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MINI REVIEW: NATALIE MACMASTER "IN MY HANDS"



Artist: Natalie MacMaster
Album Title: In My Hands
Genre: Celtic
1999
Rounder Records

When did I buy it?: I bought it in the Spring of 2001 when I was in college. I custom-ordered it from the record store near campus, and picked it up on a nice sunny afternoon after one of my classes ended.

Why did I buy it?: I had discovered the wonderful music of Natalie MacMaster after hearing her on internet radio. Through the magic of Napster, I listened to many of her songs and knew I was hearing one of the best fiddle players around. Many of the songs were from this album, so I decided to purchase it. I ordered it from the local shop and a week later I picked it up and listened to it on my way back to my room. I fell in love and I've now purchased three other Natalie albums and seen her twice in concert.

What are the best songs?: This album is one of Natalie's more experimental albums. It includes touches of everything from bluegrass to flamenco and incorporates a full band sound for most of the tracks. There are many highlights to choose from because Natalie is so amazing, but I'll try and pick a few that I really love.

"Welcome To The Trossachs" is classic Natalie. It starts with a few lazy strathspeys and takes the listener straight to Scotland. After a while, the pace picks up and the drums kick in as Natalie starts playing faster and meaner. "Blue Bonnets Over The Border" is simply one of the most beautiful songs Natalie has ever performed. It, too, will take you straight to Scotland and make your heart flutter in delight.

"Flamenco Fling" takes Natalie's Cape Breton fiddle and adds a hefty dose of Spanish flamenco guitar courtesy of Jesse Cook. Natalie switches seamlessly from a more traditional celtic sound to one more latin-influenced. This track really shows what a good fiddler can do with multiple styles. "The Farewell" is a delightful romp that starts off as a march and gets faster as the medly progresses into reels. Accordionist Sharon Shannon joins in and there is also an organ in the background. This track will definitely get your feet moving and your face smiling.

"Moxham Castle" is a pure traditional fiddle set that Natalie executes with precision. "Mom's Jig" shows off Natalie's step-dancing skills. Lastly, although it's not really a fiddle-heavy track, Alison Krauss' guest vocals on "Get Me Through September" will put a tear in your eye and stir up all your emotions.

Any bad stuff?: I think the thing that holds this album back is the sometimes overpowering inclusion of more modern instruments, sounds and production values. Take the title track, for example. It has a good amount of Natalie's wonderful fiddle and even her debut as a singer, but the shrill computerized noise in the background is so distracting that it makes the track weaker than it should be. The modern computer stuff isn't quite as annoying in other places, but yet still takes away from what the real focus should be: the fiddle.

Also, a few of the songs are kind of slow and tedious. Beautiful they may be, but they don't have the power of the faster tunes.

Although this is probably my least favorite of Natalie's albums, it's still quite good. Natalie's attempt to bring the music up to date doesn't always work well, but you have to admire her for giving it a shot.

Overall thoughts: I think I've pretty much summed the album up in my previous comments, but I would like to say that Natalie is quite the amazing fiddle player. I really admire her ability on this album to play in a few different styles and keep things fresh. The engineering on this album is outstanding. The fiddle comes through so clean and crisp that it's as if Natalie is playing in the very room you're in.

If you're looking to hear what traditional Cape Breton or Scottish fiddle music sounds like, this is not the album for you. If you already know Natalie's music or already love the traditional stuff and want to see how far Natalie can take it while still playing what is basically traditional music, I'd definitely recommend a purchase of "In My Hands."

Album Score: 4 out of 5