The Daily Telegraph
After devoting 30 years to winning belated respect for the mandolin,
Simon Mayor is established as the instrument's most eloquent champion.
The delightful singing and instrumental contributions of Hilary James
have done his campaign no harm, helping the couple to refine a
confident, attractive sound.
Mayor and James have chosen their material well. Instantly appealing
traditional songs, notably 'The
Shearing's Not For You', a neglected folk club standard
of the early 1970s, and a sparkling version of 'Carolan's
Concerto', among the best-known of the 18th-century
blind harpist's charming little pieces, mix effectively with
newer works.
Irish Music Magazine
This is pure joy. The voice, the instruments and the choice of tracks
are hard to fault. Mixing new and traditional songs and tunes, this
virtuoso pair will lift your spirits in almost any circumstance. The
opening track, "The Dream," sets the tune and tone. It is simple but
entrancing.
The magic of this pair is that they make it seem so easy; we all think
we could do it. "The Reel Thing" is an instrumental set that will have
the traditional "air mandolin players" tweaking and twiddling.
I sat listening to "The Shearing's Not For You" for a full four plays
-- for two reasons. The tune is fantastic, but I had heard it somewhere
else in a different arrangement and with different words. Don't you
just hate that? Eventually I realised it was used by Steeleye Span on
"My Love." The notes inform us that these lyrics date back to Scotland
in the 19th century. That is another one of the joys of this CD; the
notes tell us in precise detail where the traditional pieces originated.
Their version of the famous "Carolan's Concerto" is faster than we are
used to, but it works very well. It is a hallmark of the album that
many tunes are given in what the duo feel is the original arrangement.
To this end, "Hey Johnny Cope" is played at a much slower pace than we
expect. Another well-known piece getting this treatment is the song
"Shenandoah."
This is an exciting album bringing new perspectives and new life to
some songs that we may have grown tired of, as well as introducing new
works.
Nicky Rossiter
Living Tradition
Listening to this elegant album of lively traditional and original
folk-based music and song is a pleasure - Hilary James' high, pure
English vocal radiates light and beauty. This is her fourth solo album,
though Simon Mayor's influence is deep-felt.
The traditional tunes come from England, Scotland, Ireland, and from
across the Atlantic. Mayor's masterly playing impacts immediately -
mandolin is his main instrument; though he also plays mandola,
mandocello, violin and guitars here. His influence on the album's
bright lyricism is remarkable.
James' lovely vocals radiate and delight throughout, and are
supplemented by her not-inconsiderable skill on guitar, mandobass
(looks impressive on the album cover!), double bass and bass guitar.
Guest musicians lend depth and structure to the ensemble. Her voice
rises pure and clear above 'The Dream', 'Fireflies' and 'Laughing With
The Moon', and the breezy, fiddle-enhanced 'Newcastle'. Her vocal is
beautifully direct (as is the crystalline sound of the mandolin) on
broadside ballad 'The Shearing's Not For You', set to a delightful
Scottish tune. 'Andrew Lammie' is a traditional Perthshire song telling
the tragic tale of Agnes Smith's doomed passion for a lowly Fyvie
trumpeter - the very effective use of military-style drums in this song
creates quite a 'doomed' feel, whilst Mayor's fiddle adds more than a
touch of emotion. 'Shenandoah' (probably from Canada or the US) is sung
as a lullaby, and features some fine soprano sax.
The four instrumentals are equally enjoyable. Top of my list are the
jigs 'Hey! Johnny Cope/Athol Highlanders', stirring pieces that gather
considerable momentum - Mayor's agile mandolin picks astonish, and the
piece is rounded off with a big, satisfyingly-resonant pluck of the
mandobass' strings. Centuries old 'Hunt The Squirrel/Long Odds' is from
Playford's Dancing Master, a collection of English dances and tunes.
Images of film adaptations of Austen's magnificent novels spring to
mind, as I imagine this tune alongside 'Mr Beveridge's Maggot' and 'The
Barley Mow'. Mayor's 'The Reel Thing' creates exactly the same effect!
There's a nod to Ireland with the jauntily buoyant 'Carolan's Concerto'.
This is an album I'll return to again and again - immensely enjoyable.
Debbie Koritsas
Green Man Review
(online magazine)
Both James and Mayor are ace multi-instrumentalists, with James the
owner of a fine, smooth soprano voice, and Mayor a very capable vocal
harmony supplier. At the heart of their music you find mandolins in
various forms and sizes, but they also play guitars, violins and bass.
Between them they have produced about ten albums.
The two produce music that to me is folk music with a slight classical
touch. They steer away from the rawness you find on some other albums.
Instead you get the feeling that each note they play or sing is
carefully planned. The mix is crystal clear. You can hear every
instrument or vocal harmony. It all sounds very fresh.
Laughing with the Moon is a mixed album. There are four James
compositions on it, the title track being one. It is an up-tempo song
built around a Scottish tune, with the verses mixed with instrumental
interludes. On this Mayor, who is mostly known as one of England's best
mandolin players, gets to shine on fiddle.
"The Reel Thing" is an instrumental that sounds more swing than reel.
It has the same feel to it as Fairport's "Woodworm Swing" and gives
both James and Mayor a chance to stretch as instrumentalists.
