I first heard Cara Dillon's songbird voice on Radio 2's folk night and was stunned by its clarity and pitch. Her voice really is a delight to listen to - and rest assured, having seen her perform live I can vouch that it is not 'computer-enhanced' but completely natural.
The folk and folk-style ... Read review
With her self-titled debut album, Derry-born Cara Dillon joins the ever-growing band of ... more
young singers producing traditional albums that sit equally well with a more mainstream audience. Having shone in, and then left, the hapless Equation, Dillon has s...
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With her self-titled debut album, Derry-born Cara Dillon joins the ever-growing band of ... more
young singers producing traditional albums that sit equally well with a more mainstream audience. Having shone in, and then left, the hapless Equation, Dillon has s...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
After one of the most rapturously received solo debuts by any folk artist, Sweet Liberty ... more
comes with a lot of expectations. It's no great surprise then that Cara Dillon and partner/producer Sam Lakeman haven't strayed far from the formula that made Dillon such a success. Although there's less reliance on traditional songs, this new album uses many of the same musicians and sticks to similarly sparse crystalline arrangements that periodically build into crescendos, but neatly avoid bombast by subsiding gracefully just when they should. A big part of Dillon's appeal lies in her girlish voice (similar to Kate Bush with a Derry brogue) and the fact that she often chooses material that has strong connections with her roots--"The Gem of the Roe" and "The Winding River Roe" being two fine examples. Such songs have usually stood the test of time as a result of distinctive melodies and it takes courage to juxtapose them with original material, as Sweet Liberty does with a fair degree of success. While "Everywhere" and "Broken Bridges" pass this test, it's unlikely that "Where Are You" and "Falling like A Star" will be remembered as classics in years to come. Even so, the latter seems worthy of inclusion for its apparently autobiographical content, which could easily be interpreted as a comment on early days in the failed folk "supergroup" The Equation. The mix of five original compositions (up from only two on Cara Dillon), five arrangements of traditional songs and two covers seems judicious, especially given the fine reading of Tommy Sands' affecting anti-sectarian lament "There Were Roses". But it does beg questions about exactly how hard that "difficult third album" will be. --Jon Lusk
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Filmed entirely on location by the shores of Lough Foyle in County Donegal, Cara assembled ... more
an array of world class musicians in the most informal yet beautiful of settings to perform some of her best loved songs.Featuring innovative and heartrending renditions of traditional classics such as Black Is The Colour, I Am A Youth That's Inclined To Ramble and the previously unrecorded False False plus original songs including There Were Roses, Never In A Million Years, Bold Jamie and I Wish You Well.
After one of the most rapturously received solo debuts by any folk artist,Sweet ... more
Libertycomes with a lot of expectations. It's no great surprise then that Cara Dillon and partner/producer Sam Lakeman haven't strayed far from the formula that made Dillon such a success. Although there's less reliance on traditional songs, this new albumuses many of the same musicians and sticks to similarly sparse crystalline arrangements that periodically build into crescendos, but neatly avoid bombast by subsiding gracefully just when they should.A big part of Dillon's appeal lies in her girlish voice (similar to Kate Bush with a Derry brogue) and the fact that she often chooses material that has strong connections with her roots--"The Gem of the Roe" and "The Winding River Roe" being two fine examples. Such songs have usually stood the test of time as a result of distinctive melodies and it takes courage to juxtapose them with original material, asSweet Libertydoes with a fair degree of success. While "Everywhere" and "Broken Bridges" pass this test, it's unlikely that "Where Are You" and "Falling like A Star" will be remembered as classics in years to come. Even so, the latter seems worthy of inclusion for its apparently autobiographical content, which could easily be interpreted as a comment on early days in the failed folk "supergroup" The Equation. The mix of five original compositions (up from only two onCara Dillon), five arrangements of traditional songs and two covers seems judicious, especially given the fine reading of Tommy Sands' affecting anti-sectarian lament "There Were Roses". But it does beg questions about exactly how hard that "difficult third album" will be.--Jon Lusk
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Cara's beautifully clear voice Disadvantages: Starts to sound a little samey after a while.
I first heard Cara Dillon's songbird voice on Radio 2's folk night and was stunned by its clarity and pitch. Her voice really is a delight to listen to - and rest assured, having seen her perform live I can vouch that it is not 'computer-enhanced' but completely natural.
The folk and folk-style tunes are either written by or arranged by Cara's partner Sam Lakeman who accompanies her on piano and guitar. The arrangements are unique ... ...is the Colour, to which Cara brings life and a breath of fresh air.
I feel I must applaud the talent of Sam Lakeman, whose name should have been alongside Cara's on this album, as I believe it is his accomplished arranging and producing talents that truly make this album, but neither can Cara's stunning Irish voice be dismissed out of hand!
Other notable tracks: Green Grows the Laurel - another highly original arrangement, ... more
I first heard Cara Dillon's songbird voice on Radio 2's folk night and was stunned by its clarity and pitch. Her voice really is a delight to listen to - and rest assured, having seen her perform live I can vouch that it is not 'computer-enhanced' but completely natural.
The folk and folk-style tunes are either written by or arranged by Cara's partner Sam Lakeman who accompanies her on piano and guitar. The arrangements are unique and interesting, at times ambient, and sometimes almost orchestral in sound. I particularly love the unusual setting for Black is the Colour, to which Cara brings life and a breath of fresh air.
I feel I must applaud the talent of Sam Lakeman, whose name should have been alongside Cara's on this album, as I believe it is his accomplished arranging and producing talents that truly make this album, but neither can Cara's stunning Irish voice be dismissed out of hand!
Other notable tracks: Green Grows the Laurel - another highly original arrangement, and Lark in the Clear Air.
I would add that after the first few listens, a lot of this album becomes ambient background music for a quiet evening in, however the outstanding tracks remain outstanding.
Product Information for "Cara Dillon - Cara Dillon" »
Product details
Title
Cara Dillon
Performer
Cara Dillon
Genre
World Music
Sub Genre
Irish
Release Date
16/07/2001
Original Release Year
2001
Label / Distributor
Rough Trade / PIAS UK/Sony DADC
Engineer
Tim Oliver
Producer
Sam Lakeman
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
5050294100028
Additional notes
Album Notes
Personnel: Cara Dillon (vocals); Seth Lakeman (tenor guitar, mandolin, violin, viola, background vocals); Sean Lakeman, Dan Goddard (acoustic guitar); Justin Adams (electric guitar); Luke Daniels (button accordion); Sam Lakeman (piano, organ, harmonium); Ben Nicholls (electric & upright bass); Roy Dodds (drums, percussion); John Reynolds (drums); Mary Dillon (background vocals). Recorded at The Firs Devon and Rath na Lochan, Donegal, Ireland.
Album Reviews
Mojo (1/02, p.69) - Included in Mojo's "Best Folk of 2001".
Titles on disc 1
1.
Black Is The Colour
2.
Donald Of Glencoe
3.
Craigie Hill
4.
Green Grows The Laurel
5.
Lark In The Clear Air
6.
Lonesome Scenes Of Winter
7.
Blue Mountain River
8.
I Wish I Was
9.
Maid Of Culmore
10.
She's Like A Swallow
11.
I Am A Youth That's Inclined To Ramble
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
11/03/2006
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