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Darcie Deaville Plays the Fiddle and Sings
Taller Dog 101
Time - 53:54
Release - 2003
Stars - 5 out of 9
Darcie Deaville gets some of the cleanest, richest, fullest, and rounded
sound on a fiddle of anyone playing. There
are times that you think she is right there playing for you, so clean is
the production here. She handles all of the
fiddles on this disc herself. She accompanies herself occasionally on
guitar, mandolin, Octoblaster (a solid body electric
octave mandolin), and octave mandolin as well. The only other person
that can be heard here is
Marvin Dykhuis;
if his name sounds familiar, it is because he regularly travels as
accompanist to
Tish Hinojosa.
Marvin plays guitar
on a couple of cuts, drums, and percussion. The playing throughout the
disc, no matter the instrument is stellar.
This disc was also recorded at his studio and he did the mixing of the
disc. Darcie plays a great variety of music
here, always changing up the tempos and styles to keep the disc
interesting. Most all the songs are traditional, she
wrote one (Hoodoo Blues), and she may have written a verse
here and there for some of them. The
arrangements are hers; oft times she presents a familiar songs in an
uncommon arrangement.
Her singing is very
good in [the] husky high lonesome vein. These are folk and traditional tunes
and they though we may know the song,
when she introduces it her way, she does make it very much her own
song. The superb playing on this disc should
encourage some of you to try emulate her technique as it adds so much to
the music. There is a fiery spirit to her
playing that adds a layer of emotion to the songs.
"It's difficult to say who is the star here, the fiddle or the vocals.
I'd say the fiddle! Darcie is a pro; she seems to have an automatic nimble,
breathing connection all the way from her brain through her arm into the
fiddle bow [...] [her voice] gives the songs not only words, but also
strength and credibility; it contrasts and mingles with the fluidly
abrupt and often equally stark fiddle line."
(You can read the full text of the review
here).
Read the interview and story by Jay Hardwig that details the biographical background and struggle that went into the songs on Tornado In Slo Mo.
Here's a quick review by Mark Horn.
©2002-2004 Darcie Deaville.
All rights reserved.
Last updated
Sat Jul 17 00:20:43 CDT 2004