Reviews of "Feast"

[Joe]

Here is a review from Universal Music Classical...
www.iclassics.com/cottars/about/

Here is a small portion...

Throughout the recording The Cottars provide virtually all of the music, as all are multi-talented instrumentally. It’s a wonder to watch them move effortlessly from one instrument to another with such ease.

The main ingredient that distinguishes The Cottars from so many other groups is the depth of their vocal skills. Claire has just started to develop her voice in this group’s setting, while Fiona’s powerful and passion-filled voice has been heralded as spectacular for years.

[Joe]

Here's a review from Matthew Forss on his blog "Inside World Music"

insideworldmusic.blogspot.com/2010/01/cd-review-cottars.html

Cape Breton's musical legacy is steeped in local fiddling traditions the world over. Now, you have to add The Cottars to that long list of musicians performing fiddle/Celtic/Scottish music. The folk rhythms are reminiscent of Natalie MacMaster, the Rankin Family, and April Verch - all talented musicians from Canada in their own right.

There is a mix of traditional songs, such as "Goodnight To You" and "Song For Stephen Foster". Other songs are composed by Fiona and Ciaran MacGillivray and Claire Pettit. Strings are joined by piano, guitar, tin whistle, bodhran, bouzouki, and harp. Folksy vocals, jazzy jigs, and heartfelt strumming represent the cultural spirit of Eastern Canada's musical traditions. The vocals are sung in English and incorporate American roots music as well. Some of the songs are ideal for dancing, while others are great for sitting back and listening in. In essence,

Feast is definitely not hard to swallow.

~ Matthew Forss

[mott]

Jan 21, 2010 23:21:48 GMT -5 Joe said:

Feast is definitely not hard to swallow

cute

[Joe]

this one just sent to me from Allister MacGillivray

REVIEW:
Philadelphia Daily News
Jonathan Takiff
Tues., Feb. 9, 2010

Old-world Celtic and modern folk styles mash well in the latest from the Cottars, "Feast" (Rounder). They serve up lost gems from Gordon Lightfoot and Mark Knopfler, dig up ancient jigs and balladry from the old sod, then bring it all together with lovely originals! That's what the Cape Breton Canadian music scene is all about.

here is the link www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/New_tunes_worth_a_listen.html

[Ginny]

There's been so many reviews coming lately that I can't even remember if this one has been posted already...I don't see it on this thread at least, and it was just posted on the Cottars' facebook fanpage today.

thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1167074.html


If it's already on here, someone can just delete this

[Joe]

Feb 11, 2010 12:09:18 GMT -5 Ginny said:

There's been so many reviews coming lately that I can't even remember if this one has been posted already...I don't see it on this thread at least, and it was just posted on the Cottars' facebook fanpage today.

thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1167074.html


If it's already on here, someone can just delete this

Hi Ginny,

It's a new review...and a very good one!

Edit...Allister e-mailed that review to me about the same time that you posted it Ginny!

Well done,
Joe

[Joe]

I found a review from rootsville.be, a Belgian folk music website.

www.rootsville.be/CD%20REVIEW%20TOTAL/CD%20REVIEWS%202010/COTTARS.html

The text is in Dutch, so I'll translate a portion:

It may be that the group name of this band is not immediately ring a bell, but if you, as young people from Cape Breton, on the podium stand with Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and The Chieftains, then you have something to offer.

They are therefore in a musical family: father Allister has recorded over 150 compositions to his credit and so can reasonably be assumed that in the house of the young MacGillivray's always music would have sounded. Music and good taste, as evidenced by the covers, she on this album bring: Steeleye Span's Seagull, Mark Knopfler's Fare Thee Well Northumberland, Gordon Gordon Lightfoot's Your Love's Return, Glenn Yarbrough's Leave Tomorrow Till It Comes, are all wonderful songs , who is a very fine contemporary-styled jacket given.

Read the entire review below, with a full English translation...
translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rootsville.be%2FCD%2520REVIEW%2520TOTAL%2FCD%2520REVIEWS%25202010%2FCOTTARS.html&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

[Joe]

Here is a review of 'Feast' recently found on the Gordon Lightfoot website www.gordonlightfoot.com/TheCottars-Feast.shtml

Below is a portion of the reviewer's (Valerie Magee) comments of "Your Love's Return" ...see the above link for the complete reviews.

The Lightfoot cover that first caught my attention is of one of his less known tunes; one that only a real fan would know by name. It's on the If You Could Read My Mind original album (now being sold under its original name, Sit Down Young Stranger) and it's called "Your Love's Return (Song for Stephen Foster)". It is, as the parenthetical portion of the title says, a tribute to Foster, in whose music Lightfoot had become interested at the time. It's a sentimental love song, very Foster-like.

The Cottars took this tune, with Fiona singing the lead vocals (not changing any lyrics which were written for a man to sing), added their own string arrangement and harmonies, and created something all their own yet faithful and respectful of the Lightfoot original. I am certain that Lightfoot is pleased with their cover, as he must be with the much more mainstream Toby Keith cover of "Sundown" (discussed elsewhere). Ciaràn is quoted in the liner notes as saying that the Lightfoot song just might be his favorite on the CD, and that is high praise as the disc is full of wonderful songs.

Cheers,
Joe