CONNIE DOVER
The Border Of Heaven:
Celtic Music On the American Frontier
Taylor Park 2000
http://www.conniedover.com
On The Border of Heaven, Connie Dover's intent is to link the form and origin of songs sung on the American frontier to the British Isles. The songs are for the most part recognizable, but some are not. Some, like the initial, beautiful Gaelic "The Blessing," written around 1897 by John McFayden, are obviously from the Old Country. Others echo our American elementary school songbooks: "Sweet Betsy From Pike," "Streets of Laredo," the latter of these with an 18th century origin (as "Pills Of White Mercury" and similar) and sung with Skip Gorman. One of the most interesting songs to me is "I Am Going To the West," as I grew up in Alabama. Connie wrote most of it, spring boarding off an Alabama folk song: "In this fair land I'll stay no more Labor is in vain I'll seek the mountains far away And leave the fertile plain." The lyrics ring well and the song is one of the best on the album. And I can just imagine that blackland farmer picking up and leaving the safety and heat of the Gulf Coast for the looming peaks of The West... Connie has a lovely voice in concert, and on this album as well, where it is sometimes layered unto itself. The album was produced as always by Phil Cunningham and is entouraged by 15 back-up musicians including John Hartford, fellow traveler Roger Lands, and American Celtic masters Jerry O'Sullivan, Paddy League, and Zan McLeod, with John and Phil Cunningham on fiddle and keyboards et al. Phil produces as if painting a pretty, tasteful landscape, and that is what this album is, a skillful, pretty landscape of American-Celtic music in dreamy but clear pastels. With all this perfection, what is wrong with the album? Nothing. The tracks are even well documented. But there are minus points for some listeners. Like Kate Rusby, Connie sings in her own effective style, but without a great deal of fire or passion, perhaps she simmers instead of boils. As an example, the shape note hymn "Wondrous Love" comes through with none of the heartfelt delight and strength of its customary singers. The tracks are for the most part (some, like "Betsy From Pike" and "Winters Night," are quite perky) fairly slow and quiet and well produced, and seem to me slow and quiet and remote. You could not use this album as a substitute for caffeine.
The Columbia Gypsy