Customer Reviews

Silly Sisters

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've listened to this album for years and it never grows old. The voices--one piercing and clarion, the other dusky and wan--are perfect complements, and the lyrics, smoothed to perfection by the decades, are some of the most beautiful I've ever heard. I also *highly* recommend the Silly Sisters' other album, No More to the Dance.

I think it was in the year-end edition of Rolling Stone, in 1976, that I read a review of this album -- not in the regular review section, but in an editorial by Jann Wenner. He identified Silly Sisters, and Chirpin' by the Persuasions, as classics, true, honest and destined to last forever. He was right on all counts for both recordings, but I listen to Silly Sisters far more often these days.

This is a sublime album, built on the strengths of two masters of British folk, accompanied by a host of other instrumental masters. There are any number of highlights, but among the standouts: "Grey Funnel Line", as gorgeous a dirge as you'll ever hear; Four Loom Weaver, the most beautiful incitation to class warfare you'll ever hear; and "Game of All Fours", a light rolic made hugely attractive with erotic overtones (and undertones and between tones).

For more than thirty years this has been one of my favorite recordings. I have 12000+ songs on my system, and the Silly Sisters collection is still played regularly. Treat yourself, buy the songs.

I find most of the songs on this CD to be fairly dour and poky, except for "Doffin Mistress" and "Geordie", which have become two of my favorite songs of any sort from any era -- in fact, worth the price of the CD to me.
Maybe my reaction comes from listening to my music mostly during an hour-long drive to work: I need drastic help staying awake! Apart from the two songs, this album doesn't keep my eyelids up. Weirdly enough, given how much I love Maddy Prior's voice (and her/Steeleye Span's folkier albums) and how interesting I find June Tabor's voice, I dislike most of their harmonies. I liked Maddy Prior with Gay Woods much better (on Steeleye Span's "Hark the Village Wait") -- in fact, I bought Silly Sisters hoping for harmonies as engaging as those, without all the annoying rock drumming. Well, there are no rock drums on this album, anyway.

I don't know that this is the best folk album ever, but it's certainly very high up in the running. I'd guess that even those who aren't fans of folk music might like this album; musically, it's a rare jewel. If you are a fan of folk and don't own this album, buy it. Now.

As someone who often wishes he could give a rating of 0 stars, this is a rare case. If I could give this album more than 5 stars, I would.

An earlier reviewer wrote "Buy it for Grey Funnel Line" and that song is probably my favorite on this album - though it's a very close contest. There's not a single cut on this disc that I dislike.

Finally, I'd like to thank Richard Baugh for introducing me to this album. Thanks, Richard! You did better than you knew.

Maddy Prior and June Tabor clearly had a great deal of fun putting this album together. It's a great collection of traditional, witty, silly, and thought-provoking songs from ages past. I love this album because these songs are unique -- and fun to sing! Highly recommended!

It is all very specific and a bit dour, but it should bring hours of joy to hardcore folkies. June and Maddy's singing is flawless.

One of the great UK trad albums... Maddy Prior and June Tabor's voices and musical sensibilities are a perfect match, and the material they chose is also a delight. The elusive English traditionalist Nic Jones plays fiddle or guitar on most of these tracks.

Here was an album featuring the two leading female voices of the contemporary British folk scene at the top of their powers, Maddy Prior and June Tabor, wonderful backing musicians of the likes of Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, and Andy Irvine, and a complete slate of excellent material. How could it have gone wrong? Well, maybe it could have, but it didn't. Prior and Tabor have very different voice ranges and qualities, but/and well complement one another; the instrumentalizing on guitar and various other acoustic instruments is great, and some real effort was made to choose material that had not been beaten into the ground. My favorites on the album are 'Grey Funnel Line,' 'Geordie,' 'The Game of Cards,' and 'Silver Whistle,' but that's probably just me. One of the best contemporary folk albums available.

When it comes to traditional folk music, Maddy Pryor & June Tabor have it all: beautiful voices that blend perfectly in harmony; the acting talent needed to express the varied emotions in the old ballads; and arrangements that respect the spirit of the old songs without making them museum-pieces. The lyrics vary from tragedy to romance to farce, and the tunes are memorable. Simply a lovely collection of British folk.

Grey funnel line makes this album worth it. The rest of the music is good, enjoyable, and all that, but it's so SO far outshadowed by "Grey Funnel" that it just can't compare.