by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: The Merry Wives of Windsor
Album: "Tales from Windsor's Tavern"
Year produced: 2007

This CD gets right off to a rousing start with the first track, "Windsor's Cider," which is a wonderful number with lyrics that will have you singing right along from the beginning. Not all Renaissance Faire style music is appealing to the average listener, but the Wives infuse the songs with their own style and give it a wider range of "listenablility."

The songs give one a healthy variety, from wistful tunes such as "Green Fields of France," which feature a lone, rich voice that evolves into harmony with the other ladies as the song moves forward, gaining momentum. Also look for the old favorite "Whiskey in the Jar," which is hidden away under the name "Jenny's Story." You won't leave wanting--there are 17 solid tracks on the album.

The thing that sets these ladies apart are the spectacular harmonies they put forth with such seeming ease. The innocence in their voices is refreshing--and sometimes surprising, given the subject matter, which can get a bit risqué at times. They tackle many different tunes here, and always with confidence; these ladies never sound timid or tentative. The CD is worth listening to just to hear all of these ladies singing together--it doesn't get any better than this with the three and four part harmonies.

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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 other magazines, and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her website at www.catherineltully.com.

Labels: cd_review_2007

Posted by Marc Gunn, Sunday, November 25, 2007.
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