tag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:/blogs/press?p=17Press2024-03-13T12:35:49+00:00Sarah McQuaidfalsetag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/73663552024-03-13T12:35:49+00:002024-03-13T12:35:50+00:00Fehmarnsches Tageblatt - Eckhard Kretschmer (Mar 2024)<p><i>13 March 2024 </i></p><p><strong>Live review – Mut zur Langsamkeit </strong><i><strong>(The Courage to Go Slow)</strong></i><strong> (English translation follows German original).</strong> “Sie modelliert jede Silbe, jedes Wort, jeden Gedanken, jede Emotion mit der enormen Kraft und Spannweite ihrer Stimme. Und diese Stimme füllt das vollbesetzte Café „liebevoll“ aus. Mit geschlossenen Augen könnte man das Gefühl haben, dass sie für einen ganz persönlich singt.” <i>(<span>She articulates every syllable, every word, every thought, every emotion in her enormously powerful and wide-ranging voice, effortlessly filling the packed Café liebevoll. With closed eyes, it’s easy to believe she is singing for each one of us personally.</span>)</i></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.fehmarn24.de/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.fehmarn24.de</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/e04f265bdec7355431b052952671609f3a26d453/original/img-1992.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" height="1602" width="1602" /><p><i><strong>Thanks to Alison Moffat-McLynn for the translation below!</strong></i><br><span style="color:rgb(26,13,0);"><strong>The courage to go slow</strong></span><br><span style="color:rgb(26,13,0);">At her concert in Café liebevoll, Sarah McQuaid takes the audience along from the start</span></p><p><span>Fehmarn – The evening opens with “Guten Abend, meine Damen und Herren” as Sarah McQuaid explains in German that she is trying to learn the notoriously difficult language and rattles through noun genders and adjective agreements in a series of schoolbook sentences: “The elephant is big, the mouse is small, the book lies on the table, the dog bites the man. That’s all. I don’t know any more!” As the voice of the Cornwall-based artist resonates through the room, this delightful opening has the audience firmly on her side from the very start.</span></p><p><span>Her first song of the evening is sung a cappella. Around 200 years old, “The Wagoner‘s Lad” has already been covered by many, many well-known musicians. Does she remind us of Joan Baez’ version from the 70s? A little, perhaps. But most of all, she entrances the audience by showing the courage to go slow. She articulates every syllable, every word, every thought, every emotion in her enormously powerful and wide-ranging voice, effortlessly filling the packed Café liebevoll. With closed eyes, it’s easy to believe she is singing for each one of us personally.</span></p><p><span>The song finishes, and Sarah’s eyes glow. In a mix of English and German, she praises the venue as “echt gemütlich” and tells us that “gemütlich” (cosy) is her second favourite German word after the useful all-rounder “genau” (exactly). Sarah explains that although the venue publicity announced her as Canadian, she is not from Canada; her father was Spanish, her mother American, and her husband is Irish. In telling us, she extends the first syllable of “Ire” to avoid any repetition of a misunderstanding she once caused by inaccurate diction (“Ire” is German for Irish, while “Irre” means “mad”). Another misunderstanding is cleared up in passing: in Cornwall, where Sarah has lived for many years, nobody has heard of Rosamunde Pilcher except Germans, who adore the 20-plus films of her novels that are set in the region. </span></p><p><span>Sarah announces she would like to be composted when she dies, to return to the earth. And to be on the safe side, she made her wish absolutely clear by writing a beautiful and very moving song. Her son is also the subject of two songs; one tells of how she once watched him digging in the garden and found him in a hole which completely hid him from view. This was the inspiration for the song “If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous”, for which her sound engineer uses sampling to create a backing trio from her own voice. A further song was inspired when her son learnt about underground volcanoes and became terrified that the world could be destroyed.</span></p><p><span>Sarah accompanies herself on piano in a number of songs, including a cover of Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees”. And a large floor tom, its drumbeats multiplied into an endless loop by the sound engineer, complements Sarah’s voice and guitar to immerse the audience in a very special atmosphere, uniquely personal to the artist. The audience is so absorbed, and the music so ethereal, that you could almost hear a pin drop.</span></p><p><span>Sarah repeatedly surprises the audience with further German words and sentences. The concert is a textbook example of a close relationship between artist and audience. So close that there is no need for special lighting or sound effects. Just a guitar in DADGAD tuning, which allows unusual chord variations to be played and strings to resonate in sympathetic harmony, alongside the artist’s multi-faceted voice and expressive eyes. Nothing more is needed to fill an evening, to fill the space. Should she be invited back? The unanimous audience response at the end of the evening is a resounding Yes. – eak</span></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/73313822024-01-09T13:00:00+00:002024-01-10T13:03:37+00:00People’s Republic of South Devon - Lee Morgan (Jan 2024)<p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid: winter and spring tour blooms into Devon.</strong> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">“Contemporary folk that wraps around you like a comfortably exhilarating cloak …. She seems like she’s hit the sweet spot of creativity, imagination and freedom. It’s a mischievous, embracing, thoughtful spot that is reflected in the music, which is all the richer when sampled live.”</span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.theprsd.co.uk/2024/01/09/sarah-mcquaid-winter-and-spring-tour-blooms-into-devon/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);"><span dir="ltr">https://www.theprsd.co.uk/2024/01/09/sarah-mcquaid-winter-and-spring-tour-blooms-into-devon</span></span></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);"><span dir="ltr"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/26b338ed607848f09a1ab3cc2776f3e8b9be924e/original/img-1955.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></span></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72901602023-10-19T18:59:32+01:002023-10-19T19:00:03+01:00People’s Republic of South Devon - Lee Morgan (Oct 2023)<p><i>19 October 2023</i></p><p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid: ‘immaculate vibes’ coming to Devon.</strong> “Sarah got in touch, with an eloquent and gentle reminder while she was in the midst of an epic 9-hour car journey crossing six states. It makes the jaunt to Devon – up from Sarah’s Cornwall home – seem like a pleasant, and quite short, hop.”</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.theprsd.co.uk/2023/10/19/sarah-mcquaid-immaculate-vibes-coming-to-devon/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.theprsd.co.uk/2023/10/19/sarah-mcquaid-immaculate-vibes-coming-to-devon</a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/16bbf2f74dfb8c4953edd671775ca195efefced7/original/img-1902.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72826042023-09-23T12:00:00+01:002023-10-16T15:55:18+01:00The Paper - Saydie Bean (Sept 2023)<p><i>23 September 2023</i></p><p><strong>Interview – Sarah McQuaid performing at the Burke County Public Library.</strong> “‘By the time I get to the Burke County Library on the 2nd of October, I’ll have been on the road here for a full month. It’s a gorgeous space to perform in and I can’t wait!’”</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thepaper.media/stories/artist-sarah-mcquaid-performing-at-the-burke-county-public-library,11347" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.thepaper.media/stories/artist-sarah-mcquaid-performing-at-the-burke-county-public-library,11347</a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/adf11f17ca356e86f077f6be8801b7d953509e0c/original/the-paper-sept-2023.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72721082023-09-06T17:25:00+01:002023-09-12T17:14:23+01:00North Coast Voice - Steve Madewell (Sept 2023)<p><i>6 September 2023</i> </p><p><strong>Feature – Pedestrian Ramblings.</strong> “W<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">atching Sarah work when she stayed at our house was a real eye-opening experience. … She never stopped, there was no down time, and a few hours before her show, she would change gears and get into performance mode. Simply remarkable</span>.” </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.northcoastvoice.com/PDFs/v23i09.pdf" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.northcoastvoice.com/PDFs/v23i09.pdf</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/a6120558c34f6f7cf4e9b78843addd39875df3c5/original/img-1874.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72576602023-08-16T12:04:04+01:002023-08-16T12:04:05+01:00Americana UK - Mark Whitfield (Aug 2023)<p><i>16 August 2023</i> </p><p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid announces UK dates for the autumn.</strong> “<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">Singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid has announced a 23-show autumn UK tour for November plus a high-profile hometown show later this month in West Cornwall, England, where she’s lived since 2007</span>.” </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://americana-uk.com/sarah-mcquaid-announces-uk-dates-for-the-autumn" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://americana-uk.com/sarah-mcquaid-announces-uk-dates-for-the-autumn</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/5cab41b66781e6bb87de7b76abf64274f39345cb/original/img-1858.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72573972023-08-15T21:13:48+01:002023-08-15T21:13:49+01:00Folk Radio UK (Aug 2023)<p><i>15 August 2023</i> </p><p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid announces US & UK tour.</strong> “Singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid will kick off a 3-month, 59-show autumn USA and UK tour with high-profile hometown shows in West Cornwall, England, where she’s lived since 2007, and Chicago, where she spent most of her childhood.” </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2023/08/sarah-mcquaid-announces-us-uk-tour/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2023/08/sarah-mcquaid-announces-us-uk-tour</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/a5488f0226185785ae26b301e08789fe90e5be0c/original/img-1855.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72181802023-05-31T08:05:32+01:002023-05-31T08:05:33+01:00Trust The Doc - Neil March (May 2023)<p><i>31 May 2023</i> </p><p><strong>Single review – </strong><i><strong>If We DUB Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong></i><strong>.</strong> “<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);">Simple but clever, imaginatively arranged and of course it has Sarah’s sparkling, brooding and beautiful voice to round off a great track</span>.” </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc">https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/3ad9b6feea43b6e370f5e3b486904c585f18aba1/original/d989e128-800c-4a41-8f9b-14f408e9b013.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72083452023-05-13T11:16:20+01:002023-05-13T11:21:03+01:00Ross-shire Journal - Margaret Chrystall<p><i>12 May 2023 </i></p><p><strong>Interview – Scottish folk hero triggered Sarah McQuaid ditching job for full-time music.</strong> “<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);">But I suspect none of this would have happened if I had said no to that festival workshop. Thank goodness I felt ‘If I say no to this, if I don’t have the courage, how angry am I going to be with myself if I don’t do it, how will I live with myself?'!”</span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/who-inspired-sarah-to-give-up-her-job-for-music-313569" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/who-inspired-sarah-to-give-up-her-job-for-music-313569</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/9930a07ade580a1f6860c2b75a53185a04c88aff/original/img-1757.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/72012842023-04-30T10:00:00+01:002023-05-02T10:03:26+01:00The Afterword - Vulpes Vulpes (Apr 2023)<p><i>30 April 2023 </i></p><p><strong>Live review – Church of St Philip and St James.</strong> “Last night’s gig was another tour-de-force. I can’t remember the last time I saw an artist open their show with an acappella song delivery that hung everything on staggeringly accurate voice control and pitch perfection. … She’s a powerhouse talent, don’t miss her.”</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://theafterword.co.uk/to-church-with-sarah-again/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://theafterword.co.uk/to-church-with-sarah-again</a> </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/3dfeb27c8d55f01f545456c322b4a0e3549b8190/original/1a296636-141b-4a58-a714-c6bd51f4c1e9.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/71864142023-04-08T20:59:37+01:002023-04-08T21:12:10+01:00Joyzine - Paul F. Cook (April 2023)<p><i>8 April 2023</i></p><p><strong>Single review – “If We DUB Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.”</strong> “<span style="color:rgb(25,25,25);">The subterranean metaphors and allusions to an impending apocalypse are all enhanced by the dark, brooding soundscape, and Sarah McQuaid’s exceptional voice sits at its centre like a canary in this electronic coalmine.”</span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://joyzine.org/2023/04/08/single-review-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dub-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://joyzine.org/2023/04/08/single-review-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dub-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous</a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/f0116ff03ed91a7c7db2e5889b98f480c582767c/original/15488f08-89a3-4fe6-b533-1cb823c3ae1a.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/71694642023-03-09T12:00:00+00:002023-03-11T12:29:00+00:00Folker (March 2023)<p><i>9 March 2023</i></p><p><strong>Feature – Gitarrenvirtuosin Sarah McQuaid: Endlich wieder auf Tour durch Deutschland.</strong> “Die Singer/Songwriterin und Fingerstylegitarristin ist so etwas wie die Internationalität in Person.”</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://folker.world/gehoert-entdeckt-gelesen/gitarrenvirtuosin-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">https://folker.world/gehoert-entdeckt-gelesen/gitarrenvirtuosin-sarah-mcquaid</a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/392114/16771f381e3122d1a9bf3af2ccf844b0dae873e2/original/3c29247a-f0f7-4356-8f16-1a0468572964.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/71458002023-01-27T19:00:00+00:002023-01-30T18:52:17+00:00Western People - Helen Falconer<p><em>27 January 2023</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Sarah’s Lifetime Devotion to Making Great Music.</strong> “The writer is born.” Sarah talks to journalist Helen Falconer about her life and work.</p>
<p><a contents="https://westernpeople.ie/2023/01/27/sarahs-lifetime-devotion-to-making-great-music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://westernpeople.ie/2023/01/27/sarahs-lifetime-devotion-to-making-great-music/" target="_blank">https://westernpeople.ie/2023/01/27/sarahs-lifetime-devotion-to-making-great-music</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3c9d447dd7de4ba337f34d68882afe5feaf86c7a/original/ffb8433d-3973-4222-bdc4-c4cc26c820a8.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/71413782023-01-22T14:17:28+00:002023-01-22T14:18:44+00:00The Afterword - Gatz<p><em>22 January 2023 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Castle Hedingham Village Hall.</strong> “The arrangements are interesting, the songs intriguing and her voice marvellous.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/45e264d3ad9c00e316ad1d829907ec1031bc9ccf/original/89821942-41c1-411a-be8c-6c9c7dd4d8d6.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/71391742023-01-17T16:24:20+00:002023-01-17T16:26:01+00:00RTÉ - Behind The Music (2023)<p><em>17 January 2023</em></p>
<p><strong>Interview – Behind The Music.</strong> “If there’s one singer I try to emulate, it’s Ella Fitzgerald. I really love the effortless quality of her singing and the way she hits every note bang on even though she’d have been recording live in the days before Melodyne!”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0117/1346528-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0117/1346528-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0117/1346528-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/4d7ec8b30ecaa2fa1f24540cdab7d1a34ff8e284/original/rte-behind-the-music-2023.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/70297982022-08-03T14:54:01+01:002022-08-03T14:54:01+01:00The Guardian - John Harris<p><em>3 August 2022</em> </p>
<p><strong>Feature – 10 reasons Brexit has been disastrous for Britain.</strong> <em>The Guardian</em>'s John Harris interviews Sarah about why independent musicians who rely on touring for a living have been hit particularly hard by the new post-Brexit rules on carnets, customs and merchandise.</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/spiralling-inflation-crops-left-in-the-field-and-travel-chaos-10-reasons-brexit-has-been-disastrous-for-britain" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/spiralling-inflation-crops-left-in-the-field-and-travel-chaos-10-reasons-brexit-has-been-disastrous-for-britain" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/03/spiralling-inflation-crops-left-in-the-field-and-travel-chaos-10-reasons-brexit-has-been-disastrous-for-britain</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/d2ddc09d437b181b644e48c28778bbf166a9b428/original/guardian-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/69866152022-06-02T13:00:00+01:002022-06-04T13:25:00+01:00Cornish Times<p><em>2 June 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Three Cornwall shows for locally-based international singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid.</strong> “I’d urge people, if they’re thinking of coming to any of my gigs, to please buy tickets in advance, because low ticket sales make venues twitchy and they start talking about cancelling shows.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/three-cornwall-shows-for-locally-based-international-singersongwriter-sarah-mcquaid-548672" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/three-cornwall-shows-for-locally-based-international-singersongwriter-sarah-mcquaid-548672" target="_blank">https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/three-cornwall-shows-for-locally-based-international-singersongwriter-sarah-mcquaid-548672</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/85fc845d228e0f82b93e05ebc6c28c9cea28b065/original/cornish-times.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/69417512022-05-01T07:00:00+01:002022-05-01T07:00:01+01:00Irish Music Magazine - Mark Lysaght<p><em>May 2022</em> </p>
<p><strong>Feature – The St Buryan Sessions: Sarah McQuaid.</strong> “The results are spectacular, clearly inspired and enriched by the location with its real sense of history and context. ... Here, she hones each song down to its core, with careful use of space in the arrangements.” </p>
<p><a contents="http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/current-issue/may-2022-issue" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/current-issue/may-2022-issue" target="_blank">http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/current-issue/may-2022-issue</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3c276c9b4457f94729559550aff76d8d82b015d1/original/irish-music-magazine-mark-lysaght.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68999542022-02-16T10:00:00+00:002022-02-17T10:14:33+00:00Shire Folk - Kevin T. Ward<p><em>16 February 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “These hauntingly sensitive and spacious solo renditions offer something memorable and affectingly special; literally, her own ‘soul, flesh and bone’, captured in ‘glass, wood and stone’. Dim the lights (‘comfort in darkness’) and listen immersively so as to fully experience her intensely heartfelt, moving, and expressive conveyance of her stirring songs.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://twitter.com/FolkShire/status/1493866803772207104" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/FolkShire/status/1493866803772207104" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/FolkShire/status/1493866803772207104</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/79e27f5596ec812abb6815967339460a640856fc/original/shire-folk-feb-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68990652022-02-13T12:00:00+00:002022-02-16T11:54:45+00:00The Afterword - Vulpes Vulpes<p><em>13 February 2022 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Under the Edge Arts.</strong> “I heard myself whisper a quiet ‘Wow’ .... You hold your breath as she approaches what sounds like an impossible vocal twist and then effortlessly lands it with perfection. She could probably sing Slade songs and still make you marvel at her skills and the nuanced fluidity of her delivery. She is a true original of very great talent.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid-conjures-up-magic-in-a-little-village-hall" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid-conjures-up-magic-in-a-little-village-hall/" target="_blank">https://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid-conjures-up-magic-in-a-little-village-hall</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/5b2bbfdd3e4fd3d9a503600ccb291a24f9632dac/original/afterword-feb-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68828272022-02-01T08:00:00+00:002022-02-01T08:00:01+00:00Cotswold Life<p><em>February 2022</em> </p>
<p><strong>Feature – A Warm Welcome To Wotton. </strong>“With her new live-in-lockdown album <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em> drawing critical raves and appearing on best-of-2021 lists on three continents, Spain-born, USA- raised singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is once again hitting the road.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/9285885ec57503745ff164a72d157782cd779337/original/cotswold-life-feb-2022.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68722172022-01-17T05:00:00+00:002022-01-18T05:18:21+00:00Fresh On The Net Fresh Faves - Neil March<p><em>17 January 2022</em> </p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Tug Of The Moon (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Like all her music, the track oozes quality and reminds us, as if we needed reminding, of her stunning talent.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2022/01/faves431" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2022/01/faves431" target="_blank">https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2022/01/faves431</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/26d9c13b5f084aae6bb8891771576788a3bfe954/original/fresh-on-the-net-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68676522022-01-13T12:58:08+00:002022-01-13T12:58:08+00:00Radiorock.to - Fulvio Savagnone<p><em>13 January 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>2021 Rewind.</strong> “I miei preferiti dell’anno passato” (My favourites of the past year).</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.radiorock.to/pages/podcast.php?idpods=6902&amp;podcaster=Fulvio_Savagnone&amp;titolo=&amp;noc=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.radiorock.to/pages/podcast.php?idpods=6902&podcaster=Fulvio_Savagnone&titolo=&noc=1" target="_blank">https://www.radiorock.to/pages/podcast.php?idpods=6902&podcaster=Fulvio_Savagnone&titolo=&noc=1</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/8768aebf10dd52d2bcc480ef1e8b70c93d30e7fc/original/radiorock-to-fulvio-savagnone-best-of-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68626172022-01-07T09:00:00+00:002022-01-08T08:53:07+00:00Across The Universal Soundscape (Jan 2022)<p>7 January 2022</p>
<p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid: January & February 2022 UK Tour.</strong> “With her new live-in-lockdown album <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em> drawing critical raves and appearing on best-of-2021 lists on three continents, Sarah McQuaid is once again preparing to hit the road.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://acrosstheuniversalsoundscape.weebly.com/news/sarah-mcquaid-january-february-uk-tour" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://acrosstheuniversalsoundscape.weebly.com/news/sarah-mcquaid-january-february-uk-tour" target="_blank">https://acrosstheuniversalsoundscape.weebly.com/news/sarah-mcquaid-january-february-uk-tour</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/14a51ef03b7c68ac6dd60112d9580195d1a33466/original/across-the-universal-soundscape-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68698942022-01-06T14:50:00+00:002022-01-15T11:46:25+00:00Now Spinning Best Of 2021<p><em>6 January 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Top 30 Album and Box Set Releases for 2021.</strong> “The music is just perfect for the times we find ourselves in. It’s melancholy, but it’s uplifting. … It’s just a beautiful, beautiful album.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://youtu.be/tH6j38IOFcs" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/tH6j38IOFcs" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/tH6j38IOFcs</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/9f6d440cf6064a39db810df7a98f99de2a0f1e89/original/now-spinning-best-of-2021.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68618102022-01-06T14:40:00+00:002022-01-07T14:28:44+00:00The Packet - Ryan Morwood<p><em>6 January 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid gig in Penzance at Acorn Theatre in Cornwall.</strong> “Every gig feels like a gift.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/19828202.sarah-mcquaid-gig-penzance-acorn-theatre-cornwall" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/19828202.sarah-mcquaid-gig-penzance-acorn-theatre-cornwall/" target="_blank">https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/19828202.sarah-mcquaid-gig-penzance-acorn-theatre-cornwall</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/fa598ffab9d44590deb06f77349804df2abdc495/original/the-packet-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68606182022-01-05T07:00:00+00:002022-01-06T07:09:12+00:00RTÉ - Behind The Music<p><em>5 January 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Interview – Behind The Music.</strong> “I make a mean lasagne.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0105/1269803-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0105/1269803-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0105/1269803-behind-the-music-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/271a8f71b74a295270a6c4dc9da09f063167c504/original/rte-behind-the-music.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68608552022-01-04T15:00:00+00:002022-01-06T14:33:08+00:00Americana UK - Video Premiere - Andrew Frolish<p><em>4 January 2022</em> </p>
