Arthur Deighton, Joram Peeters and Loes Van Schaijk are a Dutch band that tip their combined hats at bluegrass and trad in a way the only European string bands can. Unrestricted by the genre police they drift through all our favourite acoustic styles on this 13 track studio-recorded ‘live’ album. It’s a worthy addition to their previous album Mountain Valley Sessions.
The sets starts with a surprising Siul A Run and then continues in Irish mode with The Kinsale Set and Pretty Fair Maid. Then we get Dolly’s Jolene, The Band’s The Weight, Tim O’Brien’s When There’s No One Else Around and Paul Brady’s Marriage Made In Heaven. And the rest of the album is equally live and lively and a real hint at what a great evening would be spent, pint in hand, at a festival or intimate pub venue with these guys.
Vocals are shared across the trio, as are their instrumental duties. But the solo vocals from Van Schaijk are just a little bit special; she has a sparkling voice that suggests that maybe our trad unaccompanied solo singing may have been imported from points a little north of here. To wrap up, get this live recording and then reach for the previous CD and you will be well rewarded with a few hours of most pleasurable European string band listening.