Debra Cowan, a Massachusetts-based folksinger, sings a baker’s dozen Irish-influenced songs on this self-released CD. It’s tastefully played, well produced music, as good as most that you’ll find in the coffehouse and pub folk circuit, and better than some.
Cowan sings in a strong alto with a light vibrato well suited to her material. Most of the CD consists of traditional fare, including “Blackwaterside,” “Bay of Biscay-O,” “The Bold Princess Royal,” and “Darlin’ Corey.” She approaches the songs with a clear and confident vocal style, and interprets the songs in a straightforward manner.
A handful of tracks, including “Biscay-O,” “Johnny Be Fair” and the lengthy “The Dreadful Ghost,” she sings a capella — on some of these she provides her own harmony vocals through double or triple-tracking. On a couple of other tracks, she is accompanied only by herself on guitar. Elsewhere, she’s backed by guitar, fiddle, mandolin and concertina, in generally spare arrangements.
The disc as a whole could use a little more variety in tempo, key and instrumentation. The arrangements and playing tend to be a little too subdued for pungent, ribald and humorous fare like “McGinnis Gets a Job” and “Bold Archer” or the jig “The Old Favourite.” The title track, a ballad of tinkers by Alan Hunter, and especially “Darlin’ Corey” do benefit from a little more boldness in the vocals and particularly the dobro playing of Geoff Bartley on the latter. A few more tracks like these, with perhaps some more uptempo songs like the final joke ditty “Johnny Be Fair,” would be welcome.
But overall, The Long Grey Line is likeable, tasteful folk music for those who like it straight and without a lot of frills. There’s a lot to be said for keeping the focus on the song, which Cowan does admirably. You can sample and order her music at Bandcamp.
(Debra Cowan, 2000)
