RATTLE ON THE STOVEPIPE - No Use in Cryin’

Wildgoose Recordings WGS371CD

Rattle on the Stovepipe are Dave Arthur (5-string banjo, melodeon, guitar, vocals), Pete Cooper (fiddle, mandolin and vocals) and Dan Stewart (5-string banjo, guitar and vocals), and they play a selection of music from both sides of the Atlantic . It’s not easy to pull this off, all too often the subtle differences between the styles get lost in translation. But these chaps are masters of their trade, as can be seen in how they combine “Old John Peel” with “Rock the Cradle Joe”, exploiting both the melodic similarities and the stylistic differences of the two melodies.

The vocals on the American tracks lack some of that ‘high lonesome’ (nasal twang) sound peculiar to Appalachian singers, but that may be an acquired taste. The banjo is a delightful surprise on “Princess Royal”, it seems almost as if it were written with this instrument in mind. The tragic ballad “Willie Moore” has one of those tunes that niggles the listener with its familiarity, related to Woody Guthrie’s “Jessie James” and half a dozen other songs. They finish with a rousing “Roll Alabama , Roll!” with added chorus material for your singing pleasure. The CD has an overall gently rolling, laid-back feel, and is a pleasure to hear.

Elaine Bradtke