There’s a wee bit of a story here. One day at work (for those that don’t know I live and work in Doha) I was chatting to Abdulla one of my Qatari colleagues and for some reason we started to talk about music. He asked me what music groups I liked (it was a long conversation) and mentioned that he had recently bought a new CD from Cara Dillon which he would bring in for me the next day. I had not heard of her and thought nothing of it.
Next day Abdulla comes to my office with the CD and tells me that Dillon was one of his favorite artists and that he was so pleased that she had won BBC2′s Folk album of the year. Now my ears pricked up and we started talking some more – it transpires that he studied in Bradford and Leeds and was friendly with a couple of guys who played in a folk group and used to enjoy going to gigs and listening to the music collection of his friends and fell in love with Irish folk music particularly Cara Dillon.
Abdulla is one of the sweetest guys in the world and I must thank him for introducing me to this artist and for lending (he actually gave me his copy to keep) me the CD as it has introduced me to Dillon and made me fall in love with her, her voice and everything about this album.
I am not too familiar with folk songs but I do know when an album is full of dazzling guitar, piano, melancholy pipes and Dillon’s iridescent vocals and has a beautifully balanced production. Dillon’s forte is the way she effortlessness expresses emotion; demonstrated with ease on the unaccompanied vocal of the Gaelic tune Fil, Fil A Run O which for me provides the highlight of the album – it’s impossible not be held enthralled and captivated by her magic. Hill of Thieves is gorgeous; dripping with comfort music for lost souls, or for people like me who simply love great music – Cara Dillon and her magic deserve a wider audience.
I’m aware that Hill of Thieves is not the usual type of music discussed on this musicforthemonth but it really is good – highly recommended.
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Lovely story – can you thank Abdulla from me too please? Those who fall in love with this album (and who wouldn’t?) should save up and get all of her other work too, she’s one of those rare creatures (for me at least) that makes you want to listen repeatedly to just about everything she’s every written and recorded.
Maybe it’s just because where I live, but to me, she’s not really any better than any of the session singers we can watch in the pub any night of the week.
Oh she has a nice enough voice and seems to pick songs to suit her tone, but really, if this is what does it for you, then you really have to get yourselves over here for a week.
Tell Abdulla that I do appreciate his taste in music, then ask him, when he has a week to spare if wants to come visit. I don’t know that he’ll come back to you though.
How much for B&B in the Spacey household?
Hey Mr LD do you think Abdulla would like to stay with our old friend Mr Meldrew? Actually Abdulla would probably have a great time and def not come back
Sinny – actually I think you are right and I have a feeling that Abdulla and Spacey would get on like a house on fire
No charge for B & B in the spacey household. In fact we pay you if you can last more than two nights with me and Mrs SP – all are welcome, all you need bring is a sense of humour and a healthy appetite for beer. I might add, Mrs SP is the greatest cook in the world (so she keeps telling me).
Tell Abdulla he’s welcome to drop by whenever he wants. Same goes for all of you if you ever have a reason to be Ireland. Maybe sooner or later I’ll find a reason to be here too (wait a minute, I’ve thought of one – the beer’s good).
Thanks Spacey – Abdulla’s on leave at the moment but I’ll show him your comment when he returns – not sure if he’s much of a beer drinker though.
Not a beer drinker ?????????????? Is there such a creature on this planet?
Get him over here pronto, I have the perfect cure for him. And if that doesn’t work then he’s just going to have to go with the Jagermeister.
Spacey may I remind you where I live – there are plenty of creatures here that do not drink beer. Mind you, my family more than make up for them.
Mr D there are plenty of creatures here who don’t drink beer either. Most of them go around saying things like woof, meow, baaa or neigh and have four legs. I can’t be sure that there is such a thing as a human in Ireland (or Scotland or Germany) that abstains from the hops though, I certainly haven’t met one.
Have a look at this site:
http://www.brewdog.com/product.php?id=47
The world’s strongest beer – brewed in my home town!! Noticeably they only started brewing it once I had left, wonder why?
41% – come on that’s not beer that’s nuclear fuel.