Ten [Best of]

This recording, 10, is a celebration of the first ten years of Kate's career. It features new songs, re-recordings of old favorites, and some great live tracks. It also features Kate at new heights of brilliance.

It is hard to pick favorite tracks here. They are all excellent. However, since it must be done:

I Wish was the first track that caught my ear. It is also one that will stay in your head. A fast-paced tale of unrequited love, it'll stick with you long after first listening and it also wears exceptionally well over time (a signature of Kate's work).

Cowsong is a brilliant arrangement of a traditional song where for once the woman is surprisingly not the one getting the short end of the stick. It features the wonderful lines:

"Never trust a girl with your mother's cow. Never let your trousers go falling down in the green grass."

My two favorite songs on this disc are live versions of songs previously heard on Kate's album Hourglass: Sir Eglamore and The Drowned Lovers. Kate does an up-tempo yet flawless take on both of them (The Drowned Lovers is one of my favorite songs of all time). It is hard to believe (if not for the applause) that these songs were indeed recorded live.

One more great song (then I promise I'll get around to shutting up) is the new version of I Wonder What is Keeping My True Love. It is a perfect example of Kate's ability to express an almost contemplative sadness.

Have no reservations about getting a copy of 10. It is a great disc. I give it my highest recommendation.

This recording, "10", is the perfect chance for listeners to hear re-done versions of several of her best songs, taken mostly from "Sleepless," but also from several other albums, and to compare them to the originals. Slight differences in tempo and ornament can make a huge difference in how a song is perceived. Most of the re-arranged songs on "10" are taken at a slower tempo than originally recorded. That's because Kate Rusby's voice is ideal for "weeping songs," and a slower tempo allows her to make the most of the pathos inherent in most folk songs, and also to do the ornamentation she does so well, turning even the most mundane tune into something special. "The Recruited Collier" and "The Sleepless Sailor" absolutely come alive done in this way, and "Botany Bay" is so much better on this album it's phenomenal.

If you aren't already a Rusby fan and are trying to decide which album to buy first, make it this one. For one thing, "10" just has more music on it, making it a better buy, but the real reason is that this is Kate at her best--every song is a gem. I've played this album for at least 20 people, all with different musical tastes, and every one has said, "Wow."

Kate's vocal quality is enchanting and her Yorkshire accent reminds me of home, my father is a yorkshireman, and her music tugs at my heart-strings in more ways than one.

The acoustic quality of Kate's albums is superb. Guitars and plaintive Irish whistles complement perfectly the haunting quality of the vocals and the albums make for truly great listening.

Even though I consider myself an old rocker I love Kate's work and would recommend it to anyone.