THREE LEGG’D MARE - Milwr Soldier
Private Label 3LM03
This is the third CD from a band based in Aberystwyth that is gaining a reputation in Wales and the borders for its finely crafted blend of songs and tunes from Wales, England and beyond. They use an arsenal of acoustic instruments from Appalachian dulcimer to the tin whistle to produce their sound and the recording quality, thanks to engineer Lee Mason, is first class. They are excellent instrumentalists but, Oh, the voices! Three excellent, distinctive voices of character that blend remarkably well enable them to carry off a wide range of material. They sing in Welsh and English and even a little Gaelic. It’s a nicely produced CD package and the band has a good website (careful to spell the name right…that’s not a typo).
The band has a pretty healthy diary of gigs, primarily in the West. Aberystwyth is about as far West as you can go without getting wet feet, but I think they deserve to be heard further afield (club and festival bookers take note). If pressed to declare a favourite, I would recommend you listen to their medley of the old tune, Lillibulero (a delightful minor key version), which goes surprisingly well with Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier and the Gaelic song, Siúil A Rúin. They also write, and Kate Saunders’ song Waiting For Thomas, telling of the Pembrokeshire lighthouse tragedy of 1801, is worthy of your attention. This is getting a lot of listening in our house.
www.threeleggdmare.com
Philip Thomas
This review appeared in Issue 132 of The Living Tradition magazine