Jerry Burns Album Review.

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"I have been going to gigs and spending too much of my money on music since the late 1960s and still do. I have just received the remastered Jerry Burns album. Having bought lots of my original albums in remastered form, they usually fall into two groups, the largest by far, the sound is all cleaned up all the warts taken out and you end up with a better sounding album but with a sterile sound that has lost the indefinable thing that made it brilliant in the first place. Then there is the much smaller group, where the person doing the remaster realises and cares what the album was all about and keeps the magic. The Jerry Burns album is one of my all time favourite studio albums. Paul McGeechan has somehow found more music than the original and separated it all whilst somehow keeping the feel and atmosphere of the original, if that makes sense, and that wonderful voice is in the room with you. He needs to take a bow, a rare work of genius that improves on the original.

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Kate Rusby 10 Album Review.

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Rather than a “greatest hits” compilation, 10 is a collection of songs that Kate especially likes, recorded during the last six years. Nine of the fifteen selections were done in 2002. Every song is either a traditional tune arranged by Kate or an original written by Kate and John McCusker.

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Compass Records has developed a justifiably fine reputation for good sounding recordings. 10 certainly lives up to Compass’ high sonic standards. Paul McGeechan does a superlative job roping together into a cohesive sonic whole recordings from three different studios made over a six-year period. The sound is natural and relaxed with great clarity and realistic ambience.

In this age of flashy and superficial media sensations it’s refreshing to experience music that focuses on one particular traditional style. Instead of a shallow trench, Kate Rusby digs a deep well in the dark loam of her Celtic heritage. Have a drink, it will refresh your soul.

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