Here is a word of caution to always listen to things more than once. I put The Blackbirds' CD The Earth and the Gravel on, listened to it and just was not impressed at all. The music seemed lackluster the singing toneless and inept. Several days later I figured I should listen at least one more time to be able to discuss the CD intelligently and was charmed by the sprightly songs and mellow singing. Well I've heard the whole thing several more times and obviously on that first run through I wasn't feeling right.
The Blackbirds are Sean Egan, Paul Wehling, and Sam Adams. Each man plays a variety of instruments and at least two of them sing. It's not exactly clear from the notes on the songs who's singing but I think I recognize two voices. To be honest vocals are not their strong suit but I think that's also because the songs don't have a lot of "mix". They sound very simple and as if they're recorded as sung. I don't mean the CD sounds "homemade" but more like a recording of an earlier era-which adds to it's charm in my opinion.
This is an album of mostly traditional Welsh and Irish tunes, a departure from many Celtic albums that feature mostly Irish, Scottish, and American folk. The Blackbirds also cover "Do Re Me" by Woody Guthrie and then there's "The Coldwater Waltz" written by band member Sam Adams. According to the cover notes this song is inspired by a healing spring in Minnesota and dedicated to "the spring, to the people who have fought to protect it, and to the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community," who have created a very interesting and well done web site of a fascinating area of historic and religious significance. The CD does not provide a new interpretation of traditional songs but it is well done. The album feels is like listening to good players plying their craft, and avoids slick production gimmicks. Maybe not astounding but well worth hearing.
The CD cover has an attractive graphic and well written liner notes. They include the history and origin of each of the songs with a line or two of translation for the ones sung in Welsh; it's nice to learn something about the music. These little "histories" are just a paragraph; they end before they become boring. But, I do wish the liner notes included the lyrics. The Welsh songs sound wonderfully melodic; I'd love to know all the words in Welsh and English both.
My favorite song on the CD was "Adar Man y Mynydd" or Little Birds of the Mountains. As the liner notes tells us, birds are traditional Welsh messengers to and from lovers. It's a haunting song sung in Welsh and is the piece from which the CD takes its title. The Blackbirds convey the wistful air of the song no less effectively because I didn't speak the language. A lover sends a message to her beloved "Tell him softly...before the end of the summer...I'll be mixed with the earth and the gravel." This last being the one line of translation given on the cover of the CD.
The Earth and the Gravel is not unusual, not groundbreaking, but pleasantly odd and in it's own way charming. Would I buy this CD? Yes I would. I've listened to it several times and while it's not a complex recording where something new appears each time, the songs become more enjoyable as they become more familiar. I guess that's true of most folk songs or they wouldn't have lasted through the years. The Welsh songs seem a bit smoother than most of the Irish music I've heard, although it's not clear if that's indicative of Welsh music in general or if it's just the band's style. The Earth and the Gravel does make me want to listen to other Welsh songs and to more music by The Blackbirds.
The Blackbird's website can be found here. The address listed on the CD doesn't work. A slightly better site was apparently created by their booking agent here.
