HEIDI TALBOT
The Last Star
Compass Records 7-4545-2
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John McCusker produced several of ex-wife Kate Rusby’s albums. He’s now done another Kate Rusby album, but the problem is that he’s done it with his new bride, Heidi Talbot. It’s all very pretty but Talbot is, simply, no Kate Rusby. Talbot, the former lead singer of Cherish the Ladies, has a sweet voice and whispery tones, but has little bottom or grit. Thus, when an old saw such as “Willie Taylor” could use a forceful roar, the best Talbot can manage is a gentle huff. There are several moving moments, such as the Talbot-McCusker original “The Last Straw” and the emotional “Start It All Over Again.” “Beeker Street” is also bouncy fun and the musicianship throughout is strong, as one might expect from players drawn from Capercaillie, Rusby’s old band, and Phil Cunningham’s studio lineup. But when the vocals that impress most come from backup singers (the sublime Karine Polwart, the powerful Eddi Reader, and the reedy Kris Drever), it’s time to rethink the repertoire. I’m a huge fan of John McCusker as a human being, a musician, and as a producer, but I am compelled to conclude that he misfired on this project. Ms. Talbot needs to find her own voice, not be handcuffed by styling that worked in a different time with a different singer.--LV
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2 comments:
I absolutely agree. Even seeing Heidi live you could see that McCusker was trying to recreate (a poorer version of) Kate Rusby. Heidi should do her own thing.
Ha, ha! Very funny comments. Quite like her but even the flowers in her hair, the fairy lights on stage, the outfits... A Rusby clone indeed. C'mon girl! Do something different...
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