Acclaimed Scottish troubadour gathers an international cast of musicians for rooted but dainty double-album
Out Now
7/10
Regular visitors to this site might be surprised to see a 'folk' album getting a review on here - well, what of it? Some of it is worth a listen, particularly this chap and his band of merry cohorts. A Wonder Working Stone is his umpteenth for Drag City, home also to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Ty Segall and David Grubbs, and sees him take a break from his most recent recording partner Mairi Morrison (they released the super Urstan in 2012) and round up a clutch of musicians from around the British Isles.
The ten songs range from the traditional (The Merry Wake mentions 'a bonnie lassie') to the more contemporary The Wheels of the World/The Conundrum and feature Stevie Jones (upright bass), Ben Reynolds (electric guitar, harmonica), Rafe Fitzpatrick (fiddle, rap) and Shane Connolly (drums), as well as a cavalcade of guests throughout. If stories are your thing, you'll lap this up. Roberts might not possess the most powerful set of pipes, but he can trill with a descriptive nuance and a soothing Scottish burr that neither irritates or overshadows the sweet lullabies at large.
Perhaps the centrepieces of the album are the triple-song medley, Song Composed in December / The Bluebell Polka / Rap Y Clychau Glâs and the eloquent Brother Seed, both prime examples of where this man's heart and soul lies. And remember this - Roberts wrote pretty much all of this engaging narrative, despite initial assumptions you might make about the age of the songs.
If you can warm to Robert's style of vocalizing, you'll be falling in love with A Wonder Working Stone.
Out Now
7/10
The ten songs range from the traditional (The Merry Wake mentions 'a bonnie lassie') to the more contemporary The Wheels of the World/The Conundrum and feature Stevie Jones (upright bass), Ben Reynolds (electric guitar, harmonica), Rafe Fitzpatrick (fiddle, rap) and Shane Connolly (drums), as well as a cavalcade of guests throughout. If stories are your thing, you'll lap this up. Roberts might not possess the most powerful set of pipes, but he can trill with a descriptive nuance and a soothing Scottish burr that neither irritates or overshadows the sweet lullabies at large.
Perhaps the centrepieces of the album are the triple-song medley, Song Composed in December / The Bluebell Polka / Rap Y Clychau Glâs and the eloquent Brother Seed, both prime examples of where this man's heart and soul lies. And remember this - Roberts wrote pretty much all of this engaging narrative, despite initial assumptions you might make about the age of the songs.
If you can warm to Robert's style of vocalizing, you'll be falling in love with A Wonder Working Stone.