REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

BARBARA DICKSON & RAB NOAKES - Reunited
Neon Records NEONCD016

The two foremost folk exports from Fife have recorded six tracks here in an unplugged setting to showcase their renewed partnership (and thus providing them with a collective product to merchandise at their 2014 gigs). Packaged as an EP CD, this features a cross section of their stage show – an Everly’s song (Sleepless Nights), one by Dan Penn/Chip Morman (Do Right Woman – Flying Burritos), an obscure Barbara Dickson Song (The Same Sky) and even Que Sera Sera – yes the Doris Day one…

If the intention was to give an intimate portrait of their common heritage – from their folk club days in the sixties and beyond – it works on many levels, and they rustle up some fine harmonies and guitar accompaniments. But this is, to qualify all the above, just the two of them - voices and two guitars recording six songs in an afternoon in John Cavanagh’s home studio. Production quality is high – but it isn’t a BIG production. Nuff said. If you like their performance, this is a suitable memento (and I certainly enjoyed their Falkirk show), but they both have individual products with much more to say in the marketplace. Sadly, this is the only item of the two together that is easily available (notwithstanding odd collaborative tracks on solo albums here and there). They still have obvious chemistry together and, as evidenced by their Gerry Rafferty cameo on tour, have a historical musical bond which is refreshing to hear revisited and stripped bare for us mere mortals.

www.go2neon.com

Grem Devlin