Spiral Dance, Live, Worts'n'All (independent, 2007)
After 15 years of existence, Adelaide-based Pagan folk rock band Spiral Dance has finally released a live CD -- and about time, too! At this stage of the band's progression, however, the disc serves a couple of main purposes. Not only does it afford the chance to enjoy their live sound in the comfort of one's home, but it is also the first recording to feature what in many respects is the band's new sound.
The previous CD, The Quickening, was the last to include flute as the main melody instrument; it also featured guest violinist Ingrid Hapke on a few tracks. She is now a permanent member with the fiddle taking its own lead role, necessitating some rearrangement of older material such as 'Pan' and 'Man From The Stars' while making its own mark on the newer songs ('Black Water Deep', 'The Butterfly'). Also, long time bassist-turned-drummer Kevin Sheehy has left the band. Brent Miller is still on bass on this recording -- though he left not long after -- and new drummer Rick Kearsley makes a significant mark not just with his technical style but also for the more powerful overall sound provided by an "acoustic" rather than electronic drum kit.
So that's what has changed. What remains the same is the high quality of songwriting, mainly by lead singer Adrienne Piggott, and the standard of playing by all members, including band stalwarts Nick Carter (guitar) and Paul Gooding (accordion). The instrumentation and the structure of the songs have always given Spiral Dance a sound of their own which, while unavoidably altered, still remains the case in the current format.
The title is self-explanatory in that no overdubbing or studio trickery has been used to enhance the sound. The playing is generally tight with all members fitting together well; not surprising, when the majority have been playing together for so long. With an hour's running time, it's not a full-length set but the diversity of material is still evident, with the gentle 'Song For A Selkie' sounding comfortable in the company of 'Garden Of Light' with its musical race to the end between accordion, guitar and drums.
The CD's multimedia section contains a video of 'Harvest Song' along with ordering details of previous albums, etc. Unfortunately it's Windows only, though Mac users can still play the video by finding its folder. The sound quality of the disc itself is very good and upfront. though perhaps a bit trebly in places, although that might just be a question of personal preferences. Spoken introductions are also kept in, which I'd have kept as separate tracks rather than having to hear them each time. But minor quibbles aside, 'Worts'n'All' is a welcome addition to the discography of a long running, ever evolving and thoroughly enjoyable band.
