This review is written by Dai Woosnam, daigress@hotmail.com, 10/04
Stitherum are Sue & Mike Dewsbury, a
husband-and-wife duo originating from the Robin Hood area of England.
But they have moved from their native Nottinghamshire over the border
into neighbouring Lincolnshire: just like dear old Robin, resplendent
in his clothes of Lincoln green, escaping the cruel Sheriff of
Nottingham.
Now the two are the mainstay of the Gainsborough (Lincolnshire) folk
scene: organising the local club and also the very successful “new kid
on the festival block”, The Gainsborough Folk Festival, which has just
celebrated its fifth year.
“Stitherum” is a local dialect word for ”rigmarole”: though in truth,
it is not the most apposite of names. You see, NOTHING is less of a
rigmarole than Stitherum in performance. They are simplicity
personified.
Sue delivers her songs in a pleasant voice, whilst husband Mike is her
non-singing instrumental accompanist. I salute her for her choice and
her delivery of the songs on this album. The songs are well above the
run-of-the-mill: most are by acclaimed writers, but two are by herself.
Let me strike that “but”: the fact is that Sue too is now an acclaimed
writer (of sorts), having won the “BBC Write a Folk Song For
Lincolnshire Competition” in 2003.
This is an above-average album. Mike’s guitar and mandola playing is
typically generous: he makes room for the singer, as any good
accompanist should. And her singing is positive and strong. As befits a
teacher, there is something didactic in the tone of voice, and this I
guess to some is an acquired taste.
There is an all-too-short glimpse of her major talent: she is a harmony
singer to die for! Pity she did not do harmonic overdubs on every
track.
There are lots of very good songs here, but no great ones. (Pity she
did not do the marvellous “High Part of the Town” from the Jez Lowe
songbook, which is in her repertoire.)
This woman is also singing songs well within her vocal and emotional range.
She has the talent to stretch herself more
on both counts. And that said, I can still safely say that this is an
album well-worth the purchasing.
To buy, write to Sue at: mandsd@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.angelfire.com/folk/gainsboroughfolk
Dai Woosnam
Grimsby, England
daigress@hotmail.com
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