Soundchecks Music Reviews
THE BEST OF WHILE & MATTHEWS
While & Matthews
review by J.C. Hartley
An open secret in the acoustic roots community, it seems remarkable that this duo is not more widely known, and must be attributable to the increasing ghettoisation of music, and folk music in particular.
Chris While and Julie Matthews have, through their solo albums and a handful of collaborations, garnered an international following, and are regularly among the nominees in BBC Radio 2's annual folk awards. Elsewhere they have formed a Joni Mitchell/ Carole King 'tribute' band, Blue Tapestry, a Christmas Carol gig under the name St Agnes Fountain, and are former members of the Albion Band and Daphne's Flight.
The duo's songwriting evokes the giants of American country and western Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, but with a distinctly British regional accent; songs of regret and disappointment, mingled with optimism, and songs confronting the reality of breadline industrial employment, Piecework, or the cycle of domestic violence, Generation Game. It's not all grim, though, The Light in My Mother's Eye was nominated for 'best song' in the aforementioned Radio 2 awards in 1999, and the crisp harmonies and virtuoso guitar work sweeten the bitterest observation.
This album contains work drawn from earlier releases and showcases both artists' vocal and instrumental skills; their website is worth a visit as well.
for PIGASUS Press