<p><strong>Video Premiere – <em>The Tug Of The Moon (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “There’s an astonishing richness to Sarah McQuaid’s voice, evident in this ethereal interpretation of ‘Tug of the Moon’ ... The album is a gorgeous, emotional experience, but start here.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://americana-uk.com/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-the-tug-of-the-moon-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://americana-uk.com/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-the-tug-of-the-moon-the-st-buryan-sessions" target="_blank">https://americana-uk.com/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-the-tug-of-the-moon-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/fe7b18980c7fdfe9566c221a7f4b72cc57a287df/original/americana-uk-video-premiere-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68608452022-01-04T14:35:00+00:002022-01-06T14:41:08+00:00Americana UK - Martin Johnson<p><em>4 January 2022 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview – Sarah McQuaid on refreshing her folk vision with <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “Even with three people in the audience it still felt better than it would have felt just sitting at home looking at a screen.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://americana-uk.com/interview-sarah-mcquaid-on-refreshing-her-folk-vision-with-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://americana-uk.com/interview-sarah-mcquaid-on-refreshing-her-folk-vision-with-the-st-buryan-sessions" target="_blank">https://americana-uk.com/interview-sarah-mcquaid-on-refreshing-her-folk-vision-with-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/41c2d98cdb2a0cf7d75fdb5502013a08bd235529/original/americana-uk-interview-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68608562022-01-04T14:15:00+00:002022-01-06T14:40:06+00:00Country Music News International - Antony Bailey<p><em>4 January 2022</em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “Simply a breath of fresh air into the modern music scene.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://countrymusicnewsinternational.com/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://countrymusicnewsinternational.com/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions" target="_blank">https://countrymusicnewsinternational.com/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/b8e367e459b75f20727cd51a892a2e74eb973110/original/country-music-news-international-jan-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68609312021-12-31T15:00:00+00:002022-01-06T15:45:08+00:00Zeitgeist (The Rocker) - Stuart Hamilton (Dec 2021)<p><em>31 December 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>The Last Post – Best of 2021 (No. 1).</strong> “There isn’t a moment here that isn’t beautifully executed. You’ll be hard pushed to hear a better acoustic record this year. In fact, you won’t which is why you really need to head off and order a copy now. So good I bought the vinyl.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/12/31/the-last-post-zeitgeist-best-of-2021" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/12/31/the-last-post-zeitgeist-best-of-2021" target="_blank">https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/12/31/the-last-post-zeitgeist-best-of-2021</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/fe1ab81e79e9bbde6d0baab29aa89bf9610cffd6/original/the-rocker-dec-31-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/68618012021-12-01T14:00:00+00:002022-01-07T14:01:01+00:00Folk North West - Clive Pownceby<p><em>Winter 2021-22 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “The McQuaid voice shimmers between elation and melancholy .... Her exceptional phrasing ability conveys a yearning which colours this album’s haunting, almost mesmeric ethos. ... Sarah McQuaid makes music that matters.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.folknorthwest.co.uk/folk_north_west.htm" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.folknorthwest.co.uk/folk_north_west.htm" target="_blank">https://www.folknorthwest.co.uk/folk_north_west.htm</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/718f2064c4d981ee4006dadd972b1632dc6d0fa9/original/folk-north-west-winter-2021-2022.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67727492021-10-11T21:19:38+01:002021-10-11T21:20:03+01:00Americana Highways - Video Premiere - Melissa Clarke<p><em>11 October 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Video Premiere – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Sarah McQuaid’s songs have a slow winding timelessness, and this popular one is no exception. The harmonies have a symphonic flow, and the video magnifies the enchantment with a live performance.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://americanahighways.org/2021/10/11/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://americanahighways.org/2021/10/11/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper/" target="_blank">https://americanahighways.org/2021/10/11/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/51fd80114c2cac46ff9b3fcbc24b9e0b83b51ad6/original/americana-highways-dig-any-deeper.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67701472021-10-08T20:15:03+01:002021-10-08T20:31:05+01:00Now Spinning<p><em>8 October 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Video Interview – Now Spinning Podcast, Episode 5: The Sarah McQuaid Interview.</strong> “As you know I spend a lot of time with rock-driven music and then something comes along that completely floors me. The St Buryan Sessions by Sarah McQuaid is already in my top 5 albums of the year. It is just spellbinding. If you like Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, Kristin Hersh, Janis Ian and Eva Cassidy then give this a listen.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="m7Lae-B25zQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/m7Lae-B25zQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m7Lae-B25zQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="236" width="420" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67697962021-10-08T14:03:59+01:002021-10-08T14:03:59+01:00The St Ives Times & Echo<p><em>8 October 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid’s new album to be launched in the venue where it was recorded.</strong> “Penwith based singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is releasing her new album, The St Buryan Sessions at a free (donations) benefit concert in St Buryan Church on Friday October 15th.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3207f3029ccb95dedefcac50c162ca9f90033060/original/st-ives-times-echo-8-10-21.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67678252021-10-06T17:41:11+01:002021-10-06T17:41:11+01:00Punk News - Video Premiere<p><em>6 October 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Video Premiere – <em>One Sparrow Down (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “McQuaid strips the track back to a chilling, sparse Euro-folk track, propelled by a cold, marching percussion. Meanwhile, McQuaid tells a parable that isn't quite as simple as it seems. It's interesting that the track reaches so far past post-punk minimalism that it comes back around again to something ancient.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.punknews.org/article/75692/check-out-the-new-video-by-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.punknews.org/article/75692/check-out-the-new-video-by-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">https://www.punknews.org/article/75692/check-out-the-new-video-by-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/290bd1bad7bc0ff3bdfc9cdbfd5eaa9fac118333/original/punk-news-one-sparrow-down.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67665392021-10-05T14:13:04+01:002021-10-05T14:13:04+01:00Folk Wales - Mick Tems (Oct 2021)<p><em>October 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The St Buryan Sessions.</em></strong> “Sarah has made something magical happen; and Martin has recorded her entrancing and hypnotic set. It all goes to show that in the awful, terrible pandemic, some artistic brilliance can shine a light somewhere. Sarah – we salute you.”</p>
<p><a contents="http://folk.wales/magazine/?p=315#The_St_Buryan_Sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://folk.wales/magazine/?p=315#The_St_Buryan_Sessions" target="_blank">http://folk.wales/magazine/?p=315#The_St_Buryan_Sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/05caec059af64809205778c677bd1f1789ab281f/original/9bd00591-5e28-41bc-b0cc-d3ad821f4772.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67629182021-10-01T11:38:39+01:002021-10-01T11:38:39+01:00Glide Magazine - Video Premiere<p><em>1 October 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Video premiere – <em>Yellowstone (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “A song that speaks to our precarious times where it seems there is a disaster around every corner. Inspired by thoughts of her young son many years ago, the song is a dark yet moving work of gothic folk that is also strangely informative.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://glidemagazine.com/264131/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-performs-moving-folk-song-yellowstone-off-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://glidemagazine.com/264131/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-performs-moving-folk-song-yellowstone-off-the-st-buryan-sessions" target="_blank">https://glidemagazine.com/264131/video-premiere-sarah-mcquaid-performs-moving-folk-song-yellowstone-off-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/d9cdc62c92ffef282a025635504e1dd3572d80cc/original/glide-magazine-yellowstone.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67549212021-09-23T09:02:12+01:002021-09-23T09:02:12+01:00American Blues Scene - Video Premiere<p><i>22 September 2021</i></p>
<p><strong>Video premiere – <em>In Derby Cathedral (The St Buryan Sessions).</em> </strong>“I have to admit that I never thought of “In Derby Cathedral” as a blues song, but maybe in a way it is — and having grown up on the south side of Chicago, I guess that background comes through in my songs even if I’m not always aware of it.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/exclusive-video-premiere-sarah-mcquaids-stunning-in-derby-cathedral-from-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/exclusive-video-premiere-sarah-mcquaids-stunning-in-derby-cathedral-from-the-st-buryan-sessions/" target="_blank">https://www.americanbluesscene.com/exclusive-video-premiere-sarah-mcquaids-stunning-in-derby-cathedral-from-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/e34b4c08044c4347374d11d3696f44078d10c8c7/original/015ba8e3-44fa-4512-b162-164408dc9bae.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67526152021-09-20T09:00:00+01:002021-09-21T09:21:30+01:00Fresh On The Net Fresh Faves - Neil March<p><em>20 September 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Day Of Wrath, That Day (The St Buryan Sessions).</em></strong> “Resonant and expertly picked guitars setting the dark, reflective scene with a mystical, almost oriental-sounding figure that is like a folkier take on The End by The Doors with direction by Anoushka Shankar.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/09/faves417" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/09/faves417" target="_blank">https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/09/faves417</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/422b14ad2c5c9f2c8a4029cb2d9740dd63655e05/original/fresh-on-the-net-sept-2021.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67511072021-09-19T15:13:21+01:002021-09-19T15:13:21+01:00Zeitgeist (The Rocker) - Stuart Hamilton (Sept 2021)<p><em>19 September 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “You’ll be hard pushed to hear a better acoustic record this year. In fact, you won’t which is why you really need to head off and order a copy now.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/19/reviews-roundup-sarah-mcquaid-dan-baunes-lost-sanctuary-mick-kolassa-lc-the-chaingang/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/19/reviews-roundup-sarah-mcquaid-dan-baunes-lost-sanctuary-mick-kolassa-lc-the-chaingang/" target="_blank">https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/19/reviews-roundup-sarah-mcquaid-dan-baunes-lost-sanctuary-mick-kolassa-lc-the-chaingang/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/021c6136940d73a669e5bba59c1a9be3a4ccca13/original/review-sbs-zeitgeist.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67473792021-09-15T17:00:00+01:002021-09-16T07:35:08+01:00Guitar Girl Magazine - Video Premiere<p><em>15 September 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Video premiere – <em>What Are We Going To Do (The St Buryan Sessions).</em></strong> “Today, we’re honored to premiere the stunning music video for the track “What Are We Going To Do,” set in the beautiful medieval church of St Buryan close to her home in rural West Cornwall, where McQuaid recorded the live solo performance amongst the grand acoustic space. This unique setting showcases McQuaid’s beautiful, soaring vocals and guitar mastery.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://guitargirlmag.com/news/music-news/music-premiere-watch-the-stunning-performance-by-sarah-mcquaid-of-her-single-what-are-we-going-to-do-from-her-forthcoming-album-the-st-buryan-sessions/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://guitargirlmag.com/news/music-news/music-premiere-watch-the-stunning-performance-by-sarah-mcquaid-of-her-single-what-are-we-going-to-do-from-her-forthcoming-album-the-st-buryan-sessions/" target="_blank">https://guitargirlmag.com/news/music-news/music-premiere-watch-the-stunning-performance-by-sarah-mcquaid-of-her-single-what-are-we-going-to-do-from-her-forthcoming-album-the-st-buryan-sessions/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3ae6e991d679c9b2108e7daa55b9079c2ccc247a/original/guitar-girl-video-premiere.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67373032021-09-06T16:56:32+01:002021-09-06T16:56:32+01:00Zeitgeist - Stuart Hamilton (Sep 2021)<p><em>6 September 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Last Song (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “As a taster for what’s coming it certainly does its job and you’d be a fool, nay, a damned fool if you didn’t head over to her BandCamp page, cash in hand. Go. Now.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/06/reviews-roundup-mahogany-frog-six-gun-romeo-robert-stoner-audio-reign-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/06/reviews-roundup-mahogany-frog-six-gun-romeo-robert-stoner-audio-reign-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2021/09/06/reviews-roundup-mahogany-frog-six-gun-romeo-robert-stoner-audio-reign-sarah-mcquaid</a>/</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/209d46f228f4261b200c69e86ee93dbb5c0bd7bd/original/the-rocker-6-sept-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67327622021-08-31T00:00:00+01:002021-09-06T16:56:49+01:00Trust The Doc - Neil March (Aug 2021)<p><em>31 August 2021</em> </p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Last Song (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Staggeringly beautiful … shudderingly powerful … stunning, stunning track.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" target="_blank">https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3d4056c75f57b2a2732a9e6e9094460dab804730/original/trust-the-doc-31-aug-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67263722021-08-25T07:21:20+01:002021-08-25T07:21:20+01:00Merryn<p>16 August 2021</p>
<p><strong>Interview – Independent Music Monday.</strong> “I once had an audience member come up to me with a Sarah McLachlan album for me to sign. I had to explain to him that I wasn’t Sarah McLachlan. I told him I’d be glad to sign her album anyway, but he said that wouldn’t be necessary.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.merryn.org/music/2021/8/16/independent-music-monday-interview-with-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.merryn.org/music/2021/8/16/independent-music-monday-interview-with-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">https://www.merryn.org/music/2021/8/16/independent-music-monday-interview-with-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/890198623a34508c3004ef50966700220ce521c8/original/merryn-august-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66785132021-07-02T10:00:00+01:002021-07-04T10:09:28+01:00Fifty3 Musings On Music - Tony Hardy<p><em>2 July 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Fifty3 Fridays: A Cornish Tale Or Two.</strong> “McQuaid’s inspiring vocal embraces a troubadour skill for storytelling; classic and compelling.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.fifty3.net/single-post/fifty3-fridays-a-cornish-tale-or-two" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.fifty3.net/single-post/fifty3-fridays-a-cornish-tale-or-two" target="_blank">https://www.fifty3.net/single-post/fifty3-fridays-a-cornish-tale-or-two</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/607f68b24e9c91a43199cef9c5aef4fc7a091f20/original/a2e68ba2-f5bd-407f-8b2e-f6aac0640cd8.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/67411652021-07-01T17:00:00+01:002021-09-09T17:29:41+01:00Folk In Cornwall (Jul-Sep 2021)<p><em>Summer 2021 (July-September)</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Sarah McQuaid: <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em>.</strong> “If you were in St Buryan last summer you might have wondered about the music coming from the church....”</p>
<p><a contents="http://www.folkincornwall.co.uk/PDF/ISSUE18.pdf" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.folkincornwall.co.uk/PDF/ISSUE18.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.folkincornwall.co.uk/PDF/ISSUE18.pdf</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ddfa34bca569e8e9f722a44352118391871b51e0/original/folk-in-cornwall-july-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66748562021-06-30T13:48:27+01:002021-06-30T13:48:49+01:00Trust The Doc - Neil March (Jun 2021)<p><em>30 June 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Sun Goes On Rising (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Rich alto tones, powerful but perfectly controlled … Yes, this is pretty special.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" target="_blank">https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/91afe6091dee7148eaa73c1a99e10052aa88f851/original/abd1c015-adc8-4a35-9170-2813dbf74a77.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66610672021-06-16T16:04:48+01:002021-06-16T16:04:48+01:00American Blues Scene - Dave Scott (Jun 2021)<p><em>16 June 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Sun Goes On Rising (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Outstanding vocal versatility and power … stunning, intricate guitar accompaniment … Sarah McQuaid is at the apogee of her career, captivating and inspirational, <em>The St Buryan Sessions</em> truly and uniquely her magnum opus.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/americana-supremo-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-single-and-video-fit-for-a-president/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/americana-supremo-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-single-and-video-fit-for-a-president/" target="_blank">https://www.americanbluesscene.com/americana-supremo-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-single-and-video-fit-for-a-president/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/c7f1fcceb4d33865d89e2193d5c4655b5010b97b/original/american-blues-scene-june-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66609402021-06-14T00:00:00+01:002021-06-16T16:05:22+01:00Hot Press - Peter O’Neill<p><em>14 June 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Her hotly anticipated live album has another preview, out now.</strong></p>
<p><a contents="https://www.hotpress.com/music/watch-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-video-from-the-st-buryan-sessions-22856838" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hotpress.com/music/watch-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-video-from-the-st-buryan-sessions-22856838" target="_blank">https://www.hotpress.com/music/watch-sarah-mcquaid-releases-new-video-from-the-st-buryan-sessions-22856838</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/c040fe4c7c0b372f031ec5d36dcd54f835cd6134/original/hot-press-june-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66446542021-05-31T13:17:46+01:002021-05-31T13:19:59+01:00Fresh On The Net Fresh Faves - Del Osei-Owusu<p><em>31 May 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Fresh On The Net Fresh Faves – <em>Rabbit Hills (The St Buryan Sessions</em>).</strong> “I love Sarah’s voice, it’s deep and rich in tone and doesn’t need anything else to back it up …. To me she’s channeling the energy of Christine McVie here, and I love it. I just closed my eyes and got lost in this song.… I award Sarah my badge for track of the week.””</p>
<p><a contents="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/05/faves407" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/05/faves407/" target="_blank">https://freshonthenet.co.uk/2021/05/faves407</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/4ffc8eb1b8cefb98cba2d29b81e2f55393b811b2/original/fresh-on-the-net-fresh-faves-may-2021.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66446172021-05-31T11:40:14+01:002021-05-31T11:40:14+01:00Trust The Doc - Neil March (May 2021)<p><em>31 May 2021</em> </p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Rabbit Hills (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Shades of Joni Mitchell in a jam with Karen Carpenter and Lana Del Rey ... and there is even a distant echo of Natalie Merchant about the way Sarah’s voice seems to hang on the descending piano figure and stay in the air even after the song has left the room. Absolute class.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc" target="_blank">https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/17d75b4bbfd181c38f27231909c16a67b06c07b2/original/trust-the-doc-may-2021.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66313402021-05-14T21:00:00+01:002021-05-15T20:58:21+01:00American Songwriter - Paul Zollo<p><em>14 May 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Champions Two Great Songwriters on New Singles from ‘The St. Buryan Sessions’.</strong> “Nobody champions great songwriters the way their fellow songwriters do.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://americansongwriter.com/sarah-mcquaid-champions-two-great-songwriters" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://americansongwriter.com/sarah-mcquaid-champions-two-great-songwriters" target="_blank">https://americansongwriter.com/sarah-mcquaid-champions-two-great-songwriters</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/02c39c74eef5db2c6522d0e25316debcf94f606e/original/american-songwriter-may-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66301792021-05-01T12:00:00+01:002021-05-14T12:13:28+01:00Clouzine Magazine (May 2021)<p><em>May 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Discoveries – <em>The Day Of Wrath, That Day (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong></p>
<p><a contents="http://clourecords.com/Clouzine27/Clouzine27.html" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://clourecords.com/Clouzine27/Clouzine27.html" target="_blank">http://clourecords.com/Clouzine27/Clouzine27.html</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/0dc31785c13a1d99e2415d0c519905372361be52/original/clouzine-may-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66179582021-04-30T12:15:28+01:002021-06-16T16:05:04+01:00Trust The Doc - Neil March (Apr 2021)<p><em>30 April 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Charlie’s Gone Home (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “One of the most instantly recognisable voices in current music ... the guitar recalls Joni Mitchell in Hejira/Don Juan’s reckless daughter era (so maybe a little Larry Carlton too) while the song belongs in a long lineage of fine singer-songwriters from Joan Armatrading and James Taylor through to Margaret Glaspy and Kate Rusby … top quality songwriting coupled with the kind of accomplished performance only a special artist can deliver.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc/" target="_blank">https://demerararecords.com/trust-the-doc/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/27e57bf4ea8de04fe0f058cf5bf2c3c4b9df3c37/original/trust-the-doc-april-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66179622021-04-29T12:00:00+01:002021-04-30T12:31:40+01:00Wheal Alice - David Harley (Apr 2021)<p><em>29 April 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – The St Buryan Sessions.</strong> “Martin Stansbury’s sympathetic production/engineering, the lovely medieval venue, and Sarah’s own musicianship more than make up for the absence of a live audience.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://whealalice.com/2021/04/29/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://whealalice.com/2021/04/29/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions" target="_blank">https://whealalice.com/2021/04/29/sarah-mcquaid-the-st-buryan-sessions</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/b47ca020b33966f0fdcea8d748867351319b2a9d/original/wheal-alice-apr-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66160362021-04-27T15:15:00+01:002021-04-30T07:00:41+01:00E2TG - Ear To The Ground - Joe Wolfe-Mazeres<p><em>27 April 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Featured Friday Playlist – <em>Sweetness and Pain (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “A stunning a capella song. Really lovely and a fascinating project.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://ear2theground-music.blogspot.com/2021/04/e2tg-4272021-tuesdays-in-nashville.html" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ear2theground-music.blogspot.com/2021/04/e2tg-4272021-tuesdays-in-nashville.html" target="_blank">https://ear2theground-music.blogspot.com/2021/04/e2tg-4272021-tuesdays-in-nashville.html</a></p>
<p><a contents="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63Xi5vTAwh1zon2Tv3G4xB" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63Xi5vTAwh1zon2Tv3G4xB" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63Xi5vTAwh1zon2Tv3G4xB</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/84dc56d1c4828f14a3f13dddd12ca44348d34039/original/e2tg-apr-2021.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66151092021-04-25T17:00:00+01:002021-04-27T17:02:37+01:00Joyzine - Paul F. Cook<p><em>25 April 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Time To Love (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “It’s a song that makes the world turn a little slower on its axis ... a simple prayer that seems to hold optimism tightly whilst recognising that sadness lies in wait. This bone china sliver of hope is so gentle and heartfelt that it’s hard not to be moved when listening to it. The quality of Sarah McQuaid’s voice is stunning: clear as a crystal but with a slight shimmer in the held notes and a strength of purpose that encourages the listener to feel the words as emphatically as she does.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://joyzine.org/2021/04/25/single-review-sarah-mcquaid-time-to-love-the-st-buryan-sessions/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://joyzine.org/2021/04/25/single-review-sarah-mcquaid-time-to-love-the-st-buryan-sessions/" target="_blank">https://joyzine.org/2021/04/25/single-review-sarah-mcquaid-time-to-love-the-st-buryan-sessions/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/fa23136bbfe77b3a0bf0c3cf5f1a5af94820277b/original/joyzine-apr-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66120472021-04-23T18:02:28+01:002021-04-23T18:02:28+01:00Hot Press (Apr 2021)<p><em>23 April 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid to share St. Buryan Sessions videos ahead of live album release. </strong>“For the fifth and sixth singles of ‘The St Buryan Sessions’, McQuaid honours two musical giants, both of whom have produced albums for her in the past.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.hotpress.com/music/sarah-mcquaid-to-share-st-buryan-sessions-videos-ahead-of-live-album-release-22849740" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hotpress.com/music/sarah-mcquaid-to-share-st-buryan-sessions-videos-ahead-of-live-album-release-22849740" target="_blank">https://www.hotpress.com/music/sarah-mcquaid-to-share-st-buryan-sessions-videos-ahead-of-live-album-release-22849740</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/bb8c53b81b5e960c646de7f072ad8c413f59c063/original/hot-press-apr-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65966782021-04-07T10:13:14+01:002021-04-30T12:32:32+01:00FolkWorld - Tom Keller (Apr 2021) <p><em>7 April 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>The St Buryan Sessions / Lawrence Illsley to release debut album featuring Sarah McQuaid.</strong></p>
