Mark Gibbens wishes the box and dulcimer were more common pairings as he listens to Sand & Soil the new album by Maclaine Colston and Saul Rose. Dulcimer and melodeon virtuosos respectively, Sand and Soil has been a long time a brewing and it's clear that its a product of a lot of careful work. I am familiar with this combination of dulcimer and box, South Yorkshire favourites Bob and Chris Fitt are great examples and it is a shame it isn't a more common pairing, as they are instruments that can really compliment each other.
Between them, Mac and Saul have collaborated with many of the great and good of the British Folk scene; the Kings of Callicut, Waterson:Carthy, Faustus, Jennifer Crook, Bellowhead and Whapweasel, to name a few. They are experienced and confident musicians, and always a pleasure to hear. On this album, they also involve Mark Colgan (Maclaine's father), Jennifer Crook and Teph Kay.
Sand & Soil is a mix of great songs and sung stories, and stomping dance tunes, many English, some Scottish. There is a lot of traditional material here, given fresh and thoughtful treatments alongside recent compositions too.
If they ever decide to add fiddle and English bagpipes to this mix, my soul will be entirely theirs...
Saul's box is a sheer joy on this album: plain, honest and punchy on The Lazy Farmer; driving, rich and dancey on The Little Bear/Wobbly Cat/Twin Sisters; warm and full of humour on The Devil and the Feathery Wife. Likewise, Maclaine's dulcimer is given plenty of opportunity to shine: full of control and grace, but also delivering great punch and power. On the tracks British Man O' War and Barbaree, I thought the dulcimer almost sounded strummed, and certainly had the richness of a powerful acoustic guitarist. But, of course, the whole point here is the combination and this is amazingly well done. With the melodeon often used to imply a drone texture it is absorbed and integrated with the sustained tones of the dulcimer, soaking up and balancing any stray overtones. And on the other hand, the dulcimer really enhanced the precision and punch of the melodeon. In many places, both dulcimer and box really wander and experiment with counter-melodies, yet as a pairing, they remain tightly bound, almost working telepathically with each other. If they ever decide to add fiddle and English bagpipes to this mix, my soul will be entirely theirs.
While many of the songs are just Mac and Saul, a few had richer three or fourpart arrangements involving their guest artists.
The songs are also rich and remarkable on Sand & Soil. The Lazy Farmer and The Devil & the Feathery Wife were both great fun--up-front and bawdy. British Man O' War and Bold Fisherman were both highlights also for me--overflowing with warmth and exuberance. While many of the songs are just Mac and Saul, a few had richer three or fourpart arrangements involving their guest artists. One track, Don't you Go, a powerful anti-war song written originally by the legendary John Martyn, proves to be a great platform for the soaring and emotive soprano of Teph Kay. The only song that left me feeling slightly unmoved was Locksley Hall, which is part of a poem by Lord Tennyson, set to music by Maclaine. His vocals on it were certainly strong and full of emotion, but somehow I found the arrangement and setting a bit average. Perhaps just a matter of personal taste, or perhaps that such a strong album sets extremely high standards that not all tracks are going to stand up to.
So, when all's said and done, I hold that this album really shines, even down to the production which was clean, full, perfectly balanced, and left the marks of the makers in some places by allowing the real clicks and noises of the intruments through. It has certainly earned a prominent place in my collection.
