The Hare And The Moon - The Grey Malkin

Bloody hell. What are Reverb Worship doing to me? After the smashing Rain Drinkers CD last week (an instant sell out, natch!) He's throwing a new Hare & the Moon CDr at our heads, like a delectable musical arrow aimed straight for our eager ears! The last outing by these lot played the pagan folk trump card so knowingly & confidently I was almost transported directly to Summerisle to stroke Christopher Lee's wild, greying mane & watch a pious copper get fried. This new one carries on the foreboding, swaying mystical folk essence, starting off in an almost funereal fashion. Phil is reminded of the first Espers album which is quite an impressive comparison, as he went on and on and on about that record for about nine years. The lassies voice is a joy to behold. She sounds like she's singing from her very soul. On 'Edward', her lone voice carries gorgeously across what sounds like the vast acoustics of a church, 'She Moves Through the Fair' has superb atmospherics with whooshing astral electronics & distant clanging bells as the backdrop to her pure, lilting tones. There's a magic at work here, if you dig the earthy tones of Sandy Denny, & Anne Briggs but hanker for a more contemporary dream-like sound template to frame such a voice, then this beautiful CD is for you. As much as I like them, I personally prefer this lot to Lavinia Blackwell & her Trembling Bells as far as progressive folk goes. You'd better be quick-smart though, there's only 63 numbered copies & i'm having one, like right now.....