Most of the tracks are "trad arr." There is a beautiful version of "The
Shearing's Not For You" and a slow instrumental treatment of the old
Scottish "Johnny Cope." They have also reworked "Carolan's Concerto"
slightly and perform it at a breathtaking speed.
My favourite traditional tracks on the album are "Andrew Lammie" and
"Shenandoah." The former is an ancient ballad, performed in a slow
delicate style. The latter also gets a slow treatment, with James
double tracking some marvellous vocal harmonies. They really breathe
new life into this much-performed song.
Hilary James and Simon Mayor have spent the last month acting as
support on Fairport Convention's winter tour in England. People have
described their opening sets as a great success. From these albums I
can understand why.
They are two damn good musicians playing damn good music, and that will
take them a long way. Clearly worth checking out.
Lars Nilsson
Kevin’s Celtic & Folk Music CD
Reviews
(online magazine)
Touchingly, Simon Mayor doffs his cap to Hilary James before a note is
played. Whereas I had always previously seen them billed as 'Simon
Mayor & Hilary James', here, not only does Hilary get precedence,
but Simon has the word 'with' as a prefix to his name: thus almost
relegating him to the status of an accessory!
I jest to a degree. He is of course Britain's foremost mandolin player
on the Folk Scene, and is generally considered to be amongst the top
three British exponents of the instrument in any genre.
But here, although his mandolin, mandocello, mandola, fiddle and guitar
work are as always, impeccable in both their intelligent musicality and
their outstanding element of support for the vocals, the fact is that
he leaves all lead vocals to Hilary, and so in a very real way it is HER
record.
Not that she is a one-trick pony! Au contraire. She is a rival to Simon
in the 'multi-instrumentalist' game. Here we see her playing guitar,
double bass, mandobass and bass guitar! But it is her pellucid delivery
of the song lyrics that jump out at you from this record.
Whereas Simon Mayor has an almost clinical way with his playing - never
any question of duff or muffled notes: one always gets the impression
he has washed his hands in strong disinfectant before he picks up his
instrument - Hilary James has the warmest of voices: like she's a nurse
who has abandoned 'hospital tucks' to spend time holding the hand of
the patient.
A voice that one just knows could easily adapt itself to a classical
repertoire: but if it ever did, there would never be any danger of her
singing opera in that affected way some of the lesser British opera
singers adopt.
This album is a delightful mix of traditional ballad and instrumental
Not a weak track in evidence. The cuts that did it for me were that
splendid North American song 'Shenandoah' (sung here as a lullaby); a
refreshingly faithful version of that old war-horse by Turlough
O'Carolan, 'Carolan's Concerto'; and above all that fine traditional
song 'The Shearing's Not For You', which is one of those rare songs
that are deeply affecting WITHOUT them making any apparent deliberate
assault on the listener's sensibilities.
Worth buying.
Dai Woosnam
Net Rhythms
(online magazine)
Laughing With The Moon is a quality new album of songs and
instrumentals from these self-styled "mandolinquents" (it's the latest
in a long line of over twenty releases on their own label, in fact!),
containing both traditional and original material in almost equal
measure.
As you'd expect if you've previously encountered their music, each and
every selection is elegantly sung and/or expertly played, and so is
unlikely to disappoint in any way. Simon and Hilary are helped out a
bit by Frank Kilkelly (guitar), Phil Fentimen (guitar, double bass),
Alan Whetton (soprano sax) and Simon Price (drums), one or more of
these musicians appearing on around half of the tracks, so the emphasis
isn't overwhelmingly on the duo's penchant for anything "mando".
The disc therefore turns out to be more well-balanced than the idea of
an unadulterated mando-fest might at first convey to the uninitiated,
and it's actually all quite fun to listen to – light-textured, fleet of
foot yet never insubstantial.
Hilary's clear-toned vocals fit just right with the lithe and skilled
instrumental playing too. Herein may not quite be the finest versions
of familiar repertoire pieces such as Carolan's Concerto or songs such
as The Shearing's Not For You that you'll have heard, but they're
nowhere near the bottom of the pile and Simon and Hilary invariably
find something fresh in their chosen material.
This sparkling release should win Simon and Hilary some
new admirers.
Babysue (online magazine - USA)
Laughing at the Moon / Lullabies With Mandolins
Hilary James and Simon Mayor make music for all the right reasons.
While most folks in the United States may not be familiar with these
two individuals, they are well known in Great Britain. The two have
been recording and touring together in various stages of their careers
since the 1970s. James sings, plays guitar and bass guitar while Mayor
is a mandolin virtuoso.
Laughing at the Moon is a lighthearted romp through a variety of
traditional and original tunes. Hilary has a voice that is perfectly
smooth and always on key... slightly reminiscent of Alison Krauss.
Mayor's playing is personal and spirited throughout.
The instrumentals sound just as good as the vocal tracks and vice
versa. On Lullabies With Mandolins, the duo covers songs that will
appeal to children as well as adults. The album reminds us of The
Innocence Mission's Now the Day Is Over. James and Mayor chose to cover
timeless lullabies that will sound great decades from now.
Both of these discs showcase two musicians who truly love what they do.
In their spare time, these folks even play for children in schools. How
cool is that? Completely genuine and real in every way.
Excellent.
(Rating: 5+)
Acoustics Records
PO Box 350
Reading RG6 7DQ
England
Tel: +44 (0)118 926 8615
www.acousticsrecords.co.uk 