Link to Living Tradition Homepage

REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

 


 

 

 
THREE LEGG’D MARE - Teiliwr: Tailor

THREE LEGG’D MARE - Teiliwr: Tailor
Private Label

This is the second album from Three Legg’d Mare, a trio from Aberystwth. Kate Saunders, Jon Davies and Dafydd Eto all contribute to the vocals and play, between them, a wide variety of instruments which gives them scope for variety in the arrangements.

It kicks off boisterously with Y March Glas (The Grey Stallion) and follows with another song in Welsh, Hen Fechetan (Old Maid), which is paired with a well-known tune, The Burning Of The Piper’s Hut. It’s not all Welsh though. There are a couple of spirited tune sets, Gully’s Maggot/Hare’s Maggot and The Unfortunate Tailor/The Twisted Hem, and several songs in English including Paddy West’s and one, written and vocally led by Kate about the fate of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK, Follow Me, Ruth.

This is a pleasing album. The instrumental arrangements have been fashioned with care, are full without being overblown and complement their voices well. Their harmony singing is compelling particularly in the a cappella Rigs Of The Times, a traditional song brought up to date with verses to reflect the times in which we live.

They finish with an early 19th century Welsh hymn, Y Gwr Wrth Ffynnon Jacob (The Man at Jacobs Well) which illustrates the retention of a folk music tradition in sacred music.

www.threeleggdmare.com

Iain Campbell


Secure On-line mailorder service
Many CDs we review are available from The Listening Post.
Check to see if this CD is available.

The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine.
This album was reviewed in Issue 124 of The Living Tradition magazine.