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Review by Tom Harland
Barbara Dimmock and Christine Kidd (Sinsheen) drew such
a large crowd to Festival Folk in the Oak that I was concerned
the bottom bar of the pub might collapse into the netherworld
of the cellar below.
The mainstay of Sinsheen's repetoire is varied acapella
compositions featuring scintillating harmonies, occassionally
supplemented by the delicate guitar picking of Kidd or driving
Bodhran of Dimmock. The extraordinary breadth and depth
of the set extended from tradional scots songs to contemporary
songs in the traditional idiom along with a generous helping
of bluegrass. Sinsheen shone most brightly in their interpretations
of Burns songs, emotional renditions of traditional classics
and soulful, gospel-like performances of songs such as the
(unecological!) "Why Walk When you can Fly" and
"Kaiman's Land" suite.
I felt that their choices of contemporary material from
the broad range of songs at the disposal of the traditional
musician was the weakest element in Sinsheen's set. A bit
like Van Gogh choosing only to work with a child's felt
tip pens, Michael Marra's ham-fisted offerings and a range
of other dreaded "funny" folk songs were a bit
of a turn off. Though such songs may involve an older audience
and were well performed and received, as a Dundee-man myself
I feel no shame in critiquing the infantile song-writing
dominating the "comedy" sect of folk-music which
lends credence to the genre's critics and stereotypers.
Not that folk music should ever be taken too seriously,
my only problem with most so-called "funny" folk
songs is that they are just plain bad, both lyrically and
melodically. Sinsheen are very good, but can't make make
a silk purse out of a sow's ear and should extend their
hand further to younger listeners tired of repetitive rambles
about pies, inebriated Dundonian women, jammy pieces and
the like.This one criticism should not detract from what
was an awe-inspiring performance, cut with two warm and
engaging stage presences, and a clutch of emotionally charged
songs which spoke to the heart and stirred the soul.
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