Search - Robin Williamson :: Ten

Powerful, beautiful melodies, very original.

S. GODFREY | 06/19/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like British folk music or poetry, you will love this album, but it also has some songs with a rock band type of sound. His voice is raspy but interesting. You can get lost in his spoken word pieces with the harp, but then he switches to a more upbeat, energetic style in other songs. There is plenty of variety, and his lyrics are excellent. When I first got the album, I listened to it every day for a month. I never seem to get tired of it. However, his anti-religious sentiments made me sad for him. He seems to take refuge in a celebration of life on this earth, and the continuity of the generations and the earth itself. I would think there would be little comfort in that at the moment of death. Perhaps this philosophy of his gives the album a bit of a melancholy air, one that many non-believers may find perfectly compatible with their own feelings. However, I wish the incomparably beautiful melody of his last song could have carried a message of glory to God rather than just the beauty of His creation. Nevertheless, I rate the album as a five star from an aesthetic point of view. Although I don't agree with his ideas, I enjoyed the album very much."

Robin Williamson: Genius

S. GODFREY | Risca, South Wales | 09/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the finest of Robin's many fine solo albums, this is a mature work by a multi-talented musician and songwriter. Less experimental than some of his String Band work, less magic and mystery than "Myrrh", but beautiful and highly evocative imagery throughout. His masterful harp playing adds lustre to the reflective "Scotland Yet".."the frizzle of chips and the frazzle of the fried egg.....and the kettle, always on the boil"; "Lammas", "Verses at Ellesmere", "Verses at Powys" and the deeply moving "Innocent Love" are well up to par with his more celebrated songs. "Innocent Love" was an unexpected delight at the recent String Band reuinion concerts. There are some harsher moments here ("Political Lies", for example) - but it makes for a very satisfying album, well worth adding to the collection."

Williamson older & wiser in "Ten of Songs"

S. GODFREY | 08/24/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It took Robin some years before producing another album of original songs - in fact, his "Winter's Turning" contained little or none of his own material. This album saw him return with some truly great work, although the first encounter with it produced something of a shock as both instrumentation and voice had changed: the instrumentation definitely more "modern" with electric guitars etc. and his voice rougher than ever.There is a lot to enjoy, however. "Ancient song" is a great opener, "Lammas" a fine reworking of a song he recorded in 1981, there's the unusual "Political Lies", the epic and most enjoyable "Scotland Yet", the less captivating songs "Skull & Nettlework" and "Here to Burn", the fine songs "The Barley", "Verses at Ellesmere" and "Innocent love", and the outstanding "Verses at Powis", for which song alone one should buy the album: great, great moving lyrics with music to match - it always seems to be over too soon, far too soon, for who would want to leave this melancholic and achingly beautiful vision of life & death & earth & oneself all entwined .... Hans Wigman"