Fl.Gl.M.
Avalon Rising (US,1995)*** Broceliande (US,2000)*** Margaret Davis : Princess of Flowers (US,1998)***°
Although this release is already some years old, I remembered it as having strong capacities, which I liked so much I believe it deserves some extra attention for a small review. I really like the full group's sound with Margaret Davis, female crystal clear medieval vocals, harp & flute and Kristoph Klover, male vocals, guitars, mandolin on the lead, with Deirdre McCarthy, backing vocals and additional instruments texturing the music, with Peter Gascoyne, drums and backing vocals, Beth Milne, bass & French horne arrangements, and Mike Pooler some additional keyboards. This 'full' sound is a strong folkrock sound with medieval touches, and originally arranged songs (like "The Great Selkie"). In "Where the Sunset is Golden" I like especially the melodic touches of the combination of flute and French horn on the folkrock sound with 12string and electric guitars drums and keyboards with romantic singing. "Andrey Soulet", for instance, a 15th century song by Matteao da Perugia, has also a fine interpretation, and has been transformed into prog folk through the extra drums, electric bass and guitar (by Kristoph) driving the rhythm on medieval flute and outstanding multilyered vocals (by Margaret), and with a slightly exotic touch of doumbek & riq (by Deirdre). The group has the luck to have the professional vocals by Margaret to perfom songs like "Contre le Tens / Toda Cousa" two French medieval troubadour songs. Two tracks fit less in the musical concept : "To the sea" (by Deirdre), which is the only rock track, which has in the first part not such finely arranged instrumentation, and altough the band improvises a bit in between the chorus parts, it falls off the record as a more forgettable track. Also "Reborn" (by Pete Gescoyne) has a different starting point, and despite it's textured folk and electric guitar arrangements that uplift it, it remains a mainstream poprock track. Also the last track "Black Davie's Ride" (by Cynthia Mc Quillin) misses some refinement of the more outstanding tracks on the album. Songs like "God walks among us" has a much more romantic folkrock feel, with just enough openness for the fine textures of the harp, a vocal arrangements part, and an electric guitar solo with harp and additional textured percussion and keyboards. "Dark Moon Circle" is a Pagan tribal song that sounds like a folkrock medieval traditional.
The album has very strong moments, with a group's sound that is just perfect for it, with a good balance of folkrock and refined textures, making this album worth to discover. The few more rock tracks did not have the same perfectionism. From Avalon Rising evolved the medieval music group Brocceliande. Margaret Davis did also some solo projects. Electric instruments were left out there.
Hearing Broceliande after Avalon Rising, after a few years, I recognise even more how Broceliande is a group with a more constant sound with all unnecessary elements left out. Basically we hear medieval, old music, and traditional music. The sound of the group has a foundation in both medieval music and folk, and the members had some experience in improvising and living through the genres with enough free sound to create fresh and spontaneous songs, that sound as if they had been composed by the group itself. Various tracks however are still close to more obvious arrangements. This is a group I would like to see and perform their (medieval) music live. Margaret Davis also had a fine solo album, called "Princess of Flowers" (1998) with much more attention to medieval songs and harp play. An album which is just perfect as it should be in a relaxed and enjoyable mode, arranged medieval folk with a consistent and well balanced sound, with the cooperation of various additional musicians. Another, older, related product from Flowing Glass Music with one of the members from Broceliande / Avalon Rising is by First of May, which is reviewed at the Wicca / Pagan Folk review WebPages.
