It certainly seems as if this singer is about to step out onto much larger stages than the UK folk circuit affords her, so what is her three-fold magic formula for success? Firstly, there's her remarkable singing voice. Michael M. Jones stated in his review of her Sleepless CD, that: "Kate Rusby has the voice of an angel, as cliched a statement as that may be. It's hypnotic, luxurious; and it caresses the listener like a familiar lover." Thanks Michael, I couldn't have put it any better! Secondly, she combines that voice with an uncanny ability to select, interpret and alter traditional songs in such a way that they come up sounding as fresh as a daisy and as topical as the morning newspaper. On the odd occasion that she writes an entirely new song, it's invariably imbued with the same values that one finds in the best traditional material. Thirdly, the musicians with whom she performs and records are among the very best in the business.

The musical backbone of 10 is supplied by John McCusker, Andy Cutting, Ian Carr, and Capercaillie's, Michael McGoldrick and Ewen Vernal. They're all established major-players in their own right and amply justify their reputations here. The missing, "secret" ingredient may well lie in the fact that John McCusker is not only a brilliant musician, a superb arranger and a recording genius, but he's Rusby's husband, too!

Among the fifteen tracks that comprise 10, only two are completely new songs. They are: "I Wish," which is a traditional lyric, set to a new Rusby/McCusker tune, and "Over You Now," a stunning new Rusby song. Of the remaining thirteen, over half are "new versions" of landmark songs that the artist has previously recorded. "The Recruited Collier" first appeared as the opening track (as it is here), on Rusby's 1995 collaborative album with Kathryn Roberts. That earlier version saw a slight, minor key variation of the tune, and a definite swing in the arrangement. For 10, Rusby's slowed it back down and restored the melody to the one passed on by A.L. Lloyd to the wonderful Anne Briggs way back in nineteen-fish-and-chips.

"I Wonder What is Keeping My True Love," "The Maid of Llanwellyn," "The Wild Goose" and "Botany Bay" all benefit from the process of re-investigation, as traditional songs have a habit of growing with the singer. When a singer has been singing these songs for as long as Rusby, she is able to forget about the technicalities of performance and allow her own voice and experience to extract and articulate every nuance of meaning. This is what singing traditional song is ultimately all about, and Rusby's a compelling exponent of the art.

"The Fairest of All Yarrow" and "The Sleepless Sailor" both appear in new versions taken from the soundtrack of the British "road-movie," Heartlands, directed by Damien O'Neill. Rusby and McCusker apparently have a fan in film producer Richard Jobson, who himself enjoyed a period of success as a singer with Scottish New Wave band The Skids. The folk persons also appear in the film (which sounds rather good, by all accounts), so I can't wait to see it!

The remaining four songs on 10 are re-mastered versions of previous recordings. One of these: "Cowsong," was only available on a limited availability CD single, while "Night Visiting Song" was previously released on a John McCusker album. "Sweet Bride" is one of Rusby's earliest compositions, which originally appeared on "Sleepless." The final song on the CD is Rusby's duet with the late Davy Steele on "Bold Riley," which also closed her debut solo album. Its inclusion here provides both a fitting tribute to one of Rusby's great friends and mentors, and a vindication of McCusker's decision to re-master some of his earlier production work. Given that the track features no more than two voices and one accordion, you wouldn't expect it to sound any different, but somehow, inexplicably, it does. That, in itself, is a testament to the continuing dedication and growing expertise that these folks apply to their work.

All of this will undoubtedly delight Rusby's legion of existing fans, who'll buy this in droves, savour every moment and have their appetites well and truly whetted for the next, "new" album. 10 is also a perfect introduction to this woman's work for any new "converts" (and there'll undoubtedly be thousands), or folks who still wonder what all the "fuss" is about. If this album succeeds in propelling Kate Rusby into a brighter spotlight, it'll be no less than she deserves, and it's unlikely to affect her "native charm," and good humoured honesty in the slightest. After all, this is the woman whose response to being presented with an award at a major, mainstream music business ceremony, was to deliver the immortal line: "I'm dead proud to be a folk singer, me."

[Stephen Hunt]