Against the Streams

Against the Streams

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
England's June Tabor is almost always described as a folk singer, but she has none of the spontaneity and playfulness of a true folk artist. In fact, she more closely resembles a classically trained art singer who works best within precise, controlled settings. On "Against the Streams," Tabor implicitly acknowledges this fact by choosing songs and arrangements which emphasize formal structures over intuitive interpretation. The result is the best recording she has ever made.

Elvis Costello wrote "I Want to Vanish" specifically for the album. It's an interesting song, but its elliptical language and peculiar intervals have nothing to do with folk music and everything to do with the sort of art music Costello cowrote with the Brodsky Quartet. In similar fashion, Richard Thompson's "Pavanne," the story of a particularly vicious femme fatale, is a painstakingly deliberate number that demands careful delivery. Tabor is the perfect vocalist for the austere artifice of these two songs and of similar numbers by Texas' Eric Taylor, Australia's Alistair Hulett, and England's Ian Telfer.

It helps that Tabor is backed by minimalist chambermusic arrangements led by her two road musicians, pianist/cellist Huw Warren and violinist/accordionist Mark Emerson. Except for one lapse, when Tabor tries a lively folkdance number, "Against the Streams" is a perfect match of slow-moving chamber settings, demanding material and strong, studied singing. --Geoffrey Himes

Tracks:

Shameless Love
I Want To Vanish
False False
Pavanne
He Fades Away
The Irish Girl
Apples And Potatoes
Beauty And The Beast: An Anniversary
The Turn Of The Road
Windy City
Waiting For The Lark

Amazon.com

England's June Tabor is almost always described as a folk singer, but she has none of the spontaneity and playfulness of a true folk artist. In fact, she more closely resembles a classically trained art singer who works best within precise, controlled settings. On "Against the Streams," Tabor implicitly acknowledges this fact by choosing songs and arrangements which emphasize formal structures over intuitive interpretation. The result is the best recording she has ever made.

Customer Reviews:

If You Are New To June Tabor, Start Here.......2003-02-10

This was the second June Tabor CD I ever bought, the first being an oldie, Airs and Graces. Whereas the first one was mainly traditional, this one is mostly contemporary. But she gives this material the same loving care that is evident on the older stuff. And if you are new to traditional music or to June, you may want to start here. The songs are some of the most beautiful she has ever recorded - and of course there is her unique voice, which is deep, dark, and rich. Do give this a listen.

A repeat performer!.......1998-06-10

June Tabor's contralto is awesome. Her voice is a combination of melody and feeling that you seldom hear and this CD is one of her best.

The lyrics of Tabor's songs are as unusual and unexpected as her voice. SHAMELESS LOVE, the first cut, is a witty look at romance with a light, airy feel to it. PAVANNE tells the story of a female assassin none of us would wish to meet alone in a dark alley--or at a State dinner, for that matter! APPLES AND POTATOES is a sprightly humorous Irish traditional song. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, AN ANNIVERSARY, talks about what happens to Belle long after the initial romance.