From: Pete Fyfe [petefyfe_at_aol_dot_com]
Sent: 17 July 2012 12:32
Subject: Pete Fyfe: Greg Russell
& Ciaran Algar review & sleeve
Attachments: Russell & Algar -
The Queen's Lover.jpg
GREG RUSSELL & CIARAN ALGAR
- The Queen's Lover (Fellside Recordings FECD251)
Our admiration and respect
should go to Paul Adams at Fellside Recordings for yet another coup. Not only
did he manage to promote and nurture a certain Spiers & Boden burgeoning
recording career but it now looks like he might have hit bulls-eye again with
young whippersnappers Russell & Algar. Opening with the ever popular tale
of "The Two Magicians" with its shape-shifting (remember Disney's Mad Madam Mim
& Merlin in "Sword In The Stone") miscreants the duo inject good humour and
a swinging style that comes across in a rippling tsunami performance that I
haven't heard since the days of Fox & Luckley. From an instrumental point
of view I hope that Ciaran's dynamic fiddle showcase of established chestnuts
including "The Clumsy Lover Set" will inspire a new generation to engage with
the ?tradition' and not totally rely on clever but ultimately anodyne
self-compositions. Having said that, its Russell's well researched choice of
contemporary songs including "Love Is Life", "The Dancing" and his own not
inconsiderable title track that shows a maturity beyond his years. There's
plenty here to keep those of us of a certain age entertained ("Ashokan
Farewell", "Icarus" and "On Raglan Road" etc) with a knowing, affectionate
smile whilst Greg and Ciaran have a certain instinctive edge that will engage a
younger audience. Not to harp on too much about ?youth' being on their side but
if this intuitive, personable duo can maintain their up-beat attitude as much
as they have displayed on this album it will perhaps come as no so surprise
that our antiquated ?scene' is in safe hands. www.russellalgar.co.uk
PETE FYFE