It's difficult to find the adjectives, similes, and metaphors to create one more original, glowing description of Britain's shiniest star, the wonderful folk artist Kate Rusby. This shy angel has managed to mesmerize Celtic folk fans for over ten years with her glistening renditions of old, old stories, accompanied by old, old instruments, that have, beyond modern marketing theory, galvanized an impressive cache of young, young listeners attracted to her modest beauty and stubborn respect for a long-lasting musical and cultural tradition.
On the surface, the task seems too easy: put the lass in front of a quality microphone, hand-pick a few of the isles' most talented musicians, and sing and play--a winning formula that allows Rusby's voice, hearkening even the most stubborn ear, to clearly elucidate the old, old stories of love lost to the surrounding sea and other natural wonders.
What is not easy is avoiding the temptation to mess with the formula--something that Rusby tinkered with in her last album, Little Lights, to moderate success. But, to Compass Records' credit, Rusby and her clan, including her husband/producer John McCusker and her brother/sound engineer Joe, are allowed to manage their own way. This new album, Underneath the Stars, is evidence of the label's wisdom. It is, as if n'arly possible, Rusby's finest effort yet, and a candidate for Top Albums of 2004 lists around the globe.
With the possible exception of the first tune, "The Goodman," which opens with a scratchy, slightly funky riff that seems to cater a bit to hip-hop tastes, this new album is shorn of production nuances that slightly distanced Lights from the indigenous folk elements of Rusby's earlier successful efforts. Indeed, just halfway through the opener, the performance is entrenched in the unfettered scraping lovers of British folk die for.
From that point on, the focus is on Rusby's beautiful voice and her ever-maturing ability to illuminate and compose tragic tales, serving as a voice for the forlorn.
Besides her multi-talented hubby, Rusby is backed by the first cut of Britain's folk elite, including sterling performances by guitar-mandolin wiz Ian Carr and double bassist Ewan Vernal. Throughout the CD, especially on Rusby's compositions "Young James" and "Falling," Carr sets the tone and deftly intertwines his nifty notes with Kate's lilting narrations while Vernal's subtle vamping brings a contrapuntal balance to Rusby's tragic balladeering in the midst of McCusker's expressive bowing and Andy Cutting's accordion backdrops. Two other Rusby-worded ballads, including the intimate, wry title song ("Underneath the stars I'll greet you...Before you go of your own free will/ Go gently), receive refreshment from the Grimethorpe Colliery Band's eloquent brass.
In the end, McCusker's greatest production achievement is similar to what the finest artists, photographers, and chefs have done: let the beauty shine, adorned yet unencumbered by simply crafted accompaniment. That's all his luminous wife needs to make a great album, which Underneath the Stars is.
4 tocks
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