by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Rowan
Album: "Tales Through Time"
Year produced: 2007

Singer Marianne Payette Carter's gorgeous voice opens this CD, and it as though you can hear through her singing that she is well traveled--which she is--having been to Morocco, Ireland, Bali, North Africa and India, among other countries. The deepness of her vocals lend an air of authority to the lyrics she sings without being pushy or overbearing about it. She is one of the things that stands out the most about this CD, although fellow musicians Doug Harvey and Lance Zed certainly can--and do--hold their own.

You can hear a definite "World Music" flavor in many of the musical tracks that are presented here, although it stays well within its Celtic roots overall. Here and there you'll hear a whisper of European folk--which is welcomed into the song without apology and, most often, goes as quickly as it came. It adds a different and surprising touch to the tracks where it appears.

Something interesting about this band is that their personality shows through the music and holds your attention as much as the music itself. You feel as though you are hearing a little bit of their inner selves here somehow--and it's that personal touch that sets their music apart as much as the peppering of other influences that arrive from time to time. Part of it is the subject matter they have chosen to sing about, as they have picked songs with lyrics that speak to the heart and highlight the human experience in all its complexity. With a layering of emotions throughout, this CD is a thoughtful compilation.

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Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among others and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her photography website at www.moonbeamdigital.com.

Labels: cd_review_2007

Posted by Marc Gunn, Thursday, March 15, 2007.
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