Bridie Jackson and the Arbour
Bitter Lullabies
Astonishing debut album of exquisite choral folk music
If I’d played BITTER LULLABIES for the first time the day before or the day after I actually did, I’m pretty sure I would have had a completely different opinion to the one I’m going to give you.
As it was, I’d just had a marvellous day walking across some hills in the Winter sunshine when I slid the CD into the car stereo as I began my journey home, as the sun was setting.
The sound that came out of the speakers for the next hour or so was more relaxing than a Radox bath and the perfect soundtrack to a trip through the English countryside as the sky turned every hue of orange until darkness took over.
For what it’s worth Bridie Jackson and the Arbour have created a sound that, for once in my life I can genuinely describe as unique. I’ve never heard anything like it or anything that comes close. It is most certainly Folk Music, of the quintessentially English variety but Bridie’s voice is as individual as Bjork’s and together with the Arbour manages to float effortlessly through elements of Chamber music, the finest Cathedral choirs and even Barbershop harmonies with an occasional glockenspiel, mandolin, Cello, violin or guitar providing beautiful support in the background.
The individual songs barely need describing as this is an album that needs to be listened to as a complete ‘set-piece’ and not as downloaded chunks. Trust me; the effort is well worth making.
The Rocking Magpie 