She wants to be flowers, but you make her owls. You must not complain, then, if she goes hunting. — Alan Garner’s The Owl Service
We’ve got our first snow here at the Kinrowan Estate — not that much but enough to turn everything properly white. It was interesting to watch our dogs, Irish wolfhounds all, play in the snow as they’re wont to do. There were several attempts to make snow beings of various sorts but the snow wasn’t quite right for that. As for myself, I was content to watch from the Pub here while enjoying an Irish coffee while reading the screenplay for War for the Oaks.
Oh if you’ve not seen it, there is a short trailer that Emma and company made for the novel. It’s quite charming and here it is. The music is by Boiled in Lead. Our review of it is here and well worth reading for all the details about it.
Yes we put together an edition of our book and music reviews with reading and listening we hope will be to your liking. Of course there’s a live music selection for you to listen to.
We’re looking at the works of Alan Garner this time, the noted British fantasy writer we just celebrated his 90th birthday.
Cat has an unusual offering from him: ‘Let’s start off with what Boneland isn’t: despite sharing a primary character with The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath, beloved children’s novels known as The Alderley Tales that were published in 1957 and 1964, this is very much an adult novel not intended for the pleasure of children whatsoever. Indeed its tone is more akin to what the late Robert Holdstock did in his Ryhope Wood series than anything else Alan Garner has done excepting Thursbitch and Strandloper.’y
He reviewed the audiobook edition of The Owl Service when it came out a decade back: ‘Listening to The Owl Service as told by Wayne Forester, who handles both the narration and voicing of each character amazingly well, one is impressed by his ability to handle both Welsh accents and the Welsh language, given the difficultly of that tongue, which make Gaelic look easy as peas to pronounce by comparison.’
We’ve a second look at The Owl Service as Kim reviewed the novel: ‘This is a magical book, and the finest of Alan Garner’s young adult novels. Now, a lot of people associate magic with ethereal forces, great quests and spells and all that, and indeed spells can be found in several of Garner’s other books. The Owl Service reveals a different kind of magic, the kind that arises from the interaction of people with patterns, of desires that unwittingly mesh with the larger forces around us, harsh magic that people employ without knowing it.’
Stephen says this work is definitely aimed at adults: ‘These are only the questions which I find myself considering today. When I read Thursbitch again (and I will), they may be different, as they may be for you, when you read this book. The reasons for this are that Thursbitch is a book that casts the reader as an enthralled participant, rather than a passive recipient. It is, to repeat, a mystery. It may unsettle you (if not actually give you nightmares), but you’ll love it unequivocally nonetheless.
Gary here with music. Daryana wrote up the results of this year’s Russian World Music Chart: ‘Topping the list is Nostalgia by Oduchu, a duo from the Siberian Tuva Republic, released by the China-based label Stallion Era,’ she says. ‘A total of 52 releases from 23 labels participated in the chart across the genres of world, ethnic, and folk music. The list includes albums released in 2025 and three releases from late 2024.’
I belatedly got around to reviewing Brìghde Chaimbeul’s second solo album of Scottish smallpipe music, Sunwise. ‘But it doesn’t have the stark feel of a solo album … partly because she sings on some tracks, as does her brother Eòsaph on the final track “The Rain is Wine & The Stones Are Cheese,” a traditional song used to mark the longest and darkest night of the year. It clocks in at exactly one minute, with the two voices seemingly modified by the deep buzzing drone she pulls out of her pipes as the siblings sing in the canntaireachd style that is used to vocalize bagpipe music.’
I thoroughly enjoyed a new Christmas album of Americana music from Melissa Carper. ‘A Very Carper Christmas is brimming with Carper’s sly wit, country tinged sentiment and occasional winking irreverence. It’s a tour of all the different kinds of country songs you can think of, from kids’ songs about puppies and missing front teeth to lusty country soul, Western swing, folk a hip-swiveling Cajun waltz and even a bit of a Latin vibe, all on the holiday theme.’
I’ll also tell you about a unique album of klezmer style Hanukkah songs written by none other than Woody Guthrie! ‘ …If your idea of “the holidays” isn’t Santa or Baby Jesus, or you’re not ready to hear the one millionth version of “Sleigh Ride” again just yet, or if you just fancy something quite different — a unique blend of American folk song and zippy klezmer music — you might enjoy Woody Guthrie’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah from The Klezmatics.
Speaking of that song … From the Archives, I reviewed Big Band Christmas II by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. ‘Now, if I never hear another rendition of Percy Faith’s ubiquitous “Sleigh Bells” it’ll be too soon. So it was with trepidation that I approached what is here billed as “Brazilian Sleigh Bells,” but I was pleasantly surprised. Bassist Carlos Henriquez has created a swinging and fun arrangement that’s barely recognizable as that old chestnut, with help from soloists Sherman Irby on alto sax, and bandleader Wynton Marsalis and Bruce Harris on trumpets.’
John reviewed a couple of holiday albums as part of a Celtic music omnibus, including one various artists’ live album. ‘Cold Blow These Winter Winds is a Christmas album with a difference – featuring a collection of Scottish musicians, singers and English guests like Eliza Carthy. It sets out to achieve and to demand playing at times beyond the Yuletide season. Using a stripped down approach for the song arrangements and instrumental backings, it achieves a sense of quietude where one can tune in to the emotions and feelings captured in the song choice.’
Kim did a thorough review of some very disparate winter holiday albums: Ensemble Galilei’s A Winter’s Night: Christmas in the Great Hall; St. Agnes Fountain’s Acoustic Carols for Christmas, and Comfort & Joy;
and various artists’ Oh Christmas Tree: A Bluegrass Collection for the Holidays. ‘My personal holiday tastes run to the traditional and instumental, and I prefer those that refer to the religious or seasonal aspects of the seasons; I loathe those lounge singer holiday albums that go on about Santa bringing diamonds, or snowmen officiating weddings. Give me a holiday album that doesn’t pander to the frenzy, something soothing and instrumental, I say.’
Shall we see what the Infinite Jukebox has for us? One moment… So let’s give a listen to ‘Red Rocking Chair’ performed by Yonder Mountain String Band at Cicero’s in St Louis, Missouri on the 12h of April fifteen years ago. ‘Red Rocking Chair’ is a popular old time tune often performed as a vocal number as it is done here.