<p><a contents="http://www.folkworld.eu/74/e/mcquaid.html" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.folkworld.eu/74/e/mcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://www.folkworld.eu/74/e/mcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2a41968985b28f074b8e2e3096a300e00b8e0a1d/original/folkworld-april-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65966772021-04-06T00:00:00+01:002021-04-30T12:32:53+01:00American Blues Scene - David Scott (Apr 2021)<p><em>6 April 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Sweetness and Pain (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Sarah uses a cappella as a transcendental medium for telling her story of the cycle of life and conveying its meaning with dramatic effect, power and grace in what can only be described as a virtuosic performance.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-third-single-release-the-day-of-wrath-that-day" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/sweetness-and-pain-awe-inspiring-a-cappella-music-video-performance-by-americana-songstress-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">https://www.americanbluesscene.com/sweetness-and-pain-awe-inspiring-a-cappella-music-video-performance-by-americana-songstress-sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/02811e573be9ca22242a8279246b7bf84d7ee15e/original/american-blues-scene-april-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66275142021-04-01T16:40:00+01:002021-05-11T16:37:55+01:00Celtic Life<p><em>April 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Interview: Sarah McQuaid’s first live recording is magic....</strong> “I felt that the atmosphere of the place itself could supply the magic even though I wouldn’t have an audience in the room .... I think that it’s the best album that I have ever made, and I love it that it is just me, performing live – so what you are seeing and hearing is what you would be seeing and hearing if you were at a typical concert of mine.”<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/e3faaf2b8652b3ed168c866fbff0c44751546926/original/celtic-life-mar-apr-2021.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65805052021-03-15T09:00:00+00:002021-03-21T08:58:17+00:00Folking.com - David Harley (Mar 2021)<p><em>15 Mar 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single reviews – <em>Charlie’s Gone Home &</em> <em>The Day Of Wrath, That Day (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “Because Sarah’s songs and singing are so effective, it’s easy to forget what an outstanding and influential guitarist she is … Here she focuses less on fretting technique and more on the dynamic possibilities of electric guitar to generate a deceptively simple, powerful and atmospheric piece.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://folking.com/singles-bar-63-a-round-up-of-recent-eps-and-singles" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://folking.com/singles-bar-63-a-round-up-of-recent-eps-and-singles" target="_blank">https://folking.com/singles-bar-63-a-round-up-of-recent-eps-and-singles</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/e09c4e9ad86c973eb3a67862a54a419f33fb8459/original/folking-com-mar-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65804972021-03-15T08:00:00+00:002021-04-30T12:33:08+01:00American Blues Scene - David Scott (Mar 2021)<p><em>15 March 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Day Of Wrath, That Day (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “McQuaid explores a whole new world outside her traditionally acoustic domain to superb effect in this innovative, powerful live version of her own composition. McQuaid’s style of playing is unique, her strong, contrasting thumb-picked bass lines consistent with the dark, slow burning, sizzling vibe.” </p>
<p><a contents="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-third-single-release-the-day-of-wrath-that-day" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-third-single-release-the-day-of-wrath-that-day" target="_blank">https://www.americanbluesscene.com/folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-third-single-release-the-day-of-wrath-that-day</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3c2d1971add0795020d2366a587f2e3ea61ffeeb/original/american-blues-scene-mar-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65804962021-03-15T00:00:00+00:002021-03-21T08:27:48+00:00Backseat Mafia - Chris Sawle<p><em>15 March 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Day Of Wrath, That Day (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “A powerful instrumental composition ... rings out beautifully in the style of the guitar’s owner, maybe bringing a little of Michael’s soul with him; those medieval arches letting her solo guitar resonate out, languid, rising ….” </p>
<p><a contents="https://www.backseatmafia.com/see-sarah-mcquaid-the-day-of-wrath-that-day-the-st-buryan-sessions-six-strings-resonate-from-the-penwith-granite" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.backseatmafia.com/see-sarah-mcquaid-the-day-of-wrath-that-day-the-st-buryan-sessions-six-strings-resonate-from-the-penwith-granite" target="_blank">https://www.backseatmafia.com/see-sarah-mcquaid-the-day-of-wrath-that-day-the-st-buryan-sessions-six-strings-resonate-from-the-penwith-granite</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/62fae1e24f9a5a15fbc4fe05c8bb0c13448235a5/original/backseat-mafia-mar-2021.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65540932021-02-18T00:00:00+00:002021-03-21T08:28:03+00:00Raw Ramp Magazine - Neil Mach<p><em>18 February 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>Charlie’s Gone Home (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “A semi-mottled meander through shadowed memories ... insightful & visceral ... cinnamon-roasted smokiness and glimmering incalescence.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://rawramp.me/2021/02/18/sarah-mcquaid-sarahmcquaid-charliesgonehome-taken-from-stburyan-sessions-kernow-kernowlife" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://rawramp.me/2021/02/18/sarah-mcquaid-sarahmcquaid-charliesgonehome-taken-from-stburyan-sessions-kernow-kernowlife/" target="_blank">https://rawramp.me/2021/02/18/sarah-mcquaid-sarahmcquaid-charliesgonehome-taken-from-stburyan-sessions-kernow-kernowlife</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/3d65db22ab19db646b3b6f3afdd40ff8b5ae0320/original/raw-ramp-feb-2020.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65519692021-02-18T00:00:00+00:002021-02-18T08:59:50+00:00The Brighton Magazine - Mike Cobley<p><em>18 February 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>“Singer-Songwriter Sarah McQuaid Reveals More Tracks From Her Forthcoming Singles & Videos Collection.”</strong></p>
<p><a contents="https://magazine.brighton.co.uk/Clubs-and-Music/Reviews/Singer-Songwriter-Sarah-McQuaid-Revels-More-Tracks-From-Her-Forthcoming-Singles-and-Videos-Collection/21_45_5761#a" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://magazine.brighton.co.uk/Clubs-and-Music/Reviews/Singer-Songwriter-Sarah-McQuaid-Revels-More-Tracks-From-Her-Forthcoming-Singles-and-Videos-Collection/21_45_5761#a" target="_blank">https://magazine.brighton.co.uk/Clubs-and-Music/Reviews/Singer-Songwriter-Sarah-McQuaid-Revels-More-Tracks-From-Her-Forthcoming-Singles-and-Videos-Collection/21_45_5761#a</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/1dc9dddc79f44e77055bc78691ed0915cfe8bd61/original/brighton-magazine-sarah-mcquaid.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65381872021-02-02T16:20:00+00:002021-03-21T08:28:27+00:00American Blues Scene - David Scott<p><em>2 February 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Silence Above Us (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “If there is one song which captures the mood, spirit and turbulence of these troubled times it is “The Silence Above Us” — McQuaid’s inspirational performance combining lyricism, melancholia and beauty within the atmosphere of an ancient church setting.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/uk-based-folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-the-silence-above-us" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.americanbluesscene.com/uk-based-folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-the-silence-above-us" target="_blank">https://www.americanbluesscene.com/uk-based-folk-blues-singer-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid-shares-video-for-the-silence-above-us</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/000f7f318e89f6acac4dcf435b9343b9887578dd/original/american-blues-scene-sarah-mcquaid.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><strong>UK-Based Folk-Blues Singer/Songwriter Sarah McQuaid Shares Video for ‘The Silence Above Us’</strong></p>
<p>If there is one song which captures the mood, spirit and turbulence of these troubled times it is “The Silence Above Us” — McQuaid’s inspirational performance combining lyricism, melancholia and beauty within the atmosphere of an ancient church setting. It was filmed and recorded live with no audience (due to COVID-19) in the beautiful 11th century church of St Buryan, Cornwall. </p>
<p>“The Silence Above Us” first featured on Sarah’s seminal 2018 album, <strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong>, produced by UK folk and bluesmeister <strong>Michael Chapman</strong>. This latest version surpasses the brilliance of the original as McQuaid transforms it into a song for our time with the help of her stunning soaring vocals, virtuosic grand piano accompaniment and the spiritual setting. The natural acoustics of this iconic venue create a haunting mood, the echoes transcending the sounds and lifting the music to another stratosphere. </p>
<p>The stark introductory piano chords set the scene for the metaphors generated by the poetic lyrics: “The silence above us/ The comfort in darkness/ Pale clouds in a blanket of sky/ The light from my window/ The trees lost in shadow.” This subtle imagery and contemplation about life and its meaning in this sumptuous rural English county are epitomized in the chorus, “Orion the hunter is low in the sky/ The guiding star is blue/ I ask myself yet again/ What is this world coming to.” Sarah’s slightly sultry, husky tones complement her exceptional vocal power and range which give the song a bluesy vibe as her dramatic expression of the wonder around her takes on the air of a lament.” The silence McQuaid seeks is interrupted only by the power and life in “the green earth below” where, “The bushes are rustling/ The small birds are settling/ Hunkering down to be safe for the night.” </p>
<p>As a member of a children’s choir when living in Chicago, McQuaid, who was born in Spain and has resided in Ireland, draws on many musical influences ranging from classical to folk and rock traditions. Musically she often defies genre labels but Sarah will be judged by her unique talent and the passion, joy and warmth of her performances. She asks herself again at the end of the song, what is the world coming to and what can we do? There may be no simple answers but overall, this is a captivating, inspirational experience which is full of hope, reflections of beauty, and a strong sense that challenges can be overcome.</p>
<p>“The Silence Above Us” is available for streaming and download via Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music, Amazon and other services and also as a pay-what-you-want download via <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>. </p>
<p>A second single, “Charlie’s Gone Home,” will be released on Friday 19 February with video premieres on YouTube and Sarah’s Facebook page on the Saturday and Sunday. The roll out of singles and videos will continue throughout the year, and Sarah hopes to release the full 15-track, 72-minute album on CD and double LP in late summer by <em>Shovel and A Spade Records</em>. </p>
<p>Sarah recalls, “I was in Germany, two weeks into a four-week European tour, when the whole Covid thing hit and we had to quickly reschedule our ferry tickets, cut the tour short and hightail it home before all the borders closed. Then my April-May UK and Ireland tour had to be cancelled as well, and suddenly I was at a loose end, with no gigs and no income. A lot of my musician friends were live-streaming concerts from home, but I wasn’t keen on the idea, mainly because of dodgy Internet and the potential for technical disasters. </p>
<p>“I’d been thinking for a long time about making a live album as I’ve always believed that there’s an element of magic in a live concert that’s really difficult to replicate in a studio, plus a lot of my songs have evolved and changed since I originally recorded them. I also felt like the standard of my own performances had really turned a corner in the last year or so, and I wanted to capture on video but with multiple cameras and high production values, not just somebody’s random film on a phone from the back of the room. I’m totally thrilled with the result and feel like we achieved what we set out to do, and I’m so glad that we were able to do it in a place that’s been so special to me on a personal level – plus, the church itself had a huge impact on the overall sound, as well as on the visuals.” </p>
<p>Sarah’s long time manager and sound engineer, Martin Stansbury produced, recorded and mixed the project. He takes up the story: </p>
<p><em>We wanted to try and somehow re-create what anyone would hear and see at a typical show. Of course, what we wouldn’t have was an audience, so we looked for key factors that would influence Sarah’s performance. We decided to use her local church, a space she’d been singing in as part of the choir ever since she moved to Cornwall. </em></p>
<p><em>We set her up as if it were a regular gig: no flash studio mics, just the same touring PA and monitors she’d walked onstage to a thousand times, so it would be truly home territory. There was a set list and she was to play her set and we would record it. I also placed ambient microphones around the soaring space to capture its natural acoustic and intensify the listener experience of “being there.”</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65394282021-01-29T16:30:00+00:002021-02-04T16:32:06+00:00Plymouth Herald - Clare Robinson<p><em>29 January 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>“Sarah’s solitary church recordings to be shared across the world.”</strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/d8d5463325e9df258e9683d6156147789eb8ecc6/original/plymouth-herald-sarah-mcquaid.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65381852021-01-27T16:20:00+00:002021-03-21T08:28:40+00:00Vanloo’s Reviews - Sheila Vanloo<p><em>27 January 2021 </em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Silence Above Us (The St Buryan Sessions)</em>.</strong> “The song is evocative and powerful, it will delight her long standing fans and is sure to bring new ones to the Sarah McQuaid fan club.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.vanloosreviews.co.uk/post/the-gift-of-painting-pictures-with-words-musi" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vanloosreviews.co.uk/post/the-gift-of-painting-pictures-with-words-music" target="_blank">https://www.vanloosreviews.co.uk/post/the-gift-of-painting-pictures-with-words-musi</a><a contents="https://www.vanloosreviews.co.uk/post/the-gift-of-painting-pictures-with-words-music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vanloosreviews.co.uk/post/the-gift-of-painting-pictures-with-words-music" target="_blank">c</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/8c6aa8da7717c1afcbd77b9c5fa5dd17555b146e/original/vanloos-reviews-sarah-mcquaid.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><strong>The Gift Of Painting Pictures With Words & Music</strong></p>
<p>Multi talented singer songwriter Sarah McQuaid was in Germany half way through a European Tour when Covid hit last year. Sarah managed to scramble back home to Cornwall before the borders closed, but it quickly became apparent that her UK/Ireland tour also had to be shelved. Like so many of her fellow performers this left Sarah with zero income and forced to look at other options; Sarah considered the possibility of live streaming from home, but dismissed the idea due to concerns over unreliable internet and possible technical disasters. </p>
<p>With so much enforced time looming ahead Sarah realised that now might be the perfect time to record a live album, something she had previously thought about, but kept on the back burner as she was always too busy touring. By the end of June Sarah’s crowd funder campaign had raised enough money to employ a top team of production and sound engineers plus film makers to video the performance. </p>
<p>For Sarah and her crew, the choice of venue was a no brainer – Sarah had been singing in her local church choir at St. Buryan for some time, a beautiful church with excellent acoustics. With restrictions still in place there could be no live audience to appreciate Sarah’s performance, but the St. Buryan Sessions have produced a stunning selection of 15 songs for everyone to enjoy. </p>
<p>‘The Silence Above Us’ is the first single to be released and will be available from Friday 29th January. Sarah’s song writing skills are never in doubt as she is blessed with the gift of painting beautiful pictures using words and music; she has no need of big production technology, this is Sarah exactly as she is whether playing to a packed theatre or to her small crew in the local church. Sarah accompanies her glorious vocals on ‘The Silence Above Us’ using a grand piano loaned by St. Buryan Male Voice Choir. The song is evocative and powerful, it will delight her long standing fans and is sure to bring new ones to the Sarah McQuaid fan club. </p>
<p>Following the single launch this Friday there will be a YouTube video premiere for ‘The Silence Above Us’ the next evening, Saturday 30th January at 8pm UK time with Sarah live online to answer questions and respond to comments in the YouTube chat box. Everyone is welcome, simply follow the link to join the premiere - <a contents="www.youtu.be/0xyVXMnhkeU" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/0xyVXMnhkeU" target="_blank">www.youtu.be/0xyVXMnhkeU</a> </p>
<p>A similar premiere/watch party event will take place on Sarah’s Facebook page on Sunday 31st January at 8pm UK time - <a contents="www.facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic</a> </p>
<p>A second single, ‘Charlie’s Gone Home’ will be released on Friday 19th February, once again with video premieres on YouTube and Facebook on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st. The roll-out of singles and videos will continue throughout the year, and Sarah hopes to release the full 15-track, 72-minute album on CD and double LP in late summer. </p>
<p>‘The Silence Above Us (The St Buryan Sessions)’ will be available for streaming and download via Spotify/ iTunes/Apple Music/ Amazon and other services and also as a pay-what-you-want download via <a contents="www.sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">www.sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com</a> from Friday 29th January.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/65298032021-01-25T10:32:58+00:002021-01-25T10:34:38+00:00Folking.com - David Harley<p><em>25 January 2021</em></p>
<p><strong>Single review – <em>The Silence Above Us (The St Buryan Sessions</em>). </strong>“Perfectly appropriate piano and gorgeous vocal on a melancholic song that certainly fits the mood of the times. We can’t wait to see what comes out of this project next.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://theamauk.org/news/8972533" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://folking.com/singles-bar-61-a-round-up-of-recent-eps-and-singles/" target="_blank">https://folking.com/singles-bar-61-a-round-up-of-recent-eps-and-singles/</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/7f2db4cacb89bdd99a4201b1bee8045b722c99a6/original/96613907-8970-41df-927f-71f736dc3ddd.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>SINGLES BAR 61 – A round-up of recent EPs and singles</strong><br>Despite the enforced disappearance of so many live gigs in the last year, SARAH MCQUAID took a slightly unusual course of action. Rather than risk the uncertainties of live-streaming, she used crowdfunding to finance a properly-produced album and video series that would capture the essence of a live performance even without an audience. ‘The Silence Above Us’ is the first single from The St Buryan Sessions, recorded in her local church. It’s just Sarah’s own perfectly appropriate piano and gorgeous vocal on a melancholic song that certainly fits the mood of the times. We can’t wait to see what comes out of this project next.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/63187532020-05-16T10:48:54+01:002020-05-16T10:49:07+01:00theamauk.org<p><em>16 May 2020</em></p>
<p><strong>Americana Music Association UK - Members Lockdown Stories. </strong>“It is wonderfully heartening to see how the situation has been bringing out the kindness and generosity of so many people, but I worry for the future of all musicians, technicians and venue staff.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://theamauk.org/news/8972533" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theamauk.org/news/8972533" target="_blank">https://theamauk.org/news/8972533</a></p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="ama-uk-lockdown-stories-sarah-mcquaid.pdf" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1055674/ama-uk-lockdown-stories-sarah-mcquaid.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/8d22cfd92281017c90f70d1af3bc609ec7724805/original/ama-uk-lockdown-stories-sarah-mcquaid.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Members Lockdown Stories, Episode 6: Sarah McQuaid</strong></p>
<p>First of all, let me count my blessings. I’ve still got my health, so far. I’ve got my family around me, we’ve got a roof over our heads, and we’re surrounded by woods and fields where we can go for walks without getting into a car or meeting anyone else. We are fortunate. </p>
<p>But ... I’m still feeling blindsided. I’ve been a full time musician for over twelve years, and it was starting to seem like I was getting somewhere. I really thought that at the end of my 49-show spring tour I’d be able to pay off a big chunk of the debt that I’ve been building along with my career. Now 39 of those shows have been cancelled, and it could be a long, long time before things get back to the way they were. </p>
<p>It’s not just the money worries that are getting to me; it’s the loss of the magic that happens when a bunch of people are in a room enjoying music together, whether they’re listening to a concert or taking part in a singaround, session or choir practice. I miss that magic so much. </p>
<p>Live-streaming isn’t a solution for me; I’d never be satisfied with the technical quality, and more importantly, I don’t feel that the magic would be there. So here’s an idea: </p>
<p>I wrote those words in an email to my newsletter subscribers at the beginning of May, along with an invitation to contribute towards the costs of that idea: an album to be recorded “as live” (minus audience) in a beautiful, inspiring setting, and filmed for a series of videos. The response has been amazing: three days after sending the email I was already halfway to my goal, although contributions have slowed since and I’ve got a ways to go … but it looks like the project will be able to happen whenever the lockdown permits, and I’m grateful for that. </p>
<p>Of course, I’ll also need money to live on. I’ve been lucky enough to get grants from the Arts Council and PRS Foundation, and I should be getting something from the Self Employment Income Support Scheme, but it won’t amount to much, as my profits have always been minimal. So I’ve set up a Patreon page and am pinning my hopes on that! </p>
<p>It’s even worse for my sound engineer, who’s not eligible for the SEISS as over 50% of his income was from short-term PAYE contracts at theatres; he can’t get Universal Credit either, because his partner has a job. He’s been working and paying taxes all his adult life, and he’s left with nothing. </p>
<p>It is wonderfully heartening to see how the situation has been bringing out the kindness and generosity of so many people, but I worry for the future of all musicians, technicians and venue staff. Will we ever be able to get back to doing what we do and love best? I wish I knew the answer. Sending love to all!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/62076222020-02-07T02:30:00+00:002020-02-07T14:30:40+00:00ILoveBilbao.com<p><em>6 February 2020</em></p>
<p><strong>Concert preview – Sala BBK, Bilbao, Spain. </strong>“Aunando la tradición de Irlanda, América y el Reino Unido, su música es sublime y conmovedora, muy definida por su cálida y sedosa voz y por un estilo muy personal de tocar la guitarra acústica.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://ilovebilbao.com/sarah-mcquaid-en-concierto-bilbao" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ilovebilbao.com/sarah-mcquaid-en-concierto-bilbao" target="_blank">https://ilovebilbao.com/sarah-mcquaid-en-concierto-bilbao</a></p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="i-love-bilbao-feb-2020.pdf" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1028049/i-love-bilbao-feb-2020.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/480655a6a6c98774925a9a960a84a29794b79a9e/original/i-love-bilbao-feb-2020.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><strong>SARAH MCQUAID EN CONCIERTO</strong><br><em>Sarah ha recibido numerosas y excelentes críticas por su voz, que ha llegado a ser comparada al whisky de malta y al chocolate fundido en más de una ocasión.</em></p>
<p>Sarah McQuaid nació en Madrid, se crió en Chicago, estudió filosofía en Estrasburgo y pasó muchos años en Irlanda antes de recalar en Penzance, Cornualles, en 2007. Aunando la tradición de Irlanda, América y el Reino Unido, su música es sublime y conmovedora, muy definida por su cálida y sedosa voz y por un estilo muy personal de tocar la guitarra acústica.</p>
<p>Con la publicación de este nuevo álbum, la cantante y compositora Sarah McQuaid ha aumentado la cantidad de instrumentos que toca, que ahora incluye el piano, la guitarra eléctrica y la batería. La crítica internacional alaba su trabajo, una colección de canciones para ser saboreadas y una puerta hacia el alma de una verdadera innovadora. Ha sido muy alabada por su entendimiento y conexión con el público.</p>
<p>Dónde : Sala BBK </p>
<p>Cuanto: 12€ </p>
<p>Cuando: 9 de febrero 19:00h</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/61980492020-01-22T20:30:00+00:002020-01-31T08:26:49+00:00Cornwall 365<p><em>22 January 2020</em></p>
<p><strong>Artist Profile: Sarah McQuaid.</strong> Sarah talks about her experience as a musician in Cornwall. </p>
<p><a contents="https://cornwall365.com/artist-profile-sarah-mcquaid/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://cornwall365.com/artist-profile-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">https://cornwall365.com/artist-profile-sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="Cornwall365-sarah-mcquaid" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1016436/Cornwall365-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/746faa950cfb3e2721648b787534acda5358b59a/original/cornwall365-sarah-mcquaid.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Artist Profile: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>This week we caught up with singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid to find out about her experience as a musician in Cornwall. </p>
