REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

TRIM RIG AND A DOXY - Trim Rig And A Doxy
TRAAD CD0001

Trim Rig And A Doxy are Julia and Derek Batters and if you haven’t
encountered the singing of Derek and the melodeon playing of Julia at
some folk or maritime festival over the years then you must have been
asleep.  They perform a range of shanties and (mostly) sea songs from the Cyril Tawney and Stan Rogers end of the musical spectrum and they do it well.  There are few surprises in the repertoire with good versions of the likes of Fiddler’s Green, Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her, Grey Funnel Line etc.  This is a good example of a CD that does exactly what it says on the tin and that is where this review could have ended.  But then along came Widowmaker, John Connolly’s terrific song of the women left behind when their men go to sea.  I hope John will not mind if I say that, for me, the best version of this song is still that of Tom Lewis but goodness me this rendition runs it close!  Julia’s melodeon playing stands out for it’s sensitivity and there is a power in Derek’s understated, at times almost spoken, delivery of the words that passes my ‘hair on the neck’ test with ease. 

Good stuff, indeed. On the liner notes Johnny Collins says that a CD from this duo is long overdue and he’ll get no argument from me.

Phil Thomas