Search - Natalie Macmaster :: In My Hands

A Purely Magical Experience!

Darren O'Neill | Mokena, Illinois | 12/19/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If there was ever an artist that put her heart and soul into her music, it's Natalie MacMaster. Her latest release, "In My Hands" is filled with a presence, a life force if you will, that has made this one of the finest cd's ever to come into my collection. Natalie has long been known as one of the best Cape Breton style fiddlers around, and this disc showcases why.One of the things that makes this disc so good is the fact that Natalie seamlessly brings together traditional and modern sounds, as well as drawing from a variety of different musical styles. The title track may shock some traditionalists, with it's lush musical landscapes and modern instrumentation that could easily be found on a lot of New Age or Alternative discs. The track also marks the first time that Natalie lends her voice to one of her songs, and I really look forward to hearing more of this on her future releases.The only other song on the disc that contains a vocal is "Get Me Through December" where Alison Krauss lends her voice to this beautiful ballad about a woman looking for the faith and spirit to love again. The amazing thing about the rest of the tracks on this disc is that they bring as much emotion, without the luxury of using words to express them. For example, the beautifully played lonesome fiddle sound of "Blue Bonnets Over The Border" cuts directly into your soul with a sense of loss and sadness that has to be felt to properly explain it."Flamenco Fling" will make you want to get up and dance with it's mixture of Natalie's fiddle playing and the flamenco guitars and horns. "Space Ceilidh" brings together a modern drum beat and electrical samples that sound at times like something directly out of Walt Disney World's Main Street Electrical Parade, a purely magical tune. Country fiddle virtuoso Mark O'Conner joins Natalie on a version of his own "Olympic Reel" and let me just say the results are phenomenal. I've long been a fan of Mark O'Conner, and this track simply bring together two of the best fiddle players in the world. It simply does not get any better than this!"In My Hands" is an album that will mesmerize you as you listen to it. It is rare for me to find a disc that will take you so well through a wide range of human emotions. To me, the best music has always had a very cinematic, larger than life feel to it, and this disc is like the soundtrack to our lives, taking us from our highs to our lows and back again. As the title track says, "through your voice I hear your stories, and in these hands they become my own. And the old times and old memories, called to life beneath my bow." That pretty much sums up Natalie MacMaster's music, as her bow and fiddle can speak volumes. Do yourself a favor and buy this disc, you won't regret it!"

Wildly talented, wholly original

Darren O'Neill | 10/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Natalie MacMaster is a young, spirited fiddler who has won numerous awards for her work, including "Female Artist Of The Year" at the 1999 East Coast Music Awards. This album is easily her best work yet, including elements ranging from Latin to Celtic, but always expressed within the context of her traditional Cape Breton musical upbringing. Special guests include Alison Krauss, who lends her gorgeous vocals to the Gordie Sampson/Fred Lavery composition, "Get Me Through December." This is an entirely original and highly enjoyable work that will surprise and delight music fans of all types."

Niel Gow would have been proud.

kevin | Arlington, Virginia | 02/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is well worth purchasing just to have "Blue Bonnets Over the Border" and "Get Me Through December". Both airs (slow fiddle tunes) are incredibly beautiful and haunting. I have heard the 18th Century air "Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Second Wife" played by many different Scottish fiddlers in its traditional form, including by Natalie MacMaster in concert, and it always takes my breath away. Natalie interprets that air on this CD as "Get Me Through December" with the assistance of Alison Krauss on vocals. The lyrics and Krauss' voice complement perfectly Natalie's fiddle to capture the mood of the air without slavishly following the tune. Niel Gow would have been proud. There are some traditional jigs and reels, as well as the aforementioned airs, on this CD, but most of the tunes are "fusion" type recordings with non-Celtic genres of music. Some of the tunes will grow on you, and some won't, but Natalie's playing is impressive, as always, on everything."