Fiona Hunter

Fiona Hunter

Fiona Hunter

(Rusty Squash Horn)

Fiona Hunter's high quality as a traditional singer has been apparent through her work with the Scots band Malinky during the past decade, and this solo album underlines her ability to convey a wide range of song styles with feeling, sensitivity and authority. She has a true traditional singer's voice, as well as being an able cellist, and her Malinky bandmate and duo partner Mike Vass has done a great job as producer, making Hunter's singing the clear, distinctive focus in arrangements that carry the narrative along briskly or dramatically as the mood demands. Young Emsley and MacCrimmon's Lament are the big performances, with Hunter capturing the listener's attention immediately and holding it all the way to the denouement, but she balances these heavyweights with much lighter material, culminating in a carefree and rather charming pub chorus rendition of Jock Hawk's Adventures In Glasgow. Beautifully judged playing from the multi-instrumentalist Vass, bassist Euan Burton and guitarist Matheu Watson contributes to the album's more-ish nature.

Rob Adams