<p>Sarah is a well-loved favourite on the live music scene in Cornwall and plays multiple instruments including electric and acoustic guitars, drums and piano. She has released 5 solo albums and received a lifetime achievement award from Ards International Guitar Festival. Completely self-managed, Sarah organises her own tours and marketing alongside the creative aspects of her work. We wanted to find out about her experience as a musician in Cornwall. Read on to find out more. </p>
<p>Q1. Please tell us about yourself and your music: <br>I was born in Spain, which is where my father was from; grew up in Chicago, which is where my mother was from; lived for a long time in Ireland, which is where my husband is from; and now live with the aforementioned husband and our two children in far west Cornwall, just outside the village of St Buryan. My mother taught me to play guitar and piano when I was quite small, and I also sang and toured throughout the USA with the Chicago Children’s Choir. I’ve been singing and playing and writing songs ever since, and I’ve made five solo albums, plus a duo album under the band name Mama with former pop star Zoë of “Sunshine On A Rainy Day” fame, whom I met when I moved to Cornwall. </p>
<p>Q2. What is special about living and working in Cornwall, and how does it compare to the other places you have lived across the world? <br>People often point out to me that Cornwall – especially this part of it – can’t be a very convenient base for a touring musician, and that’s absolutely true, but I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I love the out-of-the-way-ness of Cornwall, I love it that so many artists, musicians, writers, potters and other creative types choose to make it their home, and I love the welcome I’ve been given here, even as a blow-in among families that have worked this beautiful land for generations. Cornwall also played a major part in my musical direction, in that I didn’t really take myself seriously as a songwriter until I moved here, met Zoë and started co-writing songs with her. And it’s been a fantastic place for my kids to grow up in.</p>
<p>Q3. What is the most unusual performance space you have been to in Cornwall? <br>We’re very lucky here in Cornwall to have the Minack Theatre, which is definitely a one-of-a-kind venue! I’ve been to loads of plays there, and a few concerts as well, and also had the privilege of performing there, not as a solo musician but rather as a member of one of the choirs I sing with. That’s another wonderful thing about Cornwall — there’s huge support here for choral music of all kinds, and so many people I know are in at least one if not two or three choirs. The Penlee Park Open Air Theatre is another lovely outdoor venue, and I’m looking forward to returning there next summer; one particularly nice thing about it is that the raised “stage” is actually part of the landscape. The last time I played there, everyone in the audience was either wearing waterproofs or huddled under umbrellas — I’m hoping for better weather this time round! </p>
<p>Q4. Having started your career in music journalism, what inspired you to become an artist? <br>Misery and desperation! I was really unhappy working as a journalist, but for years I kept at it because I didn’t think I had a viable alternative. It was only when my husband said to me “Why don’t you go back to playing music?” that it actually occurred to me that playing music for a living could be a possibility. I wish I’d had the confidence to take that step a lot earlier in my life, but who knows, maybe I wouldn’t have been ready for it then. One thing is for certain: performing makes me happy, and it’s a great feeling when an audience member comes up to me after a gig and tells me that my music had a powerful emotional effect on them. It makes it all feel worthwhile. </p>
<p>Q5. Have you always wanted to be a solo musician? <br>When I first started writing and performing my own songs at school assemblies back when I was in secondary school, it was as a solo musician, but I gravitated fairly quickly to playing in bands; it didn’t even occur to me to try to get gigs as a solo act. But once I made the decision in 2007 to give it a go and started doing solo gigs, I found that I really loved the level of interaction with the audience that you get when you’re playing solo — instead of the flow of energy being between you and the other musicians onstage, it’s all going back and forth between you and the people you’re playing for, and that can be a really wonderful thing.</p>
<p>Q6. In a male dominated industry, has being a female artist created any barriers for you? <br>I think it’s often easier for a male musician to get gigs as a solo artist, especially when it comes to festivals and bigger venues; if you’re female, there’s an assumption that you won’t have the energy or the musicianship to carry off a full show on a big stage on your own. Venue staff often seem surprised that I’m actually a good guitarist; when they see a female singer with a guitar, they tend to presume that you’re only going to be accompanying yourself on a basic level. It’s strange, because the same wouldn’t be true if I showed up with a violin or a cello. </p>
<p>Q7. How do you balance the creative aspects of being an artist whilst being fully self-managed? <br>It’s really, really hard. I spend way more time doing booking/admin/website updating than I do actually writing and playing music, and I’d love for that not to be the case. What I wind up having to do is schedule time for writing and rehearsing; otherwise the admin stuff would take over completely. There’s always more of it to do than I can manage, so I’m constantly behind, never quite catching up; virtually every email I write starts with the words “Please accept my apologies for taking so long to answer …” — and this one will be no exception! </p>
<p>Q8. What advice do you have for young up-and-coming artists in Cornwall? <br>Just get out there and play in front of people as much as you can — there’s no substitute for experience. I can rehearse a new song endlessly, but when I actually play it live in front of an audience, I always discover issues that I hadn’t spotted before, and quite often I find myself changing the song after I’ve been playing it in concert for a while. And always be true to yourself — don’t try to change your style to suit what you think the market wants. Just do what you love and believe in. Sing and play from the heart, and people will respond to that.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60562012019-08-27T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T21:20:17+00:00iSing Magazine<p><em>27 August 2019 </em></p>
<p><strong>Folk singer Sarah McQuaid shares her vocal health tips.</strong> Sarah discusses her upcoming 3-month tour and talks about how she keeps her voice in shape while on the road.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.isingmag.com/vocal-health-tips-from-singer-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">https://www.isingmag.com/vocal-health-tips-from-singer-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518264/isingmag-aug-2019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ec881cfee53a2dd202c7f2d27a7c2c44003ce316/original/isingmag-aug-2019.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_none" alt="iSingMag_Aug_2019" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Folk singer Sarah McQuaid shares her vocal health tips</strong><br>With a three-month 56-gig tour just around the corner, vocal health is a top priority for singer songwriter Sarah McQuaid.<br><br>UK-based folk singer Sarah McQuaid knows only too well how gruelling life on the road can be. She spent most of last year touring and promoting her critically acclaimed fifth album, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> – an experience that was rewarding albeit exhausting.<br><br>As a result of the intensity of 2018, she vetoed any long tours in the first half of this year. Aside from performing at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival and a folk festival in Belgium, McQuaid has spent the majority of 2019 at home in Cornwall – until now.<br><br>Next month McQuaid will kickstart a three-month tour of the US and the UK (the UK leg of the tour starts in Teignmouth on November 1). It’s what she calls a “proper tour” – 57 gigs in total. So what will her vocal health regime involve when she’s on the road?<br><br>“I always warm up my voice before singing,” McQuaid tells iSingmag. “I think the easiest way to damage your voice is pushing it too hard without warming it up first.<br><br>“I have a seven-minute recording of vocal warmups on my phone, which is incredibly handy, so I just sing along with those – or vocalise, rather. A lot of them involve making raspberry noises, which is kind of embarrassing if anyone’s listening.<br><br>“I also try to avoid talking too much, although sometimes that’s easier said than done. Talking loudly over background noise is especially bad. If I’m in a noisy environment I just shut up rather than trying to talk over it.”<br><br>McQuaid also takes care of her overall health. “I try to get as much sleep as I possibly can – if I have a night off, you’ll usually find me tucked up in bed at 8.30 or 9pm! I’m generally an early riser, just can’t seem to do lie-ins, so late nights are a killer for me. But the good news is that one good night of sleep is all you need to counteract a load of bad ones.<br><br>“I also try to eat as healthily as I can. Lots of salads, lots of veggies, not too much sugar.”<br><br>The artist, who was born in Spain and raised in the US before settling in the UK, has also learned lessons from last year’s tour.<br><br>“This year I’ve been really careful with my bookings to make sure I don’t do too many gigs in a row – once I get five gigs in a row booked in, I mark the days on either side as days off, so that my voice gets a chance to recover.<br><br>“That said, I did have to make an exception to that rule for the tail-end of the USA tour – in the final nine days of the tour I’ll be doing nine gigs in a row. But at the tail-end of my 2018 USA tour I did 10 gigs in a row, so I know I can do it. And I’ll have over a week to rest and recuperate at home before the start of the UK tour.”<br><br>For more on Sarah McQuaid’s tour dates visit <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.sarahmcquaid.com" target="_blank">sarahmcquaid.com</a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60562002019-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T16:02:20+00:00Maverick - Trevor Hodgett<p><em>May 2019</em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival.</strong> “Sarah McQuaid is an exceptional artist with a notably poetic sensibility, capable of finding metaphorical resonance and profundity in mundane situations…. McQuaid’s songs were deep and serious but never dour.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://maverick-country.com/" target="_blank">https://maverick-country.com</a><br><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518263/maverick-may-2019-belfast-nashville.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2af6c2522fbeaeb5f0b5b07f602c141503cc91e0/original/maverick-may-2019-belfast-nashville.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Maverick_May_2019_Belfast_Nashville" width="100%" /></a><strong>Belfast Songwriters: A Taste Of Nashville</strong><br><em>While C2C was happening, in Northern Ireland the 15th Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival took place at the Clayton and Maldron Hotels. Maverick’s Trevor Hodgett went to review the event.</em><br><br>Sarah McQuaid is an exceptional artist with a notably poetic sensibility, capable of finding metaphorical resonance and profundity in mundane situations. If You Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous, for example, originated, she explained, in a comment she made to her young son when she found him digging a hole in their garden.<br><br>From that starting point, however, the meaning of the song evolves with McQuaid’s lyrics alluding to the potentially catastrophic effects of fracking and, more generally, suggesting that some situations in life are better left undisturbed.<br><br>Similarly, Walking Into White was inspired by Arthur Ransome’s novel ‘Swallows And Amazons’, which she was reading to her children. In the novel the child protagonists are lost in sudden fog. McQuaid, again, develops this situation and suggests how, perhaps, we all, in our confused lives, are struggling to find our way.<br><br>McQuaid’s songs were deep and serious but never dour and Cot Valley for one had a refreshingly positive message. Inspired by visiting a Cornish beauty spot on the site of a former tin mine in which children once laboured in brutal conditions, McQuaid in the song rejoiced at living in modern times where life quite simply is safer and healthier and more prosperous.<br><br>A surprising cover of Forever Autumn, written by Jeff Wayne, Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne for ‘The War Of The Worlds’ rock opera and originally sung by Justin Hayward, was revelatory, the desolate lyrics, which can be overlooked in the sumptuous hit version, being powerfully communicated.<br><br>McQuaid is also an expressive singer and a stylish, imaginative guitarist, who plays in the DADGAD tuning originally developed by Davy Graham. The Day Of Wrath, That Day, an instrumental played on an electric guitar on long-term loan from cult singer-songwriter Michael Chapman, was ominous and unsettling and showed her musical prowess.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561922019-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T16:07:16+00:00Blues In Britain - Dave Scott<p><em>February 2019 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Rothbury Roots, Queens Head, Rothbury.</strong> “Inspirational performance … phenomenal … exceptional power and range ... dark, slow-burning, sizzling … magnificent.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.bluesinbritain.org/" target="_blank">http://www.bluesinbritain.org</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518261/blues-in-britain-feb-2019-issue-206-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/5db839c82ff390e2346a25207228fd678c29167a/original/blues-in-britain-feb-2019-issue-206-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Blues_In_Britain_Feb_2019_Issue_206_Sarah_McQuaid" width="100%" /></a><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>Queens Head, Rothbury<br>29.11.2018</strong><br>Rothbury Roots prides itself in bringing contemporary blues, Americana, folk and country artists to rural Northumberland: Sarah McQuaid’s (pictured) inspirational performance reflected all these, befitting the background of this phenomenal singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Spain, raised in Chicago, and now living in Cornwall via a spell in Ireland, Sarah’s music replicates this richness and diversity.<br><br>Sarah’s sensational new album, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, featured prominently throughout the set, the title track drawing gasps from the audience. Sarah’s slightly husky tones complemented her exceptional power and range, giving the song a very bluesy feel. Playing an Ibanez Artist electric guitar, McQuaid explored a whole new world outside her acoustic domain to superb effect. Expert sound engineer Martin Stansbury enhanced the vocals and instruments through loops to create the impression of a full band. The clarity of the lyrics enabled us to appreciate the use of visual imagery and metaphors, and the subtle shades of meanings: her young son digging; the dangers of fracking; and the fact that sometimes it is best not to delve too deeply. ‘Cot Valley’ (a scandal reminiscent of black slavery, the source of so much early American blues) recounted the injustice of young children working in Cornish tin mines 200 years ago: Sarah’s anguish almost unbearable but a message of hope lay in the fact that Cot Valley is green today, “Where the slag heaps used to smoulder.”<br><br>The song ‘One Sparrow Down’ with its distinctive percussion was a domestic story of Sarah’s cat watching a sparrow attacking its reflection in a glass window before the inevitable happens. The mystery of waves and waveforms off the Cornish coast was explored in the calmly intimate ‘Slow Decay’, McQuaid cleverly holding both tone and metre to maximise the impact of the chorus. ‘Break Me Down’’s theme of the singer’s ultimate desire to rejoin the cycle of life in preference to a cemetery burial or cremation could be depressing but Sarah turned it into a joyful experience: “When I end my days/I want the sweetest flowers/Growing over my grave.” The only cover, Jeff Wayne’s ‘Forever Autumn’ was another “shivers down the spine” moment, its imagery heightened by the softer, expressive, emotional vocals and dramatic effects whilst retaining the spirit of the original.<br><br>The guitar instrumental ‘The Day Of Wrath, That Day’ highlighted her unique style of playing, with strong, contrasting thumb-picked bass lines, consistent with its dark, slow-burning, sizzling feel: much of the originality coming from McQuaid’s DADGAD tuning which created a fuller sound with all the sympathetic resonance from so many strings tuned to the same frequencies. It also enabled her to play a hybrid of chords and melody as in the long solo at the end of ‘The Tug Of The Moon’.<br><br>Tumultuous applause and genuine respect marked the a cappella finale, ‘The Parting Glass’, from the magnificent Sarah McQuaid.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561982018-12-29T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T18:29:50+00:00Jersey Beat - Paul Silver’s Top 25 Albums of 2018<p><em>29 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Top 25 Albums of 2018.</strong> “I’ve fallen madly in love with this album.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.jerseybeat.com/2018-BestOf.html" target="_blank">http://www.jerseybeat.com/2018-BestOf.html</a></p>
<p><a contents="Read more" href="/files/518210/jersey-beat-best-of-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518210/jersey-beat-best-of-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/60814e30f0832a782b9efb746170187bb5059414/original/jersey-beat-best-of-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Jersey_Beat_Best_Of_2018_Screenshot" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561972018-12-27T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:21:04+00:00Floorshime Zipper Boots - Top 20 Artists of 2018<p><em>27 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Top 20 Artists of 2018.</strong></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.com/2018/12/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-20-artists_27.html" target="_blank">http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.com/2018/12/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-20-artists_27.html</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518209/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-20-artists-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/0bf9f5ed792b6dff062f441ab706e00ebeab1c06/original/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-20-artists-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Floorshime_Zipper_Boots_Top_20_Artists_2018_Screenshot" width="100%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561962018-12-26T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:21:20+00:00Floorshime Zipper Boots - Top 10 Videos of 2018<p><em>26 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Top 10 Videos of 2018.</strong></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.com/2018/12/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-10-videos.html" target="_blank">http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.com/2018/12/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-10-videos.html</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518208/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-10-videos-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/052024943613386745633b7ca5d5c1d6fd04542d/original/floorshime-zipper-boots-top-10-videos-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Floorshime_Zipper_Boots_Top_10_Videos_2018_Screenshot" width="100%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561952018-12-20T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T18:37:22+00:00Folk Radio UK - Alex Gallacher - Best Folk Albums of 2018<p><em>20 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Best Folk Albums of 2018.</strong> “A consummate artistic triumph that marks a new phase in McQuaid’s career.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/12/the-best-folk-albums-of-2018-5" target="_blank">https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/12/the-best-folk-albums-of-2018-5</a></p>
<p><a contents="Read more" href="/files/518207/fruk-best-folk-albums-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518207/fruk-best-folk-albums-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/8f4bae6bc1d6ee1f8180275626ea28fa79b64f80/original/fruk-best-folk-albums-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="FRUK_Best_Folk_Albums_2018_Screenshot" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561942018-12-17T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T18:40:42+00:00Adam Wilson’s Quiet Revolution - Favourite Albums of 2018<p><em>17 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Favourite Albums of 2018.</strong></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://adamwilsonsquietrevolution.net/2018/12/16/the-quiet-revolution-favourite-albums-of-2018-full-list" target="_blank">https://adamwilsonsquietrevolution.net/2018/12/16/the-quiet-revolution-favourite-albums-of-2018-full-list</a></p>
<p><a contents="Read more" href="/files/518206/quiet-revolution-favourite-albums-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518206/quiet-revolution-favourite-albums-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2183957e5ce262fa9475596cac59a326236b4bd8/original/quiet-revolution-favourite-albums-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Quiet_Revolution_Favourite_Albums_2018_Screenshot" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561932018-12-14T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T18:42:20+00:00Across The Universal Soundscape - Album Of The Year<p><em>14 December 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album of the Year 2018.</strong></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://acrosstheuniversalsoundscape.weebly.com/album-of-the-year-2018-sarah-mcquaid---if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous.html" target="_blank">https://acrosstheuniversalsoundscape.weebly.com/album-of-the-year-2018-sarah-mcquaid---if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous.html</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518205/album-of-the-year-2018-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/cb3150fc7b1affcbd3bc5ecfd06ea7131dbbd943/original/album-of-the-year-2018-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Album_Of_The_Year_2018_Screenshot" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561992018-11-30T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T08:45:46+00:00The Moorlander - Jane Rush<p><em>30 November 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview.</strong> “There’s a joy in performing that I don’t get anywhere else.”</p>
<p><a contents="Read more" data-link-label="the-moorlander-nov-2018-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="/files/518262/the-moorlander-nov-2018-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518262/the-moorlander-nov-2018-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/0d770fbc4d275f9c94ac3b96760233d4add808b0/original/the-moorlander-nov-2018-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="The_Moorlander_Nov_2018_Sarah_McQuaid" width="100%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561912018-11-12T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:22:35+00:00Richer Unsigned - Colin Moir<p><em>12 November 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Feature – Artist Of The Week: Sarah McQuaid. </strong>“Our choice track “Slow Decay” is a sombre smokey number that perfectly showcases Sarah’s incredible voice as well as her musical dexterity.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://richerunsigned.com/blog/artist-of-the-week-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">http://richerunsigned.com/blog/artist-of-the-week-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Artist Of The Week: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>We’ve selected Sarah McQuaid as this week’s Artist Of the Week! Born in Madrid, raised in Chicago and now living in rural England, Sarah was taught piano and guitar by her folksinging mother. Recently honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ards International Guitar Festival in Northern Ireland, she’s drawn high critical praise for her voice and her engaging rapport with audiences. Our choice track “Slow Decay” is a sombre smokey number that perfectly showcases Sarah’s incredible voice as well as her musical dexterity.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561892018-07-09T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T21:33:29+00:00Selected By Guerino - Guerino Giancola<p><em>9 July 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong><em> </em>“If I had to try to summarize in a few lines the strongest feeling that emerges from listening to this beautiful record, I would say that it is the serene acceptance of human nature and the fact that sometimes we only have a minor role before the regular and imperturbable cycle of life.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://selectedbyguerino.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/best-new-music-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous-by-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">https://selectedbyguerino.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/best-new-music-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous-by-sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><strong>Best New Music: IF WE DIG ANY DEEPER IT COULD GET DANGEROUS by Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Madrid-born, Chicago-raised and UK-based singer and songwriter Sarah McQuaid has explored in her valuable career many shades of folk and alt rock, and listening to her most recent works we can realize how profound and rich this journey has been. Sarah’s last and fifth release, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, is for sure her most mature album so far, and the songs of the LP capture the artist in a phase of full confidence in her capacity to meditate over challenging themes and also to evoke intimate and sometimes desolate atmospheres.<br><br>To be truly honest, the first time I listened to the album I remained a little perplexed because of the persistent dark tones of the songs and also the rarefied melodies that accompany most of the tracks. I needed however only a short time to understand that I was in front of an album which requires a certain level of dedication and also the willingness to go through a few listens before it may release all of its value, which is clear and indisputable. Make no mistake, however, don’t expect to find crystal-clear melodies and danceable songs, rather get ready for a melancholic journey where the happy ending is not always guaranteed. The emotions you will experience, though, will be intense and able to make you travel in far away and charming places.<br><br>If I had to try to summarize in a few lines the strongest feeling that emerges from listening to this beautiful record, I would say that it is the serene acceptance of human nature and the fact that sometimes we only have a minor role before the regular and imperturbable cycle of life. This cosmic message is partly evoked by the artist’s voice and lyrics, but if it manages to get so deep in your soul is only becasue of the haunting, minimal and evocative music, which is the real added value of the album. And it is no coincidence, in fact, that the pieces that impressed me the most are the most delicate and introspective songs of the album. We have a few ballads in the classic style of folk, with violins and acoustic guitars, but the peak of the emotions, in my opinion, is reached when the artist is accompanied by only the reverberation of her electric guitar, which sounds like an echo of distant worlds, memories from the past that appear in a corner of our thoughts leaving a feeling of conscious abandonment.<br><br><em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> is available on <a data-imported="1" href="https://sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com/album/if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> and it can be also streamed on <a data-imported="1" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1qNXX9AYSZndS6fTqQPcWM?si=l5tGbM9XRYmsxORYcCppKQ" target="_blank">Spotify</a>.<br><br>The album was released on February 2018 and it was produced by legendary English singer-songwriter and guitarist Michael Chapman. The minimal and simple cover artwork was designed by Sarah McQuaid.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561882018-06-29T01:00:00+01:002020-01-14T18:45:25+00:00Green Left Weekly - Mat Ward<p><em>29 June 2018</em></p>
