REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

 

 


 

 

 
CD sleeve not available
Moira Craig "On Ae Bonny Day" Moray Music MMCD 001

Press the play button and the enchantment begins. 'The Lass of Glenshee' one of the loveliest of Scottish ballads, sung by a lady whose light so far has only peeped out from behind a bushel. It should start to shine more widely once the news of this album gets out. Moira Craig has a sweet-toned voice with a fresh unforced quality. She reaches all her notes with ease, high or low, and has excellent control of her phrasing. However, a singer shouldn't be judged solely on vocal quality and technique. A good singer has other things too, such as commitment to a worthwhile repertoire, identity with the texts, and the ability to sing the story in such a way that her audience is as fully involved in it as she is. Moira has all these things.

There's not much more I need say. Look at the titles; 'Flora McDonald's Lament', 'O Can Ye Sew Cushions', 'Logie of Buchan', 'Banks of Green Willow', 'Ae Fond Kiss', and plenty more of equal quality. For the most part they are sung unaccompanied, a few simple but effective backings, the exception being 'Jackie Munro' where the backing drives the vocal instead of the other way around. A rare flaw.

Moira was 'Sidmouth Singer of the Year' in 1989, and she made a successful USA tour last year. Why on earth it has taken this long to get her recorded I cannot imagine, but at last it has happened. Moira Craig's singing is far better than many of those more publicised. I know it. A few others know it too. Now let's see the rest of the country sit up and take notice.

Roy Harris

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This album was reviewed in Issue 44 of The Living Tradition magazine.