First a word of warning. This is not the only group named Whirligig. There is at least one more recording group of that name. This Whirligig is a four-piece band with Steve Lawrence on assorted instruments, including stringed ones, pipes and percussion; Anne Chaurand, classical guitar and lute; Jim Morton, hurdy gurdy and dulcimer; and Ken Campbell on Northumbrian small pipes.On First Frost, the group sound very medieval, sometimes coming across like a less bombastic Blowzabella. Maybe it is the sounds of the hurdy gurdy and the bagpipes that creates a ground for this comparison, but the band gives fuel to it by including two tunes recorded by Blowzabella, “Man in a Brown Hat” and “Trip O’er the Tweed” as well as the actual tune named “Blowzabella.”
Another strong influence on Whirligig is Roger Nicholson, a Bristish dulcimer player. They play two traditional tunes from his repertoire, “Willow Song” and
“Almeine,” and one of his compositions, “A Fancy.”
At other times, the guitar and lute dominate the music. Chaurand has made a classical arrangement of the well-known “Morrison´s Jig,” augmented by percussion, and she also treats us to a nice guitar version of “Kemp´s Jig,” a 16th century lute tune often performed by classical guitarists.
Most of the tunes on the album are old, some well-known like “Bransle De Burgogne.” Others will sound familiar, like “Lord Derwentwater´s Farewell,” performed here under the title of “Never Love Thee More.” A select few have modern composers, like “Callanish” and “High Over Bunachton” by Hamish Morre.
While always playing well and having chosen a large number of enjoyable tunes, 28 of them in fact, I still think there is something missing. With the range of musical instruments at their hands Whirligig is a group with many roads open to them. But I feel they have not decided which is their main road. They stretch out in too many directions at once.
Sometimes the album comes across as being performed by a gathering of musicians as opposed to a consolidated group. It reminds you of the old Crosby, Stills & Nash-school of making music: “If you back me up on my songs I will back you up on yours.” This is also shown in the arranging credits. Nowhere does it say “trad arr Whirligig,” it is always “trad arr Lawrence,” “trad arr Chaurand” or another group member. Mostly the arranger is also the one playing the lead on the tune, often with no one or just one or two of the band backing him or her up. I also miss the fire and energy present in recordings by groups like Blowzabella. Whirligig seem a little too well-behaved at times.
But I must confess that the issues I have raised have not stopped me from playing First Frost more than a couple of times. If you like medieval music and medieval sounds, you could do far worse than to have a go at it. I doubt you will be disappointed. Nevertheless it is a pity they have only made a quite good album when I suspect they are able to make a great one.
(Lochshore, 2001)
