Merry Go Round is the new solo album from Bath based English singer/songwriter Jennifer Crook, and it’s a collection that builds her appearance as finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition awards and the promise shown on her earlier disc, and ‘Merry Go Round’ really delivers both lyrically and musically.
She’s put together an amazing team to work on this collection, it starts with the production of Boo Hewerdine who brings his acoustic contemporary folk sensibilities to the fore with his gentle balance that shows the songs and arrangements in the best light. He brings Jennifer’s vocals and lyrics to the fore, but still keeps detail in the backing and a real crispness to the overall sound – it’s the perfect balance for acoustic folk.
The musicians providing the backing are some of the finest on the acoustic music scene, with Darrell Scott adding guitar, mandolin and dobro, Eddi Reader backing vocals, Andy May piano, and of course Boo provides a whole range of instrumentation across the disc. It’s a first rate band, and the overall feeling is laid back, understated and relaxed; and that’s a perfect match for Jennifer’s vocals and lyrics.
The lyrics are well constructed and thoughtful singer/songwriter material – there are stories to tell and characters and situations to be fleshed out, and she does a great job of sharing these with the listener. From the vivid storytelling in ‘She Wore Red’ to the beautiful imagery in ‘Come September’, Crook is a writer who paints a picture with an elegant turn of phrase.
Track listing
1 Catching Butterflies
2 When Time Stood Still
3 Merry-go-Round
4 Cowboys
5 Come September
6 Coming Down the Road
7 Probably the Rain
8 She Wore Red
9 The Spin
10 Baltimore
11 One Little Song
review 04 July 2011