<p><strong>10 new albums that sum up the state of the world.</strong> “Here are the best new albums that related to this month’s politics.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://social.shorthand.com/greenleftweekly/3Cibn7KYIx/10-new-albums-that-sum-up-the-state-of-the-world" target="_blank">https://social.shorthand.com/greenleftweekly/3Cibn7KYIx/10-new-albums-that-sum-up-the-state-of-the-world</a></p>
<p><a contents="Read more" href="/files/518198/green-left-weekly-screenshot.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518198/green-left-weekly-screenshot.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/eca0854f4b218534f65e5f3569f1a540d29869a8/original/green-left-weekly-screenshot.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Green_Left_Weekly_Screenshot" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561872018-06-27T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T22:08:28+00:00KMUW - Jedd Beaudoin<p><em>27 June 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview.</strong> Sarah chats about her new album, life and death with KMUW DJ Jedd Beaudoin.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://kmuw.org/post/sarah-mcquaid-contemplates-life-death-and-more-new-lp" target="_blank">http://kmuw.org/post/sarah-mcquaid-contemplates-life-death-and-more-new-lp</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Contemplates Life, Death And More With New LP</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid’s latest release is <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>. The record marks a few milestones in the veteran guitarist/vocalist’s career. It marks the first time she’s played electric guitar on a recording and the first time she’s used piano on an LP as well. Produced by acclaimed guitarist Michael Chapman, the record highlights the brilliance of McQuaid’s compositions as well as her singular playing.<br><br>An author and expert on the Irish DADGAD tuning, McQuaid has live performances booked through the end of this year. Learn more about her here: <a data-imported="1" data-link-type="page" href="/bio" target="_blank">https://www.sarahmcquaid.com/bio/</a><br><br><em>How did you first connect with Michael Chapman?</em><br>We met in 2014 at the Village Pump Festival, where he was playing as well. I got up my courage and went over to say hello. To my astonishment, he knew who I was and knew my music and said, “Come sit down and have a drink with us.” We had a bit of a chat then and then the next morning it turned out that he and his wife were staying in the same hotel where myself and my manager were staying. We came down in the morning for breakfast and they said, “Come sit and have breakfast with us.” We had a big long chat over breakfast and it turned out that I was going to be doing a gig in Memphis at the same time his wife was there on business.<br><br>She came to hear me and then she and Michael arranged a concert for me at their local cricket club back in England. Michael opened for me! I said, “Yeah, OK!” The emcee at the club got up and said, “We always like to get up and give a chance to up-and-coming artists to do a support set.” Michael walked onstage and everybody started laughing.<br><br>That was the start of the friendship and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. Their house became kind of a nice stopping off point on tours. They’re midway between England and Scotland in a kind of no-man’s land called Cumbria. During one of my visits Michael asked if I was going to make a new album. I said that I was thinking about it and he said, “Why don’t you let me produce it?” It was an easy decision.<br><br><em>At what point did you become aware of his work?</em><br>He had his initial heyday in the 1960s when I was only a baby. He’s had a more recent heyday since then. I guess I was always aware of his work. He did a tour with Thurston Moore and I started looking more into Michael’s work and got really excited about it. I just loved his playing. I loved his songwriting. He’s such a good songwriter, an amazing songwriter.<br><br>I rediscovered this whole history of his music, his back catalog which stretches pretty far back. He made the album <em>50</em>, which came out last year. It’s such a beautiful album. I really, really loved it. So it was an honor to be able to work with him.<br><br><em>The guitar community you’re part of it seems close-knit.</em><br>You get your usual suspects. In fact, it kind of drives me crazy with festivals. I don’t know if it’s true in the U.S. but in the U.K. you see the same names cropping up over and over again. If you’re not in that little clique it can start to feel like a closed club. But I’m getting there. The albums have always been really well-received critically, it’s just my profile. I still struggle for name recognition. Hopefully with this new album we’ll start seeing a bit of that.<br><br><em>It’s interesting that in the U.S. at least people like William Tyler and Glenn Jones are finding wider audiences.</em><br>We’ve definitely seen that with Michael Chapman and all these young musicians, and not folk musicians, sort of indie musicians championing his music. He’s got a whole new audience that he wouldn’t have had before that are discovering his music and getting really excited about it. That’s fantastic to see. I think genres generally seem to be breaking down a little bit.<br><br>There seems to be less of a division between what’s folk, what’s pop, what’s indie. All of those categories are more meaningless than they’ve ever been. Music is music, that’s what I’ve always thought.<br><br><em>It’s interesting because I can see people who are into early Fairport Convention or Wishbone Ash liking your records.</em><br>I have weirdly eclectic audiences. My audience tends to be a somewhat older audience. But when I do get young people coming to shows they’re the ones who will go on to iTunes and buy my entire back catalog while they’re sitting there and then come show me on their phones that they’ve done that.<br><br>It’s really nice when that happens.<br><br>In England there’s a whole network of village halls and community centers that are mostly in small, rural communities. People will come out to those gigs even if they’ve never heard of you because there’s something happening in their local village hall or community center. A lot of them wind up being long-term fans.<br><br><em>What, if anything, was different about the material you wrote this time out?</em><br>I kept the approach I used on the last album, <em>Walking Into White</em>. Unlike previous albums I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for that one. I suddenly found myself with studio time booked and a bunch of song ideas scribbled down or recorded as voice memos on my phone. But I didn’t have finished songs. So I sat down and went through all my song ideas that I’d been accumulating and wrote all of the songs at once.<br><br>I was so happy with that that I decided, deliberately, to do it again with the new album. I had more preparation time with this one. I forced myself not to finish songs until I felt like I was ready to sit down and put the material together. I actually sat down and did a bunch of songwriting in one big burst. It resulted in a coherent bunch of songs that all bore some relation to each other but were all different from each other.<br><br>I was really careful not to write something that was the same tempo or style of one of the other pieces. Sometimes I’d ask a question in one song and answer it in another. The biggest difference this time was that I was playing electric guitar for the first time. I’d never done that before. That was down to Michael. He’d sent me his own guitar by UPS and said, “I want you to write some stuff on this.”<br><br>I wrote four pieces, three songs and an instrumental on the electric guitar. At the end of the recording I thought I had to hand Michael back his guitar. I was feeling really sad and he said, “I’m not using that guitar, why don’t you keep it for a while?” I’ve been using it in the live shows.<br><br>I’d also never played piano on an album before. So, I’ve started touring with one as well. It makes the stage kind of crowded in some of the venues I play. Some people look at that setup and say, “I didn’t know you were bringing a band.” I say, “No, there is no band, it’s just me. I’m playing all those instruments.” I’ve got a drum as well on stage.<br><br><em>I’m assuming that you had played electric guitar before but that this was the first time you were using it on a recording.</em><br>No. <em>[Laughs.]</em><br><br><em>Really?</em><br>I had never even tried playing electric guitar until one of the times I was visiting Michael. I was at his house, he handed me this guitar and said, “Try playing that.” If anybody else had handed me an electric guitar I probably would have said, “Ah, no thanks.”<br><br>But when Michael Chapman hands you an electric guitar you take it. He was twiddling the knobs on the amp getting all kinds of different sounds out of it. It was kind of a eureka moment. Suddenly I had access to all these new sounds and effects that I’d never had before. The songs that I wrote on it, I wouldn’t have written those songs and that instrumental on the acoustic because the songs are very much inspired by the sounds that I was getting out of the electric guitar.<br><br>That was a massive discovery for me. I’m so grateful to Michael for letting me make that discovery.<br><br><em>Do you now have moments where you don’t want to put it down?</em><br>Oh yeah. I’m looking forward to writing more on electric. I’m looking forward to writing more on piano. It’s still early days with this album but I can hardly wait to get going on the next one because I’ve suddenly got all these new tools at my disposal.<br><br><em>Was there a song that showed you the shape the rest of the record would take?</em><br>The first song I started writing for this album was “Slow Decay.” It certainly set the theme. I was thinking about sound waves. I was thinking about decay in the sense of note decay. And then both waves in the sound sense as well as waves in water. That got me thinking on a more metaphorical level about life and death and what do you leave behind. That kind of set the theme.<br><br>I can’t remember after that what order they came in but these themes of death and new life started developing. I’d wanted to do a cover of “Forever Autumn” by Jeff Wayne. That indicated the way for a couple of tracks as well. There’s a little musical theme at the beginning of “Forever Autumn” which comes from the <em>Dies irae</em>, which is a Gregorian chant which is all about the apocalypse.<br><br>By the time I realized that I’d already written the title track which has all this apocalyptic imagery about the fire and the flood and the earthquakes. All of those things are in the <em>Dies irae</em> so that was another kind of serendipity. You don’t even realize that two things are even related to each other and then there they are. It suddenly seems almost as if you planned it that way.<br><br>“The Tug of the Moon” was another key track. I think it’s the best song I’ve ever written. It’s one of those songs that you write and say, “How did I write that? Where did that come from? Am I ever going to be able to write anything this good again? I don’t know.”<br><br><em>I sometimes finish a project without any knowledge of what’s next and I get worried. I think, “When’s it’ going to come?” Do you have those moments?</em><br>Oh yeah. I’m excited about writing more but I haven’t a clue what the songs are going to be about. But I think it’s OK that I haven’t had any ideas for new songs yet. I think they’ll come. There’s a line in the title track about the best way of fixing a problem being to turn the pressure off.<br><br>I try to tell myself that all the time. Sometimes it’s best to sit back and wait for the solution to present itself.<br><br><em>You were talking about this idea of decay and the idea that in the end of one thing there’s the start of another. Do you have any idea what put you in that frame of mind?</em><br>In some sense they’re the things that have always been in my mind. I’m getting older. My kids are 12 and 14. They’re about to be teenagers, so I’m looking at their lives and starting to see them grow up. You’re thinking all the time about where are you going, what are you leaving behind. What’s ahead? At what point in your life are you?<br><br>I’ve realized that unless I manage to live an extremely long time I’m closer to the end of my life than I am the beginning. That’s a heavy duty thing to realize.<br><br><em>I shared that recently with a friend. “This is how old I am, this is how old my dad was when he died. I’ve probably only got X amount of time left.” They said, “Ah, you’re so morbid,” but I said, “No, actually, I’m really thinking about how I want to live that period.”</em><br>Exactly. My mother was 67 when she died. That’s really young. Her dad, my grandfather, was only in his fifties when he died. So we’re not a really healthy family! <em>[Laughs.]</em> I hope I’ll last longer but even still you’ve got to think about this stuff and you can’t not think about this stuff. I don’t think it has to be morbid. You’re just conscious. It’s good in the way that it makes you really focus on what’s important in life and where are the good places to put your energy. What’s a good thing to devote your time to and focus on?<br><br>Nobody knows how short it’s really going to be. You’ve got to focus on the important stuff and set your priorities.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561902018-06-25T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T22:08:41+00:00iSing Magazine<p><em>25 June 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Five top tips from songwriter Sarah McQuaid. </strong>Sarah shares her top five songwriting tips.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.isingmag.com/five-top-tips-from-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://www.isingmag.com/five-top-tips-from-songwriter-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Five top tips from songwriter Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ards International Guitar Festival in Northern Ireland, Sarah McQuaid is a Madrid-born, Chicago-raised, Cornwall-based singer/songwriter. She shares her top five songwriting tips.<br><br><strong>1 Put yourself under pressure</strong><br>I had been touring a lot ahead of <em>Walking Into White</em> (2015) and so I had all these ideas and I hadn’t had time to flesh them out into songs. I arranged to record the album without having a single finished song. I wrote all of them in one big burst of songwriting. I was so happy with the results that I deliberately put myself under that pressure for the next album. This works well for a particular kind of person; I have a background as a journalist and I got used to being creative under pressure. In some ways, I find it easier to write with a deadline approaching.<br><br><strong>2 Give things a long gestation period.</strong><br>Any time I’m having trouble with something it’s always best to step away. Don’t try to fight it: just let it go and trust it to come back. The title track of <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (2012) is a good case in point. I’d written a song but it didn’t feel like it was working. I set it aside – in fact, I thought I was putting it away – but it came back to me. I thought, if I slowed it right down and did it as an a cappella song, maybe it would work. I completely rejigged the song and did it a cappella that night and it went down really well. Then I worked out a guitar accompaniment for it. Months later again, I wrote a guitar intro for it and then decided to put in an outro as well. The song took me three years to finish but I’m happy with the result.<br><br><strong>3 Jump into a collaboration without any preconceived ideas</strong><br>On of my co-writers is Zoë, author and performer of 1991 UK Top 10 hit single <em>Sunshine On A Rainy Day</em>. But we didn’t even know we were collaborating on songs until we started doing it. She came over to my house and said, “let me play you this song I have written”. I wrote some lyrics for it and, after that, she kept coming to me with song ideas. After we’d written a few songs, we knew we should write an album (<em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em>, 2009).<br><br><strong>4 Don’t worry about the commerciality of a song</strong><br>I had always written songs that had verses and choruses and usually a middle eight. Working with Zoë I learned that, as long as there is a structure, it doesn’t matter what the structure is. You don’t have to adhere to preconceived notions of which elements a song should have; you can be free.<br><br><strong>5 Be open to inspiration</strong><br>You can write a song about anything. All kinds of different things inspire me – an image, a phrase or an idea. The title track of the new album – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> – that’s just something I heard myself saying to my son apropos a hole in the garden. It’s just a question of accessing the poetry.<br><br>McQuaid’s fifth album, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, is out now.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561852018-06-07T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T21:34:59+00:00The Rocker - Stuart Hamilton<p><em>7 June 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. </em></strong>“A gem of a record, rooted in folk but standing on its own, and one that deserves to be widely heard. So get it sorted. Now.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2018/06/07/reviews-roundup-javina-magness-vs-sarah-mcquaid-vs-hollowstar-vs-gus-spenos-vs-micke-bjorklof-blue-strip/" target="_blank">https://therocker65.wordpress.com/2018/06/07/reviews-roundup-javina-magness-vs-sarah-mcquaid-vs-hollowstar-vs-gus-spenos-vs-micke-bjorklof-blue-strip/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br><strong>Shovel and a Spade Records</strong><br>Album number five for the Madrid-born, Chicago-raised, Cornwall-based singer/songwriter sees her working with seventies legend Michael Chapman, probably best known for his Harvest/Deram albums early in that decade. But it remains very much a Sarah McQuaid album.<br><br>It’s quite annoying that there is so much music nowadays as I’ve somehow managed to miss her earlier work. Which is a shame for me because she is a really good songwriter and a great singer. It’s rare nowadays to hear someone actually inhabiting a song rather than just singing it, but this is one of those times. There are a lot of songs about dying here which my shrink would probably tell me to steer well clear of but the way my mind works it’s impossible not to be drawn into the likes of ‘Break Me Down’ which seems to be a song about a body decaying in the grave. I certainly hope so or I need more help than I thought.<br><br>There’s also a version of the medieval chant ‘Dies Irae’ and it’s definitely the best version of a thirteenth century hymn I’ve heard this year! The instrumental tracks don’t detract from the record, but let you gather your thoughts for the next round. It’s a gem of a record, rooted in folk but standing on its own, and one that deserves to be widely heard. So get it sorted. Now.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561782018-05-15T01:00:00+01:002020-01-05T21:35:25+00:00Folk Radio UK - Mike Davies<p><em>15 May 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em> </strong>“A consummate artistic triumph that marks a new phase in McQuaid’s career.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/05/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/" target="_blank">http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/05/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br><strong>Shovel and a Spade Records – Out Now</strong><br>First up, I have to extend apologies for a somewhat belated review and confess that, initially, I wasn’t won over by Sarah McQuaid’s latest album <strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong>. However, I kept going back and listening again and came to realise I was judging it on what I expected to hear following her previous releases rather than what it actually was. Once I’d cast preconceptions aside, it became apparent that this, her fifth release, is, in fact, a mature and hugely confident musical and stylistic progression that deserves to be applauded as such.<br> <br>Working with the legendary Michael Chapman, who produced and plays his 1961 Gibson on several tracks, and whose influence shimmers throughout, it opens with the sinewy moody title track, Chapman also playing archtop slide, Roger Luxton on hand percussion and Richard Evans on trumpet for a metaphorical warning about the potentially apocalyptic dangers of fracking that had its origins in her son excavating a hole in the back garden, but also one that can be extended psychologically to not disturbing things best left alone.<br> <br>Bringing in Samuel Hollis on upright bass behind McQuaid’s guitar and keyboards, <em>Slow Decay</em> has a feel akin to Joni Mitchell’s <em>Hissing Of Summer Lawns</em> or <em>Hejira</em>, the lyric, playing on the different meanings of decay, a meditation on mortality and the infinite. By contrast, <em>One Sparrow Down</em> draws heavily on Suzanne Vega’s <em>Tom’s Diner</em>, the vocal set against a tribal percussive arrangement by Robert Luxton entailing radiator, cooker grill and wine bottle and a somewhat unsettling image of a cat watching a bird (and featuring sampled ‘guest’ vocals from Nightingale the cat and Bob the pheasant) that clearly has an underlying predatory context.<br> <br>A stark piano ballad accompanied by upright bass, <em>The Silence Above Us</em> echoes the apocalyptic tone elsewhere and is pointedly followed by a cover of <em>Forever Autumn</em>, best known from Justin Hayward’s <em>War of the Worlds</em> version though originally recorded by Vigrass and Osborne in 1972, stripped back to a far sparser arrangement of acoustic guitar and Joe Pritchard’s cello. The first part of a musical triptych, the instrumental intro is actually taken from the opening line of <em>Dies Irae</em>, a medieval Gregorian chant, which, sustaining the melancholic mood, dutifully follows, sung in Latin again featuring Pritchard and with Chapman on guitars. The latter also contributes to the following two tracks, the wholly instrumental <em>The Day of Wrath, That Day</em> (a literal translation of the former’s opening line) with its rumbles and feedback, McQuaid playing Ibanez electric guitar with a delay pedal.<br> <br>Featuring Evans on trumpet, Georgia Ellery on fiddle and McQuaid channelling Sandy Denny, <em>Cot Valley</em> is a traditional flavoured number about child labour inspired by the 1842 Mines and Collieries Act which prohibited children under the age of ten from working underground, legislation which had a profound impact on the Cornish tin and copper mines where some 20% of the workforce were children.<br> <br>Shifting from the darker tones, <em>New Beginnings</em> strikes a more celebratory note, a simple guitar piece written for the wedding of Zoe Pollock, the 1991 <em>Sunshine On A Rainy Day</em> hitmaker with whom she formed the folk duo Mama.<br> <br>The album heads towards its conclusion with <em>Time To Love</em>, an email co-write with Gerry O’Beirne, the Irish producer of her first three albums, a song that echoes the sentiments of John Rowles’ 1968 Top 3 hit <em>If I Only Had Time</em> and features double tracked violin and cello.<br> <br>Chapman’s final appearance comes with <em>Break Me Down</em>, a paradoxically upbeat decomposition about death in which she asks, to donate her organs and for her body to be buried au-naturel, sans coffin, in a return to the earth as she amusingly sings “I’ve got some prime organic matter on me/Shame to let it spoil.”<br> <br>The album ends with just her voice and solo electric guitar on <em>The Tug of the Moon</em>, a slow waltz number that uses the moon’s gravitational pull and the gradual slowing of the Earth’s rotation to again treat on mortality and eventual endless night, but with a calm sense of acceptance of the natural cosmic cycle rather than any sense of dread. A consummate artistic triumph that marks a new phase in McQuaid’s career, I regret that it took so long for me to appreciate the depth and textures to the writing and performances contained within. Don’t make the same mistake.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561862018-05-09T01:00:00+01:002020-01-14T18:48:17+00:00Hot Press - Jackie Hayden<p><em>9 May 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em> </strong>“Noted English guitarist Michael Chapman is the producer here, and his slightly rough-edged approach serves as an ideal foil for McQuaid’s polished precision: the album is not merely a fine showcase of her liquid voice but also of her superb guitar style. When she marries both to her unerring songwriting skills, something truly marvellous happens.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518260/hot-press-sarah-mcquaid-2018-05-09.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/996e188f1e42c24ec93548037f7f95b8ec32bbd4/original/hot-press-sarah-mcquaid-2018-05-09.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Hot_Press_Sarah_McQuaid_2018_05_09" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<br>Shovel & Spade Records<br>8/10<br>LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES UNDER THE MCQUAID SCALPEL</strong><br>This is Sarah McQuaid’s fifth solo album. Noted English guitarist Michael Chapman is the producer here, and his slightly rough-edged approach serves as an ideal foil for McQuaid’s polished precision: the album is not merely a fine showcase of her liquid voice but also of her superb guitar style. When she marries both to her unerring songwriting skills, something truly marvellous happens.<br><br>‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’, buoyed by McQuaid’s plangent electric guitar, could be about fracking or might just be a general alert to be careful out there: its unsettling feel reflects the urgency of the message. ‘One Sparrow Down’ features an array of percussion instruments, including a bottle and a kitchen grill, for a grim tale of a bird falling prey to a cat, while the keyboard-led ‘Break Me Down’ takes a wry look at bodily decay. A similar exploration of time passing puts an edge on the more folk-tradish ‘Slow Decay’.<br><br>McQuaid has form in re- fashioning covers. Here she turns on Justin Hayward’s hit ‘Forever Autumn’ before leading to a breathtaking voice, guitars and cello version of the Gregorian chant ‘Dies Irae’. On paper it mightn’t work, but sprinkle some Chapman- McQuaid magic over it and you’ve got an A-list classic. She adapts its opening line to name the sparky instrumental ‘The Day Of Wrath, That Day’, ably demonstrating her dexterous guitar-playing. She performs with equal aplomb on ‘New Beginnings’, composed as a wedding march for her occasional musical sidekick Zoë Pollock. And there’s also the deliciously plaintive, Cohenesque ‘The Tug Of The Moon’ to marvel at.<br><br>McQuaid is well-served throughout by some splendid musicianship, with kudos particularly to Richard Evans (trumpet) and Sam Hollis (bass) for their thoughtful additions to the feast. Excellent stuff.