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Kate Fletcher : Fruit (UK,2007)***°
Unfortunately I cannot remember how I discovered Kate Fletcher, and I needed various listens to get a grip on the inspirations. This professionally produced album reveals a singer with a voice with beautiful qualities, which is coloured in a way that is easily associated with folk music. Self-penned songs and interpretations of traditionals go hand in hand. Her own songs, resumes of personal thoughts and feelings, sound a bit more direct compared to the often dramatic, more situation-related, writing in most traditionals. The most different traditional included is ‘The spinning song’ which much more describes the rhythmic spinning itself. Just a few songs of her own were inspired from a engagement in a 111 days trip to Santiago, a trip to engage in the survival of the Bushmen in Botswana. During the recording the Bushmen won their case against the government and could return to their ancestral homes. One, special song, “The Broken String” comes forth from words from a San Bushman, and concludes the album. She might have taken the pilgrimage as a leading wire to confront also her own ideas on traditions, while thinking back on family, while being worried about some evolutions in world politics, and to become inspired on her journey by some natural environments. An occasional, unusual instrument used by her for a singer-songwriter is the Finnish (6-and 5-string) kantele. We can hear also a few oboe arrangements.
Note : Kate's previous band Epona was hailed by Colin Irwin as the “future of English Roots” in the Rough Guide to World Music.
