What’s New This Fortnight

So I do hope you enjoyed the strawberry shortcake I mentioned last time. A few of our guests here were nonplussed by the strawberries being white, even after the Kitchen staff explained they were Border berries which start out red and turn white as they ripen. Personally I think some Elf botanist was pulling an odd joke with them!

Lars’s review of Niamh Boadle’s latest album, Maid on the Shore, is proof that she’s one of the talented new folk musicians in Britain and you see why he believes so in his review here.

A self-titled released by Woody Pines is, says Gary, a mix of ‘Jimmie Rodgers-style hobo blues, Delmore Brothers’ hillbilly boogie and swingin’ acoustic takes on some of the more obscure back pages of the American songbook.’ Intrigued? If so, read his review here.

Reynard decided to take a look at just one song, Leonard Cohen’s ‘Take This Waltz’. Not only did he like this song as you can see in his review, he also has a recording from a concert Cohen that means you can hear it for yourself in this commentary.

We’ve got two stories for you, the first being Gus, our Estate Head Gardener, taking a ramble about our Scottish Estate; the second

Speaking of stories, my look at Robert Heinlein’s All You Zombies both shows you why I consider it to be the best time travel story ever told and which version of it you should listen to.

Let’s finish off our reviews with a bit of choice Nordic dance music with Hambo in the Barn by musicians Andrea Hoag, Loretta Kelley, and Charlie Pilzer. Hambos are a variant on waltzes and have become popular at contradances including the ones we have here. Read Reynard’s review to get more on this album.

I’m going to leave you with the Red Barn Stomp as performed by the Oysterband during their American tour with June Tabor in support of their Freedom and Rain recording back in 1991. Ian Tefler of the band says that it’s trad. arranged and ‘The title is whimsy, no one could remember the original name.’ The Oysters have a superb website which you can visit here. Lovely dance music, isn’t it?

Let’s have a bit more music to finish up. Here’s some Norwegian dance music, from Hungary.