LIVING
TRADITION magazine
"……..Bob is well known to festival-goers ….. none of who need me to
tell them this album is packed with varied gems - from Burns and
Richard Thompson to Steve Tilston's Slip-Jigs and Reels and Bill
Staines' Roseville Fair, taking in Lister, Lovett and Lowe on the
way. Bob is a fine guitarist, usually adopting open tunings, all of
which are given in the lovingly presented insert. For the CD he is
accompanied by musicians….. of the standard of Pauline Cato and Tom
McConville, under the careful control of Bob's compatriot Benny
Gallagher. It is a labour of love - and a cracker."
SURREY ADVERTSER : 'WHAT'S ON'
magazine
"…… the Surrey based Scot has come up with a more than tasty delight
of an album. In a little over an hour, we are treated to as choice
an eclectic mix of songs as you could wish for, with a few
traditional pieces, a touch of Burns and songs penned by the likes
of Richard Thompson (Beeswing and From Galway to Graceland), Steve
Tilston (Slip Jigs and Reels), Lyle Lovett (If I Had A Boat), Andy
Irvine (Never Tire of the Road), Bill Staines (Roseville Fair) and
Anne Lister (Moth). Possessed of a mellifluous voice and a nice way
with his guitar, there's a mellow, gentle, slightly sad air to an
album which also features the excellent talents of Northumbrian
piper Pauline Cato, guitarist Lee Collinson, harmonica player Mark
Feltham, fiddler Tom McConville and, on accordeon and keyboards,
Benny Gallagher, who also produces. Well worthy of attention." |
FROOTS
magazine
"I somehow knew I was going to like Bob Wood's CD. The accompanying
modest letter and biog totally belied the little gem that I was
about to hear. Wood does not write his own material (but I'm sure he
could). Instead he picks a collection of marvellous songs by the
likes of Richard Thompson and Steve Tilston among others, and
performs them with an astonishing degree of virtuosity. The overall
mood is haunting, melancholic and reflective. Wood tends to caress
the material rather than give it a slap on the face. The voice and
especially the guitar picking are delightful and the accompanying
musicians, playing Northumbrian pipes, slide guitar, harmonica,
accordeon, keyboard and fiddle are never intrusive and are used with
restraint, allowing the dextrous Wood space to breathe. Most of the
material tends towards the traditional but songs by Lyle Lovett and
Bill Staines fit naturally into the set. Exquisite!"
IRISH MUSIC magazine
"It
is interesting to speculate what will happen to Scottish music and
especially Scottish songs and singing now that a native Parliament
sits in Scotland for the first time in over two centuries. Will this
see a thirst develop among a wider group of Scots for the wonderful
store of songs and tunes that is Scotland's musical heritage? In the
event of this most desirable development, then the singing of Bob
Wood might be a good place to start for those seeking to slake that
thirst.
This man has a
voice and an approach perfectly suited to the almost confidential
style of singing, which gives many Scots songs their inescapable
charm. It is almost as if he is saying ''let me give you this juicy
titbit of news, be it joy or sorrow or perhaps even scandal''. He
includes two songs with tunes by Archie Fisher, for so long a giant
of Scottish singing, and they are both treasures. The Presence is a
poem by Stewart McGregor recounting a conversation with his West
Highlands landlady and Fisher's tune is perfect to capture the
tenderness of the emotion of the conversation. Ettrick is a poem
written in the wake of the Battle of Flodden in 1513, by Lady Jean
Scott whose husband died on the field and again Fisher has wedded a
tune to the poem, which makes it unforgettable. If the revival of
interest mentioned at the start does occur, then perhaps Robert
Burns will become more in the mind of Scots than the ''wee sleekit
cow'rin' timorous beastie'' of our schooldays. Bob Wood gives the
old philanderer's musical parting from yet another wronged woman, Ae
Fond Kiss, an achingly beautiful treatment. This is undoubtedly the
best track on a very good album indeed. By the by, the tune is by
Rory Dall O'Cathain, the 17th century harper from County Derry who
visited Scotland frequently as an itinerant musician. Just another
example of the shared musical tradition that has existed for a very
long time between Scotland and Ireland".
.jpg)
|
