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CHRIS & KELLIE WHILE - Indigo

CHRIS & KELLIE WHILE - Indigo
Fat Cat / Circuit Music FATCD032

Hardly seems a month since I reviewed the last album by this mother and daughter partnership (Too Few Songs) but it was actually seven years ago (LT76 for those of you with an interest in these things). Although a lot of water has passed under the bridge, what we have here are two voices that have developed a sublime harmony, similar but complementary.

Again the songs are mostly contemporary covers, except for the traditional Captain Glenn (or should it be Glen, à la Nic Jones). Daughter Kellie sings and plays guitar, mum Chris sings and plays a multitude of instruments, and I’m pretty certain that somebody uncredited provides keyboards (I’ve a hunch that it’s Julie Matthews, the producer). Wisteria features some exquisite guitar harmonics. Their acoustic take on Del Amitri’s Always The Last To Know is the highlight for me by a long chalk, but all 10 tracks are worth their salt. In a couple of places, they have given more than a passing nod to Country (Gillian Welch’s Orphan Girl and the George Jones classic She Thinks I Still Care). The title track is a retelling of a Michael Kennedy song that Chris While previously sang solo on the MK Hearth album – for what it’s worth both versions have merits, but the harmonies here have the edge. The delicate handling of David Francey’s The Flowers Of Saskatchewan is quite simply stunning.

All I need now is to find a gig by this pair far enough north that the Scottish contingent of converts can see them in live performance.

Grem Devlin


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This album was reviewed in Issue 111 of The Living Tradition magazine.