The Strangelings: Season Of The Witch

Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine, Autumn, 2008 by Gary Von Tersch

THE STRANGELINGS

Season Of The Witch

The Kennedys, L.L.C.

Since the mid 1990s, the husband-and-wife duo known as The Kennedys (Pete and Maura) have been quite active on the club and festival circuit while releasing a string of successful albums. This self-produced side project, that adds guitarist and flautist Chris Thompson, guitar playing singer-songwriter Rebecca Hall (her melancholy ballad "Man Of Poor Fortune" is a set highlight), and bassist Ken Anderson to affairs, allows them to explore the rootsy, Celtic flavored rock sound of the 1960s and early 1970s that they have always loved. Think Fairport Convention or Pentangle with a twist of Jethro Tull.

The mostly neo-psychedelic arrangements feature the Kennedys playing electric sitar, glockenspiel, mando ukutar, Strumstick and drums between them this time around as well as some inspired two and three-part vocal harmonies--especially effective on an exotically rocking version of the traditional "Johnny Come Down To Hilo" (where guest singer Erica Smith also joins in) and the narrative chestnut "Matty Groves."

Donovan's classic "Season Of The Witch" and It's A Beautiful Day's panoramic "White Bird" both also mellowly catch the ear with their sitar-strung freshness and resultant dreamscape atmosphere. Likewise, a loosely propulsive rendition of Dave Carter's emotion-drenched "Tanglewood Tree," a spacey, twangy redo of the traditional, worldly wise saga "The Coo Coo" and another Hall-penned number, "Sculptor's Song," that recalls the late Sandy Denny. Also noted is a section of The Kennedys signature "Nuah Suite," a mystical sequence of myth-based songs that blend goddess imagery and an eclectic variety of classical themes. The Strangelings are also now a septet with recent additions Cheryl Prashker on drums and fiddler Eric Lee. Recommended.--GvonT