Isobel Anderson & Ruby Colley - The Sussex Sessions

The word “session” in an album title implies a group of musicians relentlessly playing tunes in the back room of a pub, but this is not the case here. Isobel Anderson (guitar and vocals) and Ruby Colley (fiddle) have produced an intimate interpretation of three traditional tracks, all with uncluttered arrangements.

Black is the Colour begins with Isobel singing unaccompanied. The fiddle joins her in the second verse with a simple drone-like accompaniment. This allows the voice the freedom to embellish the tune. The fiddle has a lovely solo, before the drones recommence for the final verse. A beautifully haunting arrangement of a very familiar song.

Down in Adairsville also starts very simply with plucked broken chords on fiddle, later joined by gentle strumming. The bow takes over to end the song with a lovely solo and accompany the final verse.

Hares on the Mountain, another very familiar song, contains some rather lovely bird imitations on fiddle when blackbirds and thrushes are mentioned. Here, the fiddle illustrates and embroiders rather than merely accompanying, but is also allowed a moment of glory in a beautiful soaring interlude.

Three lovely arrangements that leave you wishing there was more.