Babes in the Wood

by Mary Black

Overview

Babes in the Wood is Mary Black's finest, most consistently pleasing album. There is no filler here, and her song selection, culled from new songwriters such as Noel Brazil and classic folkies such as Richard Thompson, is impeccable. The acoustic arrangements (including guitar, piano, mandolin, Dobro, and accordion) are carried out by her longtime backing musicians, although the music has a decidedly more pop than Celtic flavor on this album. As with most of her releases, there are many romantic ballads sung with a subtly that adds emotional weight to every song. The main difference on this album is an omnipresent religious tone, whether it's overt in the gospel opener "Still Believing" or just below the surface in songs such as "The Golden Mile." Even a few of the love songs refer to having faith that love will come around again after heartbreak ("Just Around the Corner"). However, the album is peppered with playful, upbeat tunes that propel the album forward to the final song, a wonderful cover of Joni Mitchell's "Urge for Going." A great introduction to the music of Mary Black, and a must-own for fans. ~ Vik Iyengar

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/1994
Label:	Gift Horse Recordings
UPC:	0739341000324
Rank:	114561

Tracks

1. Still Believing
2. Bright Blue Rose
3. Golden Mile
4. Babes in the Wood
5. Thorn Upon the Rose
6. Brand New Star
7. Prayer for Love (Molenie O Lyubvi)
8. Adam at the Window
9. Dimming of the Day
10. Might as Well Be a Slave
11. Just Around the Corner
12. Urge for Going

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mary Black   Primary Artist,Vocals
Maire Breatnach   Fiddle,Synthesizer
Noel Bridgeman   Percussion
Carl Geraghty   Saxophone
Declan Sinnott   Dobro,Guitar,Mandolin,Vocals (Background)
Garvan Gallagher   Bass,Double Bass
Pat Crowley   Piano,Accordion,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Richard Thompson   Composer
Thom Moore   Composer
Tim Boland   Assistant Engineer
Jim McCarthy   Composer
Andrew Boland   Engineer
Kieron Goss   Composer
Declan Sinnott   Producer
Noel Brazil   Composer
Amelia Stein   Photography,Hand Coloring
Jimmy MacCarthy   Composer
Kieran Goss   Composer
Joni Mitchell   Composer