It does not matter what kind of music you play or choose to listen to, either way you do so because it gives you some kind of pleasure or entertainment. When it comes to singer songwriters, there are several ways they can go wrong. Often they either sell themselves short, or sometimes they are so wrapped up in their own private reality, it is difficult to connect with their lyrics. The latter I feel is the case with Sharron Kraus.
If this album had been released back in 1972 it would not have sounded out of place, along with all the other also-rans that represented probably the worst of female British folk singers of that day. Thankfully, times have changed and we have moved on. These days there are dozens of really excellent female vocalists putting out some good albums. Sharron has picked a hard road to travel, and I am sorry to say this album may not take her very far. Often a singer songwriter can get away with having a poor singing voice by writing lyrics that ring true or have a sense of purpose, like Bob Dylan; unfortunately Sharron has chosen to write lyrics that are nonsensical and have no real sense of meaning.
It is hard to describe what her songs are about, as they are very deep and may have several psychological interpretations, for different people. Song titles like, 'The Peacocks Wings', 'Moon Bathing', 'The Rivers Daughter', 'Cold Hearted Devil' and 'Death Jig' may give you some indication of their content. I would strongly recommend you visit Sharron's Web site before you purchase the album to avoid disappointment. It certainly was not to my taste, but it may be our readers, particularly those who like lyrics based on symbolism. I would advise listening to several tracks from the album before making a decision.
In common with all singers, some listeners may find their songs good, and others find them weak. Every now and again a songwriter will touch base and come up with a really brilliant song, but I did not find that to be so on this album.
