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Karine Polwart - Faultlines

 

Karine is an excellent Scottish singer/songwriter who was previously the vocalist with folk group Malinky - and her involvement in the traditional scene is obvious on 'Faultlines' as she mixes Celtic folk with contemporary songwriter sensibilities.

The songs are wonderfully constructed, introspective pieces that are lyrically deep and often dark in tone, but this is countered by a lightness of touch in the arrangements and some delicate and memorable melodies.  These qualities make the songs immediate and accessible but with the lyrical depth to reward thought-provoking repeated listens.

The instrumentation is mainly acoustic and includes variety of guitars, fiddle, banjo & melodeon that give the songs a subtle folk edge without being overly rooted in the tradition - she strikes the perfect balance of sounding contemporary but with identifiable folk roots.

While the disc contains both dark and light, it's the darker songs that really stand out - 'The Sun's Coming Over the Hill' and 'Waterlily' are the best tracks on the disc but they're both bleak affairs without much respite in the lyrics, fortunately the arrangements are light and melodic and it makes them much easier to listen to than you might expect.

'Faultlines' is a beautifully crafted disc that has been thoughtfully put together - her voice is clean and expressive and the songwriting is excellent throughout.  One of the best British contemporary folk albums of 2004.

POLWART KARINE - FAULTLINES

Polwart Karine

CD (Cat No: 12961)

£13.49
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POLWART KARINE - FAULTLINES

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