Time And Tide

BARBARA DICKSON - Time & Tide (Chariot Music CTVPCD001)

The success of any true collaboration comes initially from taking your first tentative steps on a slackened tightrope (in this case since 1992) until the partnership has been cemented with a mutual trust in the person you are going to be relying on. Such is the case with Barbara Dickson and her now musical director Troy Donockley. Originally established as the spectacular Uilleann pipes player in the powerful Celtic-Rock band You Slosh, Donockley's multi-instrumental prowess - he is credited with eight instruments on this recording - provides the textural light and shade throughout the album. The addition of stalwarts Pete Zorn (Sax), Phil Cunningham (Piano Accordion) with Brad Lang (Bass) and Frank Van Essen (Violin) will I'm sure be enough to fulfil most 'folk' audiences requisite criteria and the stirring traditional tracks including "Lowlands Of Holland", "The Water Is Wide" and "Lady Franklin's Lament" will bring to mind Eddi Reader's recent re-acquaintance with her Scottish heritage. Dickson's mellow tones are well suited to the material...none more so than on the beautiful Charlie Chaplin perennial "Smile" and the inclusion of her own self-penned "Palm Sunday" which, will I'm sure satisfy the needs of her more contemporary fanbase. This is an album that has been artfully crafted and may therefore require more than the cursory listen Barbara's popular songs such as "January, February" or "Another Suitcase..." have provided in the past. It's certainly more daring...and all the better for it.

PETE FYFE