Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, The Big machine, CD Topic Records 2017 - TSCD592 

It is an excellent album that comes from careful work, the result of the arrangements of the Wayward band which also includes bassist Barnaby Stradling. All compositions are by Eliza and the band with the exception of “The Flitter Song” by Ewan McColl and “Hug You Like a Mountain” by Rory McLeod. The album has an energetic start with two songs taken from the repertoire of Chetam's Library in Manchester. The cover designed by Cally is beautiful and evocative.

Si tratta di un ottimo album che nasce da un lavoro attento, frutto degli arrangiamenti della Wayward band di cui fa parte anche il bassista Barnaby Stradling. Tutte le composizioni sono di Eliza e della band ad eccezione di “The Flitter Song” di Ewan McColl e di “Hug You Like a Mountain” di Rory McLeod. Il disco ha un inizio energico con due brani tratti dal repertorio della Chetam’s Library di Manchester. Bella e suggestiva la copertina disegnata da Cally.

Tracks: 1.Fade & Fall (Love Not) (4.22) – 2.Devil in the Woman (3.26) – 3.The Fitter’s Song (3.40) – 4.Jack Warrell’s Hornpipe (excerpt) / Love Lane (4.38) – 5.Hug You Like a Mountain (5.07) – 6.You Know Me (3.45) – 7.Great Grey Back (3.17) – 8.Mrs. Dyer the Baby Farmer (Roud 2347) (5.40) – 9.I Wish That the Wars Were All Over (Roud 2036) (5.40) – 10.The Sea (4.31) – 11.Epitaph (2.54)

Musicians: Eliza Carthy, violin, vocals; David Delarre, guitars, vocals; Lucy Farrell, viola, musical saw, vocals; Laurence ‘Loz’ Hunt, percussion, Philicorda, vocals; Nick Malcolm, trumpet, vocals; ‘Dearest’ Willy Molleson, drums, Marxophone, vocals ; Beth Porter, cello, vocals; Saul Rose, melodeon, vocals; Barnaby Stradling, bass, vocals ; Sam Sweeney, violin, vocals; Adrien ‘Yenyen’ Toulouse, bass trombone, vocals; Andrew Waite, piano accordion, keyboards, vocals with Teddy Thompson, vocals [5]; MC Dizraeli, vocals [6]; Damien Dempsey, vocals [9]