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561772018-05-09T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:15:33+00:00Floorshime Zipper Boots<p><em>9 May 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Stunning sonic depictions of songs of depth and meaning. McQuaid’s style is full on engagement, with vocals that draw you to the lyrical rocks better than any siren song. The album is brilliantly arranged, with flawless production and a completely compelling aural persona. This is about as good as it gets and is an absolute must have.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it.html" target="_blank">http://floorshimezipperboots.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous is the new album from UK based singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid and produced by Michael Chapman. The twelve tracks are stunning sonic depictions of songs of depth and meaning. McQuaid’s style is full on engagement, with vocals that draw you to the lyrical rocks better than any siren song. The album is brilliantly arranged, with flawless production and a completely compelling aural persona. This is about as good as it gets and is an absolute must have. Watch the video for album track Slow Decay, then stream and buy If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous at the link below.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561792018-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-14T18:50:43+00:00Shire Folk - Jonathan Roscoe (May-June 2018)<p><em>May 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “<em>If We Dig Any Deeper...</em> is the culmination of both sides of her musical personality, and is undoubtedly her finest yet.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.shirefolk.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.shirefolk.org.uk</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518256/sarah-mcquaid-shire-folk-2018.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/984b3819b214baf869185f0e0372761169a239aa/original/sarah-mcquaid-shire-folk-2018.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Shire_Folk_2018" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<br>Shovel and a Spade Records</strong><br>Chicago-bred, Cornwall-based, singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid has been building a reputation since her first album – a mix of Irish traditional songs and instrumentals – was re-released in 2007. This reputation, based on the meticulous construction of her songs and a slightly academic approach to songwriting, was only enhanced by her well-received book on DADGAD tuning. Third album, <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose,</em> garnered much praise and showed that she was no slouch with an original song herself. It was fourth album, <em>Walking Into White</em>, that showed a hitherto unseen experimental side; mixing folk, psychedelia and indie rock. In many ways <em>If We Dig Any Deeper...</em> is the culmination of both sides of her musical personality, and is undoubtedly her finest yet. And it’s got Michael Chapman producing it – what’s not to like?<br><br>Chapman lends guitar-playing skills to several of the tracks, and the instrumental ‘That Day of Wrath, That Day’ bears all the hallmarks of Chapman’s 2015 album, Fish. Don’t let the presence of Chapman fool you, though. This is very much McQuaid’s album.<br><br>Her academic side can be seen on ‘Cot Valley’ about child labour in the Cornish tin mines, and her skilful arrangement of the Gregorian chant ‘Dies Irae’, the opening of which cleverly mimics the preceding track – a cover of Justin Hayward’s ‘Forever Autumn’. McQuaid’s experimental side is never far away, however. There’s the percussive ‘One Sparrow Down’ with its cats chorus (literally in this case; McQuaid’s cat Nightshine), the wonderfully distorted guitar on the opening title track, and perhaps the chirpiest song about decomposition in existence, ‘Break Me Down’. The presence of Chapman won’t hurt sales, but there’s much more to <em>If We Dig Any Deeper...</em> than that. Check it out for yourself.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561762018-04-03T01:00:00+01:002020-01-06T19:31:26+00:00Musings From Boston - Julie Stoller<p><em>3 April 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Review/Feature – “Slow Decay” Video.</strong> “Giving part of ourselves, literally, so that someone else may continue to live is one of the greatest gifts a person can bestow, and it’s an act that conveys tremendous compassion and caring.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.bostonsurvivalguide.net/wordpress/2018/04/what-we-leave-behind-the-importance-of-organ-donation/" target="_blank">http://www.bostonsurvivalguide.net/wordpress/2018/04/what-we-leave-behind-the-importance-of-organ-donation</a></p>
<p><strong>What we leave behind: the importance of organ donation</strong><br>There’s an amazing story behind this pretty folk song, “Slow Decay,” and its compelling video. Sarah McQuaid, a singer/songwriter, and Brett Harvey, an award-winning filmmaker, teamed up to create a heartwarming short film to raise awareness about organ donation. This sounds very important, but it doesn’t stir the soul — until you watch the video and learn about Bill Conner and his young daughter.<br><br>Five months after his daughter Abbey died at the tender age of 20, Bill decided to honor her memory by cycling from his home in Madison, Wisconsin, to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where Abbey’s organs were recovered for donation. He stopped off in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1,400 miles into his journey, to meet with the 21-year-old man who was the recipient of her heart, after being given just 10 days to live. After a long hug, the man put a stethoscope to his new heart, and Conner was able to hear his daughter’s heartbeat. He was given a recording to bring with him as he continued to spread awareness about the life-saving practice of organ donation.<br><br>In the realm of organ donation, this question touches on both the physical and the spiritual — that is, what do we physically leave behind that others can use, and what do we leave behind as a lasting legacy of our lives? Giving part of ourselves, literally, so that someone else may continue to live is one of the greatest gifts a person can bestow, and it’s an act that conveys tremendous compassion and caring.<br><br>In this line from elsewhere on McQuaid’s album, the meaning is more obvious and literal. In the film, a mother, warmly portrayed by Mary Woodvine (<em>Eastenders</em>, <em>Doc Martin</em>, <em>Casualty</em>, <em>Poldark</em>, <em>Blight</em>, <em>The Lark</em>), takes the long cycle journey, which is delicately intercut with flashbacks of her daughter’s life. After the final frame, links for <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.donatelife.net" target="_blank">donatelife.net</a>, <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.organdonor.gov" target="_blank">organdonor.gov</a> and <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk" target="_blank">organdonation.nhs.uk</a> appear, so that viewers can learn more and register to become an organ donor.<br><br>McQuaid, Harvey, Conner and all the fine actors in this deeply affecting video are based in Cornwall, England. This short film was a collaborative effort to shine a light on this beautiful act of generosity and shared experience, a quiet but important story that might otherwise have never been told. As Harvey explains, “I was struck by the simple humanity of the act, and the notion that we live on through others after we pass away. I had wanted to tell a version of this story for a while, and as soon as I heard Sarah’s beautiful song I knew it was the right fit.”<br><br>“Slow Decay” is from McQuaid’s fifth solo album, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, which has garnered rave reviews from publications around the world. She’s currently touring in the UK and Ireland, which will be followed by a U.S. tour in September and October.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561752018-03-24T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:32:00+00:00Elmore Magazine - Suzanne Cadgène<p><em>24 March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Video première – “Slow Decay”. </strong>“‘I was struck by the simple humanity of the act,’ said award-winning filmmaker Brett Harvey, ‘and the notion that we live on through others after we pass away.’”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2018/03/music-news/sarah-mcquaid-digs-deep" target="_blank">http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2018/03/music-news/sarah-mcquaid-digs-deep</a><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/c6c964c4b4bb5ef872c633b2462a7b4e3b4160c5/original/sarah-mcquaid-elmore-magazine-2018-03.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Elmore_Magazine_2018" style=" margin: 0px 10px;" width="200" /></p>
<p><strong>MUSIC NEWS PREMIERE: Sarah McQuaid digs deep<br>A way to live on, after we’re gone</strong><br>Abbey Conner died at age 20. Five months later, to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation, Abbey’s father Bill bicycled from his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where Broward Health Medical Center had recovered Abbey’s organs for donation. 1,400 miles into his journey, in Baton Rouge, Conner met with 21-year-old Loumonth Jack Jr.; Jack had been given ten days to live before he was saved by Abbey’s heart.<br><br>Jack pulled out a stethoscope so that Conner could hear his daughter’s heartbeat for the first time since she died. The family made a recording of Jack’s heart for Conner to listen to as he continued his journey.<br><br>“I was struck by the simple humanity of the act,” said award-winning filmmaker Brett Harvey, “and the notion that we live on through others after we pass away.” Harvey based a short film on the Conner family story, and used singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid’s poignant song “Slow Decay” as the soundtrack (though he might also have considered “Break Me Down,” with the lyric “If my organs are of use, I hope they find a happy home.”).<br><br>In his beautifully rendered film, a mother (played by Mary Woodvine) undertakes a bicycle journey, intercut with flashbacks of her daughter’s short life. “I had wanted to tell a version of this story for a while,” Harvey said, “and as soon as I heard Sarah’s beautiful song I knew it was the right fit.”<br><br>Sarah McQuaid told Elmore “Brett did such a beautiful job on the video, and I’m so glad that he spotted the connection between the lyrics of my song and the true story he’s based the video on. I think it conveys an important message, and I hope people will be inspired by it to register as organ donors if they haven’t already done so.”<br><br>The video is due for release March 30.<br><br>Learn more about Bill Conner’s organ donation project, Donate Life, <a data-imported="1" href="https://www.donatelife.net/" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561742018-03-19T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:32:17+00:00Stereo Embers Magazine - Dave Cantrell (Mar 2018)<p><em>19 March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “A work built upon the courage of a singular vision. … <em>If We Dig Any Deeper it Could Get Dangerous</em> has a satisfying completeness about it, an expansiveness made concrete. It is, in short, the work of a consummate artist.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://stereoembersmagazine.com/expansiveness-made-concrete-dig-deeper-get-dangerous-sarah-mcquaid-michael-chapman/" target="_blank">http://stereoembersmagazine.com/expansiveness-made-concrete-dig-deeper-get-dangerous-sarah-mcquaid-michael-chapman/</a></p>
<p><strong>An Expansiveness Made Concrete – “If We Dig Any Deeper it Could Get Dangerous” by Sarah McQuaid with Michael Chapman</strong><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous </strong><br><strong>Shovel and A Spade</strong><br>First, there is Sarah McQuaid’s voice. A thing of febrile strength and a fierce vulnerability, either it had a hand in shaping the character and tone of her guitar playing or it was the heart inside one of her guitars – that ’65 Martin D-28 would be a likely suspect – that sat her down one day and taught her how to sing. As heard anywhere on this album (but particularly on “Slow Decay,” a wistful but unbending meditation on mortality) there is, between singer and instrument, such a sweet compelling congress it seems certain it couldn’t have been an accident of chance.<br><br>Second, there’s that playing itself. Never ostentatious there is no less a deeply assured presence to it, akin, let’s say, to the breathing organic thrum inside a moss-carpeted forest. In listening to the full-throated naturalism that characterizes McQuaid’s touch on the instrument it’s little (read:no) surprise that her appearance at the Village Pump Festival in 2014 attracted the keenly empathic attention of co-performer Michael Chapman. Thereafter offered an open-ended, open-door invitation to Chez Chapman in Cumbria, it’s equally unsurprising that she would say yes to the generous – and in retrospect inevitable – kitchen table proposal that Chapman produce her next record. The result, released February 2nd on Shovel and a Spade Records and on which the elder master, using his 1961 Gibson ES-175 archtop electric, contributes to four of its twelve tracks, marks the moment Sarah McQuaid the singer/songwriter/very fine picker indeed etches her name deeply on the imposing stone monolith whereon that long but select list of UK forebears from Vashti to Maddy to Sandy and a couple dozen more across genders and several generations.<br><br>Like a guitar solo record without the solo (not counting perhaps the 4-plus minute meditative gasp “The Day of Wrath, That Day”) in that it carries itself with an innate focus and unwavering intimacy, <em>If We Dig...</em> at its heart is a work built upon the courage of a singular vision. Authoring the great majority of the songs, it’s clear that the central emotional component of McQuaid’s aesthetic is the veil of mortality as it’s held up against – and with any hope and luck occasionally obscured by – the aspirations and joy of our common human existence. Thus, with a kind of fearless care, does she explore the mythical hidden inside the everyday – and yes, before you ask, the vice versa as well – the message among others seeming to be that this stuff is all around us, let’s, umm, dig it up and see what we find.<br><br>Stated most directly on the ringingly pensive title track that opens things, Chapman’s loamy slide tone earthen and mournful while Richard Evans’ trumpet hangs in the mist like a Chet Baker elegy, but just as evident in the playful fateful backyard nature show “One Sparrow Down” (the action made animate by Roger Luxton’s paw-strike percussion on a range of objects), “Cot Valley”’s history-soaked lament, a past of smoke and child labor met with a blend of resilience and resignation endorsed by both Chapman’s clarion interjections and, more poignantly, Georgia Ellery’s almost eerily intuitive fiddle work, and on closer “The Tug of the Moon,” McQuaid alone with just voice and a certain borrowed Ibanez, that lesson of discovery, of brief epiphanies appearing like diamonds in the mulch, is never too deeply buried beneath the surface.<br><br>Buoyed by a rivetingly direct cover of “Forever Autumn,” rich in its cello-warmed sparseness and brushed by the spirit of a madrigal, as well a quietly epic version of “Dies Irae” that has something of a brewing storm about it, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> has a satisfying completeness about it, an expansiveness made concrete. It is, in short, the work of a consummate artist.<br><br>[Definitely be sure to hit the embedded videos, but be even surer to sit down with the documentary below. It’s a gem]</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561812018-03-12T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T18:55:03+00:00Jersey Beat - Paul Silver<p><em>12 March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “I’ve died and gone to heaven, I’ve fallen in love, and any of a million other things I could say to let you know how good this record is.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.jerseybeat.com/paulsilver.html" target="_blank">http://www.jerseybeat.com/paulsilver.html</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518257/sarah-mcquaid-jersey-beat-screenshot.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/32dc1d72a74478248d1ae898edbc06065d548768/original/sarah-mcquaid-jersey-beat-screenshot.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Jersey_Beat_Screenshot" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH MCQUAID – If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (Shovel and Spade Records, www.sarahmcquaid.com)</strong><br>I’ve died and gone to heaven, I’ve fallen in love, and any of a million other things I could say to let you know how good this record is. Sarah McQuaid was born in Spain, raised in the USA, and currently lives in rural England. This diversity in her life experience is reflected in the quiet, contemplative music on this new album. The music is deeply rooted in the folk tradition, but there are mixtures of influence and style. Sometimes electric guitar is used, others it’s acoustic guitar or piano. The title track borrows heavily from the blues, featuring electric guitar and a subtly funky feel, but it’s the acoustic tracks that I think work best. I must say I’m enamored with “One Sparrow Down,” a track that features percussion and vocals, telling the story of a fatal encounter between a sparrow and a house cat. McQuaid’s cat Nightshine provides guest vocals. The medieval Gregorian chant, “Dies Irae,” sung in the original Latin, sounds dark and ominous, befitting the subject of the chant, in which the “day of wrath will dissolve the world in ashes.” In a brilliant twist, McQuaid’s arrangement steals the opening melodic line from the preceding song, “Forever Autumn,” to tie the two together. “Cot Valley” blends the story of Cornish children who run and play instead of working in the mines, as they did in centuries past, with music that comes straight from the American heartland. The acoustic guitar instrumental, “New Beginnings,” is pretty as can be, and was written as a wedding march for a friend and collaborator. The string quartet on “Time To Love” is achingly beautiful. The album closes with the sad, depressing “The Tug of the Moon.” It relates, in personal ways, how the moon’s gravitational pull is slowing earth’s rotational speed, but also sending the moon spinning faster and further away from us, and how we don’t even notice. I’ve noticed now, Sarah. And I hope many more will, as well.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561732018-03-08T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:44:40+00:00Off The Hook - Fernando Hernández<p><em>8 March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (English translation follows Spanish original).</strong> “Añade en pequeñas dosis ciertos toques eléctricos fusionando a su vez elementos de corte jazzístico. ... De lo más destacado en lo que llevamos de año en folk.” <em>(Take a few electrical shocks in small doses and blend in turn with jazzy elements. ... A highlight of the year so far in folk.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.offthehook.es/2018/03/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it_8.html" target="_blank">https://www.offthehook.es/2018/03/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it_8.html</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br><em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em><br>Shovel and a Spade Records<br>2018 LP<br><em>(English translation appears below Spanish original.)</em></strong><br>La cantautora Sarah McQuaid, acaba de publicar un sobrio trabajo de folk acústico: “If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous”. Añade en pequeñas dosis ciertos toques eléctricos fusionando a su vez elementos de corte jazzístico. Nacida en Madrid, criada en Chicago y actualmente residente en Penzance, un pueblecito de Inglaterra. Para disfrutar de la escucha atentamente y con calma; de esta manera podremos aprovechar todos los matices que se esconden en un disco que sabe mezclar el buen folk con otro tipo de vertientes musicales. De lo más destacado en lo que llevamos de año en folk. <br><br><em>Singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid has recently released a serious work of acoustic folk: “If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous”. Take a few electrical shocks in small doses and blend in turn with jazzy elements. Born in Madrid, raised in Chicago and currently living in Penzance, a small town in England. To enjoy while listening in a relaxed, attentive state of mind; in this way, we can take advantage of all the nuances that hide in a record that knows how to mix good folk with other types of musical genres. A highlight of the year so far in folk.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561822018-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:01:09+00:00Heaven - Pieter Wijnstekers (Mar/Apr 2018)<p><em>March/April 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Een vroege kandidaat voor folkalbum van 2018.” <em>(An early contender for folk album of 2018.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://popmagazineheaven.nl" target="_blank">https://popmagazineheaven.nl</a></p>
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<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>IF WE DIG ANY DEEPER IT COULD GET DANGEROUS<br>Shovel And A Spade<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Ik was verrast toen Sarah McQuaid me vorig jaar vertelde dat ze haar nieuwe album ging opnemen met Michael Chapman, de oudgediende Britse folkgitarist en singer-songwriter. McQuaid’s muziek kenmerkte zich door een uitermate verzorgde, tot in de puntjes geplande stijl, Chapman was juist de folkmuzikant die vanuit de losse pols werkte en dingen gewoon liet gebeuren. Zelf noemt ze het een ontmoeting tussen een perfectionist en een gokker, al was de grootste gok natuurlijk van McQuaid zelf en was het de vraag of zulke tegengestelde werkwijzen wel verenigbaar waren. Het antwoord, blijkens <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, is absoluut ja. Niet alleen is dit met afstand McQuaid’s beste plaat tot nu toe, ik vind het zelfs de beste plaat waarbij Chapman dit decennium betrokken was. Dat wil wat zeggen, aangezien Chapman de laatste jaren is omarmd door een hele rij jonge Amerikaanse indie-folktalenten en ook zelf weer actief platen maakt. Met Chapman als producer klinkt deze nieuwe McQuaid een stuk aardser maar tegelijkertijd ook meer bij de tijd, meer indie-folk. De prachtige liedjes van McQuaid krijgen de kick die eerder wegviel in haar streven naar perfectie en zijn stukken sterker en aansprekender. Dit album is gevarieerd en prachtig van toon, wat mij betreft een vroege kandidaat voor folkalbum van 2018.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>I got a bit of a surprise last year when Sarah McQuaid told me that she was going to record her new album with Michael Chapman, the veteran British folk guitarist and singer-songwriter. McQuaid’s music is characterised by precision and attention to detail, while Chapman has always been known as a folk musician who likes to work off the cuff and let things happen. She refers to their collaboration as perfectionist meets gambler, although the biggest gamble was on McQuaid’s side, with the question being whether such polar opposites would even be able to work together. If the results of </em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<em> are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding yes. Not only is this by far her best album to date, I believe it is also the best album Chapman has been involved in in the past decade. And that’s saying something, given the amount of young American indie-folk artists that he has worked with recently and the albums he has made himself. With Chapman as producer, the new McQuaid sounds earthier but also more contemporary, more indie-folk. McQuaid’s beautiful songs are given the kind of kick that had been missing in her search for perfection, and are much more powerful and engaging. The album is varied and exquisite in tone, and in my view an early contender for folk album of 2018.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561692018-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:04:10+00:00Folker - Mike Kamp (Mar 2018)<p><em>March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (English translation follows German original).</strong> “Ausgesprochen wohldurchdachte Songs und Melodien. Das ist subtile, feinsinnige und ausgetüftelte Arbeit, die durch McQuaids Honigstimme gleichzeitig den Hauch von Unwirklichkeit erhält.” <em>(Exquisitely thoughtful songs and melodies, expressing subtlety, sensitivity and meticulous craftsmanship, her honeyed voice adding an otherworldly touch.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.folker.de" target="_blank">https://www.folker.de</a></p>
