Track Listing

1. The Cruel Brother
2. Love Henry
3. Bareback to Bullhassocks
4. Here's Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy
5. Adieu Adieu
6. Creeping Jane
7. The Flying Cloud
8. House Carpenter
9. A Blacksmith Courted me
10. When First I came to Caledonia
11. Peggy & The Soldier
12. Clerk Sanders

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22355 in Music
• Released on: 2005-03-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
Kind Letters sees Martin returning to the mainly British traditional material that he explored on his Award winning CD, The Bramble Briar. With the addition of a beautiful rendition of "When First I Came to Caledonia", the wonderful banjo-accompanied track, "The House Carpenter" and his self-composed tune, "Bareback to Bullhassocks", (in honour of his road manager and great friend, Terry Oliver), this collection of songs finds Martin at his most relaxed best.

Martin enlisted the help of some good friends for this recording--the wonderful Irish band, Danú on the tracks "When First I Came to Caledonia", "Here's Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy" and "Adieu, Adieu"; the extraordinary young duo, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan on "The Cruel Brother", "Love Henry" and "A Blacksmith Courted Me"; plus the ever-brilliant Chris Parkinson on "Creeping Jane" and "Bareback To Bullhassocks". This gave him the chance to work with a group of exceptional musicians and singers who have added all kinds of light and shade to the pieces, complementing Martin's expert guitar-playing at all times.

There are plenty of solo tracks of course--"The Flying Cloud" being a spell-binding performance of one of the most atmospheric of traditional ballads there is, plus a welcome return to a bit of banjo-wizardry with his great interpretation of "The House Carpenter", as just two examples.

CD Description
For several decades, Martin Simpson has been a contender for the Finest Fingerstyle Folk Guitarist in the World Award. But on Kind Letters he puts himself in the running for Finest Arranger as well, with several subtly adventurous and completely wonderful settings including "The Cruel Brother" (check out the gorgeous string writing and the quiet but wild electric guitar behind his acoustic guitar and voice) and "Here's Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy." Also noteworthy are a spare and lovely guitar-and-accordion arrangement of Simpson's own "Bareback to Bullhassocks" and his fine clawhammer banjo playing on "House Carpenter." Simpson's ability to sing freely around the rhythm while playing with a solid, square beat isnothing short of amazing, and as a singer he does a very good job of making the most of his somewhat limited instrument. The album's finest moment comes right in the middle, on a sad and beautiful arrangement of one of the great British death songs (of which there are so many), "Adieu, Adieu." Thisis another in a long line of exceptionally fine albums fromone of British folk's brightest stars.

Customer Reviews

Yet another 5-star Martin Simpson review by me!
I've reviewed a few other Martin Simpson albums - every one I own to be specific, because I think he's great! If you had read any of my other reviews you'd have seen me batting on about how wonderful a musician he is, and how flawless his guitar technique is and how he is one of the truest and most knowledgable interpreters of the traditional music he obviously loves and so on...

That said (and it does bear repeating), the reason I love this album so much is that it really gets to me! Whenever I put it on I find myself drawn in and my emotions move with the stories of love, adventure, betrayal and death so expertly told here.

My favourite at the moment is the haunting "Flying Cloud" which ALWAYS moistens my eye. It's about a young man who goes to sea, ending up on the crew of a notorious pirate ship, and the song is written while he waits to hang for his crimes. His memories of the vibrant life he led and the terrible things he saw and sometimes did are simply stunning, and Martin Simpson's interpretation is perfect. It's not often I get mushy over anything, being 6'6" and 18 stone, and moving pianos for a living like I do, but it gets me every time.

Other favourites include "Love Henry", a simple joyful tune, with a tragic twist. "Clerk Sanders" is a devastating 9 minute epic, featuring some exquisite guitar, and some incredibly powerful lyrics - I have heard it many times, and the first few notes of the introduction send shivers down my spine imagining the dark story that will soon unfold - it is a superb track, and my favourite version of the tune by far. "The Cruel Brother" is another standout tune.

I am not sure that "non-folkies" will be converted by a record like this, but for fans of honest, powerful music from the heart, it is an absolute must! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Folk - It's the new Soul
I am new to Simpson's work but this disc is one of the finest I have heard in any genre. If your view of folk is earnest men with earnest beards then prepare to wipe the slate clean. Simpson's voice and arrangements of these traditional songs is unbelievably moving, it would bring tears to a glass eye. If you have always found folk sterile music then this will convince you otherwise. Open your mind and this will be one of the finest recordings in your collection.

Decoration
Yes, it's beautifully played and there are some great songs, but I found myself exhausted by it all. So much, er, guitar-playing, simply. Every phrase of each song is decorated by little guitar fills and passing notes. Nothing is left alone to speak for itself. It's like jolly nice ingredients being covered in rich and complicated sauces. And another thing: I do wonder why every track has to be recorded using, I guess, brand new guitar strings. He seems to do this on other albums too. It gives the music a silvery sheen and sustain which just isn't that nice, really. And they then add to this by upping the reverb in the mix. What's wrong with keeping it all plain?