scanned. The occasional tune sounded derivative (track 14,
“Mary I’ll Stay”, for instance) but heck, show me any writer who mints
new tunes every time!
And finally, there’s a very good bonus track of what is termed as
“Russian style whistling on the in-breath”. Made me want to hear some
more. Next time I am in Moscow, I will scour the CD shops.
For details of CD purchase, contact Pat Tynan Media: pattynan@btinternet.com
Dai Woosnam
Grimsby, England
daigress@hotmail.com
Ownership, copyright and title of this celtic music CD review belongs to
me, Dai Woosnam. Ownership,
copyright and title are not transferrable or assignable to you or other
parties regardless of how or if you or other parties use, copy, save, backup,
store, retrieve, transmit, display, publish, modify or share the CD review
in whole or in part. Please read the "Terms,
Conditions and Disclaimers" section on my web site for addititonal
information about using, quoting, or reprinting this CD review.
Return to Kevin and Maxine’s Celtic & Folk
Music CD Reviews home page.
To return to the last web page you visited, click the "Back"
button that appears immediately below: