Lovely CD with quaint Celtic lyrics and music. Enjoyable CD!
CD Reviews
Going to the West
Jerome Clark | Canby, Minnesota | 10/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Connie Dover has too much talent and taste to do a mediocre recording, but even by the high standards of her previous efforts, The Border of Heaven is an impressive achievement. This thematic CD traces the movement of the Anglo-Celtic immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland to the American West. Part of the legacy of that great historical odyssey was a body of extraordinary songs adapted from Old Country originals. Nowhere is the link so explicitly underscored as in Dover and cowboy singer Skip Gorman's brilliant medley linking "The Streets of the Laredo" to the ballad in its original form, "The Sailor Cut Down in His Prime." In a recording of such excellence and artistic consistency, it's hard to single out one song or performance as better than any other. She does a particularly masterly reading, however, of "Lord Franklin," concerning Sir John Franklin and his doomed 19th-Century search for the Northwest Passage. Till now, the definitive reading of this lovely, sad ballad has been John Renbourn's, but Dover may have surpassed it. Her rewriting of the Alabama folk song "I Am Going to the West" is another standout. (The finest purely traditional version can be heard on Mike Seeger's Third Annual Farewell Reunion, on Rounder.) She also reminds us that "Sweet Betsy from Pike" is a much more interesting song than we knew when we were singing it in grade school. Perhaps the only not wholly inspired choice here is over-recorded "The Water Is Wide." Even so, with The Border of Heaven, Connie Dover steps into the front ranks of American folk singers."
Loved it!
Lori J. | Minneapolis, MN | 04/09/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have all of Connie Dover's CDs (some in multiple fomats so I can listen to tapes in the car, CDs at home, etc.) They've gotten me through many a road trip.Border of Heaven is a wonderful addition to the collection. The music traces the connections between traditional Celtic music and early American folk music. The songs range a bit further afield than her usual, primarily Celtic, offerings, but her voice is as crystalline as always and the music shows wonderful range and creative flair.I would recommend this CD to anybody interested in beautiful folk music. If you're a Celtic purist you might want to start with her earlier releases, but you really shouldn't miss out on this one.Connie, if you're reading this, when are you coming to Minnesota?"
Connie Shows Her Brilliance!
bethtexas | United States | 05/05/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of all her albums, but this is the first time I would use the word "brilliant". To me, this album was my first glimpse at just HOW much inner beauty this artist possesses. I'd known about her lush, textured voice. I'd known about her polished, sophisticated style. I could have told you she was talented and worth hearing.But to me, this album is a stretch to a whole new level. The songs Last Night by the River and Wondrous Love are nothing short of powerful. Powerful in that immortal sort of way - songs that are so important that it's worth buying a dozen albums in search of them. Exquisite!"
Wonderful! Connie Dover's best recording yet!
Ralph H. Peters | Washington, D.C. area | 05/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This beautiful concept recording follows a perfectly-balanced selection of songs, some well known, others obscure, across the ocean from the British Isles to young America. It is a glorious journey. Connie Dover has the perfect voice to convey the timelessness of these songs, from "Streets of Laredo" to obscure plaints from the Civil War, and the tasteful, spare instrumental backing haunts the ear. No words can adequately convey the richness and depth of this music, and Connie Dover is an artist who, once discovered by a fan, inspires enduring loyalty. Just listen to the remarkable job she does on "Sweet Betsy From Pike," staple of those old junior high songbooks: in a deceptively rollicking performance, Ms. Dover actually manages to bring the West alive, then to slip in a very human, elegiac note. It's incredible. From a shopworn, "throwaway" tune she creates a mini-history of the great westward migration and a very human story. Connie Dover has given us a series of fine, lovely albums, but, for me, this is the best yet. Achingly beautiful and vivid. Whether you raise the money selling homemade crafts or draw it from your investment in Cisco systems, buy this album--and share it with friends. Built of Anglo-Celtic parts, this is a true American masterpiece."