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<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br><em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous </em><br>Shovel and a Spade Records SAASCD001, sarahmcquaid.com<br>12 Tracks, 45:10, mit engl. Texten u. Infos<br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>Im Beiheft spricht Produzent Michael Chapman vom Zusammentreffen von Spielern und Perfektionisten oder Planenden und Risikoliebhabern, und es ist nicht schwer zu erraten, wer davon Sarah McQuaid ist. Die in Cornwall lebende Internationalistin (Spanien, Frankreich, USA und Irland sind in dem Mix) präsentiert auch auf ihrem fünften Album ausgesprochen wohldurchdachte Songs und Melodien. Das ist subtile, feinsinnige und ausgetüftelte Arbeit, die durch McQuaids Honigstimme gleichzeitig den Hauch von Unwirklichkeit erhält. Aber Vorsicht, diese strategisch denkende Frau weiß eben auch zu überraschen. So spielt sie auf dem Album erstmals Piano und besonders gerne E-Gitarre (und bekanntlich liegt ihr Gitarrenspiel weit über dem Singer/Songwriter-Durchschnitt). Der angenehme Klang der meisten Lieder verführt dazu, die manchmal schrullig-philosophischen, manchmal sozialkritischen Texte etwas zu überhören, aber dafür gibt es ja das Beiheft. Und sollte der Eindruck entstehen, hier handele es sich um ein Album mit hohem akustischem Wohlfühlfaktor – falsch! Die gängigen Harmonien sind McQuaids Sache nicht. Selbst ein gregorianischer Gesang klingt ein wenig gegen den Strich. Wenn die harte Livearbeiterin demnächst in Ihrer Nähe gastiert: hingehen! Sie kann all das und noch viel mehr auch live.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Alison Moffat for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>In the booklet, producer Michael Chapman describes the music as a meeting between a perfectionist and a gambler, a planner and a chancer. No prizes for guessing which of those epithets applies to Sarah. The fifth album from the Cornwall-based songwriter with international roots (including Spain, France, the USA and Ireland) continues her hallmark of exquisitely thoughtful songs and melodies, expressing subtlety, sensitivity and meticulous craftsmanship, her honeyed voice adding an otherworldly touch. But watch out; this strategic mind also has surprises in store. This is the first album to feature Sarah on piano and, with particular pleasure, electric guitar (and it’s no secret that her guitar skills soar above those of the average singer/songwriter). The lush, rich feel of many of the songs may lull the listener into missing the quirky nuggets of philosophy or social criticism often embedded in the texts; but that’s what the booklet is for. And if you’ve gained the impression this album is only a smooth listen, you’d be wrong. Conventional harmonies are not Sarah’s thing; even a Gregorian chant swims teasingly against the grain. If you ever get the chance to catch this hard-working live performer, don’t miss it; Sarah McQuaid delivers all this and much more in her live concerts.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561722018-02-27T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:50:51+00:00Breaking Shots - Lambert Rinkens<p><em>27 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>Lambert Rinkens of <a contents="Breaking Shots" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.breakingshots.eu/" target="_blank">Breaking Shots</a> interviews Sarah ahead of her concert at Theater Landgraaf, Netherlands. “Sarah McQuaid, een artieste met diepgang.” <em>(Sarah McQuaid, an artist with depth.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.breakingshots.eu/CULTUUR/" target="_blank">http://www.breakingshots.eu/CULTUUR/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Treed Op In Het Landgraaf Theater, Zaterdag 10 Maart<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid staat bekend om haar stem. Chocolade met honing, gedrenkt in wijn. Maar Sarah McQuaid biedt en is veel meer. Geboren in Madrid, Spaanse vader en Amerikaanse moeder. Opgegroeid in Windy City Chicago, een filosofie studie in Frankrijk. In 1994 verkast naar Ierland en nu woont ze in het landelijke Britse Cornwall. Het Landgraaf zal hard moeten zoeken om een meer internationale artiest op de planken te krijgen.<br><br>Leuke informatie, maar daar gaat het eigenlijk niet om. Bij Sarah McQuaid zit het veel dieper. Haar nummers schrijft ze zelf. En aanleiding om ergens over te schrijven vindt zij in de meest alledaagse dingen. Maar daar blijft het niet bij. Alledaagse zaken worden zacht en gevoelig omgetoverd naar diepgaande nummers. Enkele vragen aan Sarah McQuaid.<br><br><em>Sarah, eerst en vooral bedankt voor dit interview. Je schrijft je nummers zelf en dat is een manier om je verhaal te vertellen. Het lijkt er op dat je kleine dingen in het leven oppikt ...maar er keer op keer dan zo diep in opgaat. Het lijkt een zoektocht, een zoektocht naar antwoorden op het leven?</em><br>“Ik heb filosofie gestudeerd en ik denk dat het er dan gewoon in zit. Het gaat dan van nature om diep over de vragen van het leven na te denken. Waarom zijn we hier, wat gebeurt er als we sterven ... het is een constante zoektocht naar betekenis en doel. Ik ben altijd alert om de metaforische verbanden te zien in dingen om mij heen. De meeste van mijn nummers vinden hun aanvang met een sterk beeld dat eigenlijk een diepere zin in betekenis heeft. Bijvoorbeeld het titelnummer van mijn nieuwe album begint met iets wat ik mezelf hoorde zeggen tegen mijn zoon toen deze een gat in de tuin aan het graven was. Toen ik het uitgesproken had drong het tot mij door en begon ik na te denken over de andere betekenissen die het allemaal hebben kon!”<br><br><em>Je wisselt door de muzikale geschiedenis heen alsof het een reis is. En zelf reis ook behoorlijk veel, leeft in verschillende landen. Opnames in Ierland, in de VS, op tournee zijn. Heb je dat nodig als boost?</em><br>“Ja, het is altijd leuk om weer thuis te komen na een tour. Ik hou van de plaats waar ik woon. Ik ben daar gelukkig en wil ook niet weer verhuizen, maar het voelt goed om na een tijdje toch weer op tour te gaan. Ik hou van het touren. Ik heb er zo veel leuke mensen ontmoet en zo veel mooie plaatsen gezien. Ik voel het als voorrecht om dit te kunnen doen.”<br><br><em>Je werkt met een producer, bij je laatste cd met Michael Chapman. Hoe veel wil je dan toegeven? Of voelt het niet als toegeven als hij zegt dat het anders moet? Het is jouw creativiteit, dus veranderingen kunnen als kwetsend ervaren worden?</em><br>“Michael was eigenlijk een stuk milder dan de andere producenten waar ik in het verleden mee gewerkt heb. Mijn neef Adam Pierce, die mijn vierde album geproduceerd heeft, <em>Walking into White</em>, hield zich echt niet in. Hij zei: ‘Waarom zit die vers erin? Er zit niets nieuws in, je hebt dat al gezegd. Dump het!’ En hij had gelijk. De reden dat ik met producers werk is dat zij zaken zien die ik niet meer zie. Ik zit te kort en diep in de nummers, dan zie je niet meer wat eigenlijk anders moet. En zoals Michael het in de documentaire ook zegt, een goede producer pusht je, hij maakt je beter dan je zelf denkt te kunnen. Michael zei het als volgt: ‘Het is mijn werk om meer uit Sarah te halen dan dat ze zelf weet over zichzelf.’ En dat heb ik ook zeker gedaan!”<br><br><em>Je zegt in de documentaire dat het thema van je laatste cd de ‘dood’ is. Is het eigenlijk niet veel eerder het tegenovergestelde? Het afbreken is de start van het nieuwe opbouwen, of niet?</em><br>“Oh ja, dat is absoluut waar. Nummers als ‘New Beginnings’ en ‘Cot Valley’ wijzen daar ook op. Ook in ‘Break Me Down’ zeg ik: ‘Ik wil de zoetste bloemen over mijn graf .... breek me af tot ik niet meer ben, breek me af tot ik een ben met de aarde, zorg voor betere groei in de tijd die komt.’ Dus ja, zoals gezegd, het gaat zeker ook over de positieve kant!!”<br><br>Sarah McQuaid, een artieste met diepgang. Een absolute aanrader in Theater Landgraaf, op zaterdag 10 maart. Aanvang; 20.30uur.<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid Performing At The Theater Landgraaf On Saturday March 10</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid is well known for her chocolate, honeyed voice drenched in sweet wine. But Sarah McQuaid offers and is far more.<br><br>Born in Madrid, having a Spanish father, an American mother. Being raised in the Windy City of Chicago, studying philosophy in France. Moving to Ireland in 1994 and now living in the rural British Cornwall. Theater Landgraaf will have to dig deep to find a more international artist for its stage.<br><br>All of that is nice information, but actually it’s not what this is about. In the case of Sarah McQuaid, it is going beyond, things go deeper. Being a songwriter as well, finding a theme to write about often seems to be a matter of writing about daily matters. At least that’s what it seems to be. Once more, however, things go beyond the surface. Daily routine is turned into profound issues, being transformed soft and gently.<br><br><em>Sarah, first of all thanks for granting this interview. Writing the songs yourself, it is about storytelling.It seems like you pick up little things in life ... but it ends up in digging deep somehow. It seems like a search, a constant search for answers on life?</em><br>“I did my BA degree in philosophy, and I guess it comes naturally to me to think deeply about the big questions of life – why are we here, what happens when we die … it’s a constant search for meaning and significance, and I’m always alert to the metaphorical implications of the things I see around me. Most of my songs start with a powerful image that suggests another layer of meaning – for example, the title track of my new album started with something I heard myself saying to my son when he was digging a big hole in the back garden, and as soon as I’d said it I started thinking about all the other things and situations that phrase could apply to!”<br><br><em>Switching through the musical history is traveling. Being on the move so much, living in different countries, recording in Ireland, the US, being on tour, do you need it as a kind of boost?</em><br>“Yeah, it’s always nice to come home from a tour – I love where I live, I’m very happy here and I have no desire to move house again – but after being at home for a while it always feels good to be getting back out on the road. I love touring – I’ve met so many wonderful people and seen so many amazing places along the way. I feel very lucky to be able to do it.”<br><br><em>Working with a producer. in this case Michael Chapman, how much do you want to give in ... or doesn’t it feel like giving in if he suggests a change? It is your creativity, so changes could feel painful sometimes?</em><br>“Michael was actually much kinder than the other producers I’ve worked with in the past – my cousin Adam Pierce who produced my fourth album, <em>Walking Into White</em>, definitely didn't pull his punches – he’d say ‘Why is that verse in there? You’re not saying anything new in that verse that you haven’t already said. Ditch it!’ And he’d be right. The reason I choose to work with producers is that they can always see things that you can’t, because you’re too close to the songs to see the weak points that need fixing. Also, as Michael pointed out in the documentary about the album, a good producer pushes you to be better than you think you can be – what Michael actually said was ‘it’s my job to get more out of Sarah than she thinks she’s got in the tank.’ And I think he definitely did!”<br><br><em>You stated in the documentary that the album’s theme is death. Isn’t it far more the opposite? Break down is a way to start building, isn’t it?</em><br>“Oh yes, that’s absolutely true, and songs like ‘New Beginnings’ and ‘Cot Valley’ are pointing the way. Also in ‘Break Me Down’ I say ‘I want the sweetest flowers going over my grave … Break me down till I am nothing, break me down till I am one with the good earth bringing better growth in time to come‘ – so yes, as you say, it’s very much about that positive side as well!”<br><br>Sarah McQuaid, an artist with depth. Absolutely worth while spending your time in Theater Landgraaf on Saturday March 10. Starting at 20.30h.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561712018-02-26T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:51:50+00:00Elmore Magazine - Peter Lindblad<p><em>26 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. </em></strong>“A darkly melodic, richly layered folk tapestry ... haunting and sparse, yet beautifully rendered ... a voice as thick and soft as fur.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2018/02/reviews/albums/sarah-mcquaid-2-2" target="_blank">http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2018/02/reviews/albums/sarah-mcquaid-2-2</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br>Taking to heart the old adage “ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” U.K. singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid expresses her wish to be returned to the earth in death, in “Break Me Down,” a darkly melodic, richly layered folk tapestry off her often haunting and sparse, yet beautifully rendered, album <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>.<br><br>Without sounding completely maudlin, McQuaid lightheartedly articulates her burial plans in these witty lines: “Let my bones enrich the soil / I’ve got some prime organic matter on me / shame to let it spoil.” By the same token, it would be a crime to blithely dismiss McQuaid’s fifth record as simply a depressingly dreary series of meditations on mortality by a disciple of Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell.<br><br>In a playful mood, McQuaid ditches her guitars — prominently featured elsewhere with deft, intricate knotting in the deliberate, menacing title track and the quiet intimacy of “Slow Decay” — and tells of a kamikaze bird that dies flying into its own reflection in “One Sparrow Down.” Underneath, rattling percussion is tapped out on a wine bottle, a radiator and an oven grill. Patiently awaiting a chance to pounce on its prey, her cat Nightshine takes a vocal turn, devilishly meowing in the background of a slice-of-life vignette that manages to be both endearing and morose.<br><br>Death is almost everywhere on <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, although it seems most at home in the gloomy suite of English folk that begins with Jeff Wayne’s “Forever Autumn” and winds through the apocalyptic “Dies Irae” and “The Day of Wrath, That Day.” And yet, McQuaid, with a voice as thick and soft as fur, is also capable of crafting more conventional folk-pop, such as “Cot Valley,” which sounds upbeat and hopeful, even as it remembers the role of child labor in Cornwall’s distant mining past and wishes for a more carefree existence for today’s youth. Let’s hope she keeps digging.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561702018-02-24T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:57:52+00:00The Alternate Root - Danny McCloskey (Feb 2018)<p><em>24 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Light and dark swirl through <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> … There is a depth to the vocals of Sarah McQuaid, the velvet resonance a match for her talents on guitar.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.thealternateroot.com/reviewarchives/sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://www.thealternateroot.com/reviewarchives/sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br>Light and dark swirl through <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, the recent release from Sarah McQuaid. A weight falls on the topics, the stories stare into the face of mortality as Sarah McQuaid brightens the theme by surrounding the tales with guitar notes, primarily on acoustic strings. A loan from producer Michael Chapman is the backing for the title track as Sarah plugs in an electric guitar to intricately entwine the playing with the subtle percussion of the track. <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> stacks cover versions in the middle of an album listen, reworking “Forever Autumn”, made famous by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues, leading into the Gregorian chant “Dies Irae”, continuing the mood into an English language translation of the title with an instrumental written by Sarah McQuaid, “The Day of Wrath; That Day”.<br><br>Carefully plucked notes sparkle like refracted light as the mood turns somber to consider “Time to Love” while more form is given to the musical structures of the instrumental “New Beginnings” as <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> watches flesh and bone fade with “Slow Decay” and “Break Me Down”. There is a depth to the vocals of Sarah McQuaid, the velvet resonance a match for her talents on guitar. Sarah McQuaid slowly follows “The Tug of the Moon” on barely moving rhythms while <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> relates the imminent demise of a bird in “One Sparrow Down”.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561662018-02-08T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T21:57:17+00:00Ink 19 - James Mann (Feb 2018)<p><em>8 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “I never thought UK guitarist and songwriter Sarah McQuaid could ever top her brilliant, ethereal 2015 release <em>Walking Into White</em>, but thankfully, I was mistaken … <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> is a beautiful, engaging work that showcases two of the world’s premier guitarists and songwriters.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://ink19.com/2018/02/magazine/music-reviews/sarah-mcquaid-3" target="_blank">https://ink19.com/2018/02/magazine/music-reviews/sarah-mcquaid-3</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br><strong>Shovel And a Spade Records</strong><br>I never thought UK guitarist and songwriter Sarah McQuaid could ever top her brilliant, ethereal 2015 release <em>Walking Into White</em>, but thankfully, I was mistaken. Her newest, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, produced by the reigning king of British folk guitar Michael Chapman (who adds marvelous guitar touches on most songs here) expands McQuaid’s palate in interesting ways, while never forgetting her innate sense of musical beauty.<br><br>McQuaid is renowned for her use of the DADGAD guitar tuning, but that is far from her only trick. The 12 cuts here range from the heavenly title cut to “The Day of Wrath, That Day” with its repeating electric guitar pattern, which sounds as if McQuaid and Chapman are guesting on a Low track. Brilliant. “Cot Valley” which follows is in the great British folk tradition as it relates the rejuvenation of an area once blighted by mining. “Break Me Down” sounds a bit like some of Chapman’s releases such his latest, <em>50</em>, with his trademark descending riffs forming a drone-like atmosphere while Sarah sings the ode to burials and decomposition. (Gotta love the Brits for song topics!).<br><br><em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> is a beautiful, engaging work that showcases two of the world’s premier guitarists and songwriters. McQuaid and Chapman work off each other brilliantly, with unexpected twists and turns in each song. Now, if we could just put them on a plane and have a proper show here in the States!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561672018-02-07T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:34:05+00:00Cover Lay Down - Joshua Farber<p><em>7 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “A thick and well-trained alto reminiscent of Annie Lennox astride ringing electric guitar and piano ... a powerful album that simply shimmers with nuance, observational depth, and despair ... sure to please fans of The Unthanks, Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits equally.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://coverlaydown.com/2018/02/new-artists-old-songs-from-indiefolk-to-americana-with-the-ahern-brothers-gina-clowes-kyle-carey-more" target="_blank">http://coverlaydown.com/2018/02/new-artists-old-songs-from-indiefolk-to-americana-with-the-ahern-brothers-gina-clowes-kyle-carey-more</a></p>
<p><strong>New Artists, Old Songs: from Indiefolk to Americana</strong><br>UK-based singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid’s fifth outing <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, its title sparked by a warning uttered to her son as he excavated an enormous hole in their backyard, offers an appropriate whirlwind of languid musings on mortality and hubris, with a thick and well-trained alto reminiscent of Annie Lennox astride ringing electric guitar and piano from McQuaid and legendary musician Michael Chapman, who lends both studio flourishes and producing credits to the effort. In the end, it’s a powerful album that simply shimmers with nuance, observational depth, and despair, just out and already named one of the top ten of the week by <em>The Alternate Root</em> magazine, and sure to please fans of The Unthanks, Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits equally.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561652018-02-07T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:05:50+00:00The Alternate Root - Top Ten Songs Of The Week<p><em>7 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>“Top Ten Songs Of The Week” Playlist.</strong> “Sarah McQuaid and album guest Michael Chapman give their guitar work center stage as the top shelf players offer an instrumental with “The Day of Wrath, That Day”.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.thealternateroot.com/topten0207.html" target="_blank">http://www.thealternateroot.com/topten0207.html</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518191/sarah-mcquaid-alternate-root-2018.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/b4a172894f91a0fbcbcc2c30d423e33ada767030/original/sarah-mcquaid-alternate-root-2018.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Alternate_Root_2018" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561642018-02-07T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T22:11:55+00:00FolkWords - Tim Carroll (Feb 2018)<p><em>7 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “The soundscape embraces immediately … Successive tracks reinforce the previous, with a flow that is wholly contiguous, each in turn combining to build into a work of formidable passion.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkwords.com/folkwordsreviews_105274.html" target="_blank">http://www.folkwords.com/folkwordsreviews_105274.html</a></p>
<p><strong>‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’ - Sarah McQuaid - a flow that is wholly contiguous (February 07, 2018)</strong><br>A sense of expectation pervades the spirit when a Sarah McQuaid album arrives ... innovation, delicious vocals, emphastic lyrics, richness of observation and metaphor, and the ultimate revelation of an artist unafraid to pour her soul into her work. This time, with ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’, there’s a distinct feeling of minute examination and intimidating darkness, not overt but subtly looming in the background ... thought provoking rather than terrifying. The soundscape embraces immediately with the ominous title track ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’... deep in meaning with hovering sense of foreboding ... from there, the equally portentous and forbidding ‘Slow Decay’ continues more uncertain darkness, before a pulsating percussion enhances the reality of ‘One Sparrow Down’.<br><br>Complete with haunting piano and sonorous bass, ‘The Silence Above’ is haunting, a beautiful and ethereal experience, which leads neatly into a McQuaid live favourite ‘Forever Autumn’ and at the risk of upsetting Justin Hayward fans, possibly the most evocative rendition yet recorded, this slides neatly into a gorgeously arranged medieval Gregorian chant ‘Dies Irae’. There is so much to absorb, stunning instrumentals like ‘The Day Of Wrath, That Day’ and the gentle ‘New Beginnings’ plus heart-aching songs like ‘Time To Love’ complete with perfectly placed cello accents, and the inspired ‘Break Me Down’.<br><br>One notable strength of this album lies in the way successive tracks reinforce the previous, with a flow that is wholly contiguous, each in turn combining to build into a work of formidable passion.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561632018-02-07T00:00:00+00:002020-04-28T14:59:37+01:00fRoots - David Kidman<p><em>March 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>“Album Choices” Playlist and album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. </em></strong>“With its classy songwriting, exemplary musicianship and high production values, this is a collection to savour.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518254/sarah-mcquaid-froots-417.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/32c8621163493728a826cafb3a3bb1c5b01b3c86/original/sarah-mcquaid-froots-417.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_fRoots_417" width="100%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH MCQUAID</strong><br><strong>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br>Shovel And A Spade Records SAASCD001<br>This is the fifth solo album by Sarah, a singer-songwriter of mixed Spanish and American descent who after thirteen years living and working in Ireland has been based in Cornwall since 2008. As it turns out, the album itself also has an interesting history. In 2014, Sarah met legendary singer-songwriter-guitarist Michael Chapman when both artists were on the bill of the Village Pump Festival. He was blown away by her talent, and a lasting friendship developed, leading to him offering to produce her next album – and even lending her his Ibanez electric guitar (which she plays on four tracks of the album) and contributing some signature guitar lines of his own (on his Gibson archtop electric) to five tracks. Needless to say, Chapman’s imprimatur is strongly felt on those tracks, yet Sarah’s own musical personality is not subsumed in any way, with her smooth, contoured singing voice and gently inventive guitar playing well to the fore.<br><br>The album’s twelve tracks may be dominated by musings on mortality, but the prevailing mood isn’t exactly doom-and-gloom, more a beautifully reflective melancholy, as on the album’s standout songs – intensely atmospheric closer <em>The Tug Of The Moon</em>, the potent impression of former tin-mining location <em>Cot Valley</em> and the pensive <em>Time To Love</em> (which Sarah co-wrote with her erstwhile collaborator Gerry O’Beirne, and here also features some restrained string-quartet scoring). Perhaps the deepest and most desperate questioning occurs on <em>The Silence Above Us</em>, which may feel a touch oppressive (here Sarah accompanies on the piano), and the feisty, gritty title song whose dual electric guitars seem to growl with the protest. Yet Sarah’s setting of part of the mediæval chant <em>Dies Irae</em> has a welcome airiness, as does the linked instrumental piece that follows it; and her cover of Jeff Wayne’s <em>Forever Autumn</em> (part of her live set for some time) both haunts and glows in this context. More often than not, in fact, the feel of the album is distinctly uplifting and at times positively humorous, albeit in a wry sort of way. (<em>Break Me Down</em> is a cheery little ditty in praise of decomposition, and the kitchen-sink-percussion-backed <em>One Sparrow Down</em> laconically relates a cat-astrophic event).<br><br>So, with its classy songwriting, exemplary musicianship and high production values, this is a collection to savour, and will ensure Sarah’s name remains on the radar.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561622018-02-05T00:00:00+00:002020-01-05T22:06:23+00:00Dusted Magazine - Jennifer Kelly<p><em>5 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Sarah McQuaid’s fifth full length album opens in the smoke and shadow of hanging blues tones, a blistering burn embedded in the rough electric slashes, a steady red-hot glow in the embers of rumbling picking. It’s a dark-toned, echo-shrouded, intoxicating sort of sound … A sense of unresolved mood, of shifts and shadows and intangible atmospheres pervades her work.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/170544190294/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get" target="_blank">http://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/170544190294/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid — If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (Shovel and a Spade)</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid’s fifth full length album opens in the smoke and shadow of hanging blues tones, a blistering burn embedded in the rough electric slashes, a steady red-hot glow in the embers of rumbling picking. It’s a dark-toned, echo-shrouded, intoxicating sort of sound, and if it sounds a bit like Michael Chapman, this title track, there are a few reasons. For one, he produced the album and guested on this track and, for another, McQuaid borrowed his Ibanez electric for it.<br><br>McQuaid plays the Chapman axe just a couple of times on <em>If We Dig Any Deeper</em>, up front, in the title track, a bit later in the gorgeous instrumental “The Day of Wrath, That Day,” and finally on the closer “Tug of the Moon,” in each instance cross-hatching the songs with grittier, bluesier tones. She is just as good, though lighter in her attack, with her own instruments, which include a high-tuned Stratocaster, an Andy Manson acoustic and, in a couple of places, a piano.<br><br>McQuaid is well known for her mastery of Celtic guitar, and last year she won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northern Irish Ards International Guitar Festival. She often employs a DADGAD alternate tuning which, when strummed without fretting, creates a suspended D chord which is neither major nor minor. And indeed, a sense of unresolved mood, of shifts and shadows and intangible atmospheres pervades her work. Even the drone-i-ly dramatic, Latin-chanted “Dies Irae” covered here, has glints and gleams of lightening purity. Even the relatively sunny, strummy, country-day-on-holiday ramble of “Cot Valley” has its shadowy crevices. The one ringer – the baroque pop “Forever Autumn” (most famously interpreted before this by Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues) — takes on a simple, direct unfussy-ness that defuses its big bashing “cos you’re not there” crescendos into genuine-sounding grief and loss.<br><br>Pentangle is perhaps the closest reference, aside from Chapman (which seems lazy since he’s <em>standing right there</em>), since McQuaid cuts her pastoral reveries with the sliding warmth of blues, the off-kilter interjections of jazz. There are also a few nods to classical music, in the use of warm, rich strings and piano. If you like acoustic folk blues, it make take a few listens to get beyond the unaffected beauty of the playing, but the melodies are strong and the lyrics are good as well. All in all, a strong statement, subtle and well made. If you’re wondering how good you have to be before Michael Chapman offers to lend you an instrument, I’d say pretty damned good, judging from this record.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561682018-02-02T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:36:25+00:00PopMatters - Jordan Penney<p><em>2 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. </em></strong>“Regal and starkly beautiful.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.popmatters.com/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerou-2530089408.html" target="_blank">https://www.popmatters.com/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerou-2530089408.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Asks the Big Questions on ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’</strong><br>There is a sense of solitude throughout <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> that has continual conceptual and musical reinforcements. Lyrically, McQuaid queries big questions on the individual in nature, experiencing loss and trauma, and confronting death. At all points, the music is characterized by careful and tasteful arrangements, clear and clean performances captured in a bright and intimate recording. McQuaid’s approach here is rooted certainly in the traditional folk music style of the British Isles, but she also has an intuition for adding or removing musical textures where the moment calls for it.<br><br>”Forever Autumn”, for example, exhibits these tendencies. McQuaid’s cover is a reinterpretation but not a reinvention. The lyrics, structure, and the mournful melody, carried by McQuaid’s voice with sturdy resolve, are preserved intact. But in its sparseness, the arrangement and instrumentation differ from the original and most well-known subsequent versions. The focus is her voice and guitar with some subtle texture provided by a second guitar and cello. Unlike the original by Justin Hayward, and even more dissimilar to another apparently popular version (if YouTube views are an indication) by Gary Barlow, McQuaid’s version does not gather instruments by the verse, does not hint at any growing drama, and does not accrue momentum.<br><br>But that is the key to her reinterpretation. This version holds still with three verses and a chorus, a voice, a guitar, and a cello. Like the song’s narrator, on whom it has dawned that their loved one has departed and who will stay forever autumn keep them close, McQuaid’s version is inert. It simply stops and thinks. But that is the beauty and the essential honesty of the song, as well as the painfulness of the moment it captures. In undressing the emotional core and pausing over it in this way she has a claim of performing the definitive version of the song.<br><br>It is a highlight but there are others. “Forever Autumn” comprises part of the middle-third of the record during which McQuaid goes to surprising places. “The Silence Above Us” is the only song in which McQuaid’s piano playing is prominent, and it is another regal and starkly beautiful piece. The song’s evocative chorus describes Orion the hunter, low in the sky, and the guiding star. “Dies Irae”, the late-medieval hymn on transience and mortality complete with six Latin verses appears here, followed by an instrumental called “The Day of Wrath, That Day”. Together at almost eight minutes, they form a kind of centerpiece on the album – no hooks, but pure mood and atmosphere.<br><br>The last third of the record seems consciously sequenced to break the apocalyptic tone. “Break Me Down” frankly acknowledges the inevitability of death and provides one answer to the ultimate question of how one might come to terms with it – in this case, quite literally, as broken down organic matter returned to the carbon cycle rather than as a “prisoner in some marble mausoleum”. She revisits these themes on “The Tug of the Moon” where she observes in the liner notes that, in accordance with Newton’s Third Law of motion, the moon recedes from the earth by about four centimeters every year. The hours lengthen but the end still “comes too soon”. Look up, and look inward, and keep digging as deep as you need to figure out answers to the big question for yourself.<br><br>Rating: 8/10</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561842018-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:07:59+00:00Concert Monkey - Michel Preumont (2018)<p><em>1 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (English translation follows French original).</strong> “Avec ce cinquième album, Sarah McQuaid signe une nouvelle perle.” <em>(With this fifth album, Sarah McQuaid has created a new gem.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.concertmonkey.be/albumreviews/album-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous" target="_blank">http://www.concertmonkey.be/albumreviews/album-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous</a></p>
<p><strong>Album - Sarah McQuaid - If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<br><em>(English translation appears below French original.)</em></strong><br>Trois ans après “Walking Into White”, Sarah McQuaid, the Cornwall-based singer/songwriter, se fend d’un cinquième album au titre sibyllin, “If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous”.<br><br>Le légendaire Michael Chapman, une carrière dépassant le demi-siècle, plus de 40 albums dans le sporran, s’est proposé pour produire l’opus, Sarah a accepté avec le sourire.<br><br>Mr Chapman avait emmené sa Gibson ES-175 de 1961, “because she feeds back quite early”, pour accompagner Sarah.<br><br>Tu dis?<br><br>Si il était satisfait du résultat?<br><br>“The precision and sophistication of the writing and playing blew me away. I was so glad to be involved.” a-t-on lu quelque part!<br><br>L’album ouvre avec le titletrack ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’ aux sonorités proches de certains travaux de Richard Thompson. La slide du vétéran du Yorkshire ajoutant une touche électrique au chant halluciné de Miss McQuaid.<br><br>Pour la petite histoire, le garçon creusant un trou dans le fond du jardin est son fils, le titre de l’album se révèle!<br><br>‘Slow Decay’ offre un jeu de guitare ciselé et des lyrics poétiques, esquissant la décomposition, l’effritement et le sommeil éternel.<br><br>Dominé par les percussions, le concis ‘One Sparrow Down’ s’offre la contribution de Nightshine, le chat de la madame, comme guest inattendu.<br><br>Sarah passe derrière les touches pour la ballade classique ‘The Silence Above Us’, l’accompagnement est sobre, Sarah étant uniquement secondée par la contrebasse de Samuel Hollis, un bassiste de jazz féru de Thelonious Monk.<br><br>“Forever Autumn” is a song written by Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass.<br><br>Justin Hayward des Moody Blues chante le titre sur l’album ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds’ adapté du roman de science-fiction signé HG Wells.<br><br>L’adaptation signée Sarah McQuaid prend une tournure grave et romantique grâce au violoncelle de Joe Pritchard.<br><br>La seconde reprise de l’album est étonnante, le choix du chant grégorien ‘Dies Irae’ nous rappelle que le folk anglais est friand d’hymnes sacrés médiévaux, rappelez-vous l’impeccable version de ‘Gaudete’ par Steeleye Span.<br><br>Toujours dans le thème prose des morts, Sarah enchaîne sur l’instrumental ‘The Day of Wrath, That Day’ ... Jour de colère, que ce jour-là ... Sarah nous prouve ici qu’elle est non seulement une chanteuse hors norme, mais également une guitariste de talent, son jeu évoquant la finesse de Jan Akkerman.<br><br> ‘Cot Valley’ évoque le sort des enfants de Cornouaille obligés de travailler dans la mine dès leur plus jeune âge ... pour ne pas nous laisser sur une note sombre, Sarah ajoute “Cot Valley is green today, I go there with my daughter ... she can gaze out at the sea ...”<br><br>Le second instrumental de l’album, ‘New Beginnings’, peut être considéré comme un cadeau de mariage, Sarah a composé le morceau pour son amie, Zoë Pollock (remember “Sunshine On A Rainy Day”) avec laquelle elle avait formé le duo MAMA qui a pondu l’album ‘Crow Coyote Buffalo’.<br><br>La prière atmosphérique ‘Time To Love’, co-écrite avec Gerry O’Beirne, baigne dans un climat de délicatesse et de vulnérabilité et montre une autre facette de la singer-songwriter.<br><br>Avec ‘Break Me Down’ l’instrumentation devient plus complexe, Michael Chapman, Sarah, Roger Luxton et Samuel Hollis élaborent un modern folk tune de haut niveau, quant aux lyrics prônant la décomposition naturelle des corps après le trépas, ils t’amènent à revoir tes dernières volontés!<br><br>L’album rend l’âme (pour rester dans le même thème) après le lunaire et majestueux ‘The Tug Of The Moon’ que Sarah interprète en solitaire. <br><br>Avec ce cinquième album, Sarah McQuaid signe une nouvelle perle, il est regrettable que sa tournée évite la Belgique, elle se produit aux Pays-Bas du 23 au 26 février, un déplacement vers le Nord n’est pas insensé!<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Roger Moss for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Three years after “Walking Into White”, Cornwall-based singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is cracking open a fifth album with the cryptic title ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’, due for release on February 2nd 2018.<br><br>The legendary Michael Chapman, whose career spans over half a century, with more than 40 albums under his belt, volunteered to produce the work. Sarah happily agreed. To accompany Sarah, Mister Chapman brought his 1961 Gibson ES-175, “because she feeds back quite early”. Tell me about it …<br><br>So, was he satisfied with the result? He’s quoted as saying: “The precision and sophistication of the writing and playing blew me away. I was so glad to be involved.”<br><br>The album opens with the title track ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’, evoking the sound qualities of some of Richard Thompson’s work. The Yorkshire veteran’s slide guitar adds an electric touch to Miss McQuaid’s haunting vocals. As it happens, the boy digging a hole in the back of the garden is her son, as the title of the album reveals!<br><br>‘Slow Decay’ offers an interplay of chiseled guitar and poetic lyrics, sketching decomposition, crumbling and the eternal slumber.<br><br>Dominated by percussion, the concise ‘One Sparrow Down’ includes a contribution from Nightshine, Madame’s cat, as an unexpected guest.<br><br>Sarah goes behind the keyboard for the classic ballad ‘The Silence Above Us’, the sober backing featuring Sarah accompanied only by the double bass of Samuel Hollis, a jazz bassist inspired by Thelonious Monk.<br><br>‘Forever Autumn’ is a song written by Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass. Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues sang the track on the album ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds’, an adaptation of the science-fiction novel by H G Wells. Sarah McQuaid’s adaptation in turn takes a grave and romantic twist, thanks to Joe Pritchard’s cello.<br><br>The album’s other cover track is stunning, the choice of Gregorian chant ‘Dies Irae’ a reminder that English folk is fond of medieval sacred hymns – remember Steeleye Span’s impeccable version of ‘Gaudete’!<br><br>Still on the theme of death, Sarah offers us the instrumental ‘The Day of Wrath, That Day’. Here Sarah demonstrates that she is not only an extraordinary singer, but also a talented guitarist, her playing evoking the finesse of Jan Akkerman.<br><br>‘Cot Valley’ recounts the fate of Cornish children forced to work in the mines from an early age ... but in order not to leave us on a dark note, Sarah adds that “Cot Valley is green today … I go there with my daughter ... she can gaze out at the sea ...”.<br><br>The second instrumental of the album, ‘New Beginnings’, can be considered as a wedding gift. Sarah composed the piece for her friend, Zoë Pollock (remember ‘Sunshine On A Rainy Day’), with whom she formed the duo Mama, which laid the album ‘Crow Coyote Buffalo’.<br><br>The atmospheric prayer ‘Time To Love’, co-written with Gerry O’Beirne, immerses us in a climate of delicacy and vulnerability and shows another facet of the singer-songwriter.<br><br>With ‘Break Me Down’, the instrumentation becomes more complex, as Sarah, Michael Chapman, Roger Luxton and Samuel Hollis elaborate a classy modern folk tune. As for the lyrics advocating the natural decomposition of bodies after death, they might cause you to review your last requests!<br><br>The album then offers the soul (to sustain the same theme) the lunar and majestic ‘The Tug Of The Moon’, which Sarah performs solo.<br><br>With this fifth album, Sarah McQuaid has created a new gem. It’s regrettable that her tour doesn’t includes Belgium – only the Netherlands, from February 23 to 26. Perhaps a detour to the north wouldn’t be out of the question! </em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561802018-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:41:11+00:00Artree Folk & Roots Music Magazine - Phil Daniels<p><em>1 February 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Intricate playing, thoughtful songwriting and consistently outstanding vocal performances … McQuaid is an artist who really needs to be sitting at the top table of roots musicians in this country.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.artree.org.uk/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/" target="_blank">http://www.artree.org.uk/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous</a></p>
<p>Quality is almost assured before you even listen to any release by Sarah McQuaid. A singer with a voice that could melt chocolate it’s so warm and smooth, she is one of the most gifted solo performers on the circuit – and has forged an enviable reputation on the roots scene in this country as both a fine singer songwriter and revered guitarist. It’s fair to say, certainly from my point of view, this new album comes with much expectation.<br><br>The record kicks off with the title track. Somewhat surprisingly the first instrument you hear is a slightly overdriven electric guitar, which, whether intended or not sets up the listener for a few surprises along the way. The sparse arrangement of the track with the at times duel electric guitar parts and tom laden drum groove, along with a lead line on sax gives the track a real sultry sound – perfect for McQuaid’s velvet tones to decorate further.<br><br>The tom laden drum groove turns up again on ‘One Sparrow Down’ – and this time the slightly off kilter percussion it is the only accompaniment for the voice and metaphoric lyrics.<br><br>Piano takes centre stage on ‘The Silence Above Us’, with an echoing similarity to one of McQuaid’s finest numbers ‘In Derby Cathedral’, this is a pleasant ballad that is listed further by the mournful upright bass playing of Samuel Hollis.<br><br>A cover of the classic War of the Worlds track ‘Forever Autumn’, made so famous by The Moody Blues Justin Hayward is a highlight – this version significantly more sparse than the original, slower, more anguished – and very much in keeping with the albums subtleness.<br><br>And so it continues – intricate playing, thoughtful song writing and consistently outstanding vocal performances as you would expect from this artist all the way through to the last track – ‘The Tug of the Moon’ – which finds Sarah alone with a solitary electric guitar guiding the emotion filled lyrics – all quite powerful.<br><br>The album is certainly varied – not an easy thing to achieve, and throughout there is a real appreciation of space being as much a part of a song as the instruments and voice. It’s an excellent balance that gives the whole recording a presence.<br><br>This is a really good record. It was expected, I won’t lie – but it achieves. McQuaid is an artist who really needs to be sitting at the top table of roots musicians in this country. After 20 years as a solo performer – and so much hard work along the way, I hope this is the one that ensures she achieves that level.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561612018-01-30T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:44:17+00:00The Vinyl District - Joseph Neff (Jan 2018)<p><em>30 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “A major statement in contemporary folk adding considerable depth to an already personal approach.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2018/01/graded-on-a-curve-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/" target="_blank">http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2018/01/graded-on-a-curve-sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/</a></p>
<p><strong>Graded on a Curve: Sarah McQuaid, If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid’s prior releases have garnered deserved praise, and yet she has remained underappreciated in relation to her talent. She’s a gifted guitarist, with comparable vocal prowess, and her songwriting skill is … well, you get the idea. But with the imminent release of If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous, it seems a higher profile is all but certain, as the record, a major statement in contemporary folk adding considerable depth to an already personal approach, continues her positive trajectory. Produced by the estimable UK guitarist Michael Chapman, it’s out February 2 on vinyl, compact disc, and digital through Shovel and a Spade Records.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid’s prior full-length Walking in White came out on compact disc in 2015. The result of the Spanish-born and Chicago-raised McQuaid’s trip from her adopted home in Cornwall, England to Cornwell, NY to record with her cousin as co-producer, ‘twas a solid effort, quite solid in fact, enough so that I worked-up a long glowing review, complete with some background on her earlier stuff, in this very column.<br><br>I’ll admit that after giving an artist the full review treatment once, with a few exceptions I’m hesitant to do so again, mainly due to the circumstance of underappreciation mentioned above; there is a considerable amount of fine music on the current scene that’s deserving of a wider audience, and it seems appropriate to cast the spotlight as wide as possible.<br><br>But as I said, there are exceptions; through songs that are increasingly sharp (McQuaid began her recording career more as an interpreter than as a writer) and instrumentation that remains top flight, If We Dig Any Deeper falls into my personal return engagement category. Overall, the set, her vinyl debut, delivers a slight but still tangible improvement on its predecessor.<br><br>McQuaid is an outstanding guitarist, but you don’t have to take my word for it; last year she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ards International Guitar Festival in Newtownards, Northern Ireland (she’s a master of the DADGAD tuning and wrote a book on it), an honor that’s been previously bestowed upon Davey Graham, John Renbourn, John Martyn, Martin Carthy and more august names.<br><br>She could easily coast on this skill without drawing much in the way of ire, but the opening title track here is closer to adult pop, though the thrust is heightened with surges of slide guitar by producer Chapman and the trumpet of Richard Evans. Wedding in White established an accessible nature that was quite comfortable exuding smart mainstream qualities instead of leaning on the crutches of folk purity or neo-edginess, and that continues here, but neither does McQuaid flirt with gussied-up insubstantiality, as “Slow Decay” is powered by her vocals, guitar, and a bit of piano with Samuel Hollis’ upright bass lending weight and color.<br><br>The brief but playful “One Sparrow Down” shifts gears, combining McQuaid’s vocals with recordings of animal sounds (her pet cat Nightshade, a pheasant named Bob) and a blend of percussion that connects a little like homemade tribal exotica. It nicely expands the album’s breadth, but the next track irises-in on piano and voice with Hollis’ upright again in support.<br><br>On her last disc, a closing version of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” made unequivocal that she could vocally hang with the femme greats of advanced folksong (think Peggy Seeger, Shirley Collins, Sandy Denny, and June Tabor), and “The Silence Above Us” underscores this fact, and moreover does so through an original composition, in the process delivering If We Dig Any Deeper a standout.<br><br>McQuaid hasn’t abandoned adding a few “covers” to her albums, here improving on Jeff Wayne’s “Forever Autumn” and offering her arrangement of the Medieval Gregorian chant “Dies Irae,” with both pieces fortified by the cello of Joe Pritchard and on the latter, more of Chapman’s slide. Loaded with atmospheric fingerpicking and no vocals, the superb “The Day of Wrath, That Day” takes its title from the first (translated) line of “Dies Irae,” as that track is connected to the intro of “Forever Autumn,” this thematic interweaving driving home the increase in depth mentioned up above.<br><br>Jumping slightly ahead in the sequence, “New Beginnings” is another gorgeous instrumental, one written as a wedding march for her friend Zoë Pollock, and it gets to the roots of her style. Those who dig it should look back on her earlier recordings. But going forward, the bright-hued, socially-engaged full band mode (introducing Georgia Ellery’s fiddle) of “Cot Valley” insinuates that McQuaid could make a whole album of gentle, non-precious Brit-tinged folk-rock. The same goes for the slightly bolder singer-songwriter-ish climes of the penultimate ode to post-mortem decomposition “Break Me Down.”<br><br>However, I don’t think being limited to one style is really her bag. “Time to Love” has the makings of a pop tune (if not pop “hit”), though the folk fragility (and baroque twist) she chooses is surely preferable to any straight-ahead route. And “The Tug of the Moon” finds her going it alone again, singing as she plays an Ibanez electric borrowed from Chapman. The rise in emotional intensity closes If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous on a high note, and through confidence and a refusal to play it safe, Sarah McQuaid has easily sidestepped the dangers of the backslide.<br><br>GRADED ON A CURVE: A-</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561602018-01-29T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T19:46:41+00:00Folking.com - David Harley - Live Review<p><em>29 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – The Acorn, Penzance.</strong> “I expected great things. Nor was I disappointed.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://folking.com/sarah-mcquaid-cd-launch-tour-25th-january-2018/" target="_blank">http://folking.com/sarah-mcquaid-cd-launch-tour-25th-january-2018/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid CD launch tour – 25th January 2018</strong><br>While I’ve been living in West Cornwall for nearly two years now, and have checked out some local open mics and even a folk club or two, I hadn’t managed to get to a Proper Concert until now, when Sarah McQuaid launched her new album, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>, due for release on the 2nd February 2018, with a concert at The Acorn theatre and arts centre in Penzance, Sarah’s adopted home town. I hadn’t heard her live before, but on the strength of the album – which I like very much – and some videos I found in passing on YouTube, I expected great things. Nor was I disappointed.<br><br>This tour sees Sarah expanding her instrumental armoury, bringing onstage not only her Andy Manson acoustic guitar but also an Ibanez Artist electric guitar (courtesy of Michael Chapman, who produced and played on the CD), a Roland piano (courtesy of Ralph Houston), and even a drum (courtesy of Roger Luxton, who also played on the CD). And very good use of them she makes too.<br><br>The launch concert started with a recording of Michael Chapman, who was unable to attend the concert in person but is clearly delighted to be associated with it. Sarah then kicked off with two songs from the new album, ‘Slow Decay’ and the title track, the latter featuring some nifty looping to work in some backing vocals. That new pedal board is definitely a Good Thing. However, while the concert included most of the songs from the new CD, there were plenty of other treats for the ears. In the course of the evening, Sarah did some digging (!) into her very substantial back catalogue: standouts included the epic ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ from <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>, the nostalgic ‘Charlie’s Gone Home’ from <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em>, and, from <em>Walking Into White</em>,‘The Silver Lining’, ‘Yellowstone’ and ‘The Tide’. She went back to her American roots (and the <em>I Won’t Go Home Till Morning</em> CD) with ‘West Virginia Boys’ (also known sometimes as ‘Come All You West Virginia Gals’), with an enthusiastic audience taking over the vocal on the last line<br><br>Going back to the new album, the concert included her cover version of Jeff Wayne’s ‘Forever Autumn’: no disrespect to Justin Hayward, but for me, Sarah’s version is definitive. For ‘One Sparrow Down’, the drum was pressed into service, with enthusiastic additional percussion from the audience. Other standouts – but there were too many to list them all! – included the lovely ‘Time To Love’, co-written with Gerry O’Beirne, and ‘Break Me Down’ – “possibly the cheeriest song ever written about decomposition” as it says in the CD press release. Neat drum looping on this one, by the way.<br><br>The medieval Latin of the 13th-century hymn ‘Dies Irae’ brought out an ethereal quality in Sarah’s voice that would have been just as stunning if she’d sung it unaccompanied: however, her use of the Manson to introduce a polyphonic line sounded absolutely right, as well as demonstrating her mastery of the guitar (and the DADGAD modal tuning in particular).<br><br>The intensity of the performance showed no signs of faltering with the last few songs of the evening: ‘Cot Valley’ and the single ‘Tug Of The Moon’, and the encore, a fine unaccompanied rendition of ‘The Parting Glass’: the latter is usually heard sung to a variation on a fiddle tune called ‘The Peacock’ (among other names), but Sarah’s version uses a very moving, highly ornamented melody with which I’m not familiar, though in places it resembles the better-known tune. Finishing with ‘The Parting Glass’ is almost a tradition in itself in folk circles, but in this case I can’t think of a better way to finish what was already a very rewarding evening.<br><br>Sarah is already well into album launch tours in the UK, Netherlands and Germany, with USA, Ireland and more extensive UK tours to follow later in the year.<br> </p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561592018-01-26T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T21:52:51+00:00PopMatters - Jonathan Frahm<p><em>26 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review and première – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. </em></strong>“Captivating, unorthodox songwriting … layered satin vocals ... enthralling, harrowing arrangements … The record is as consummate and eclectic as fans of McQuaid would have come to expect. It’s a gateway into a true innovator’s soul.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.popmatters.com/sarah-mcquaid-digs-deep-2528764082.html" target="_blank">https://www.popmatters.com/sarah-mcquaid-digs-deep-2528764082.html</a><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ac75961385315054739a2b043c4d9a1f056636d4/original/popmatters-sarah-mcquaid-18-01-26.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="PopMatters_Sarah_McQuaid_18-01-26" style=" margin: 0px 10px;" width="200" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Digs Deep on Her New Record (première)</strong><br>ON <em>IF WE DIG DEEPER IT COULD GET DANGEROUS</em>, SARAH MCQUAID OFFERS A NEW COLLECTION OF CAPTIVATING, UNORTHODOX SONGWRITING THAT MUSES ON MORTALITY.<br>Sarah McQuaid’s music is as rich as her history. Now based in rural England, the roots artist was born in Madrid, raised in Chicago, and also had a 13-year stint in Ireland as a music journalist and magazine editor. She launched a solo career in 1997 with <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> and has become known in folk circles for her unique incorporation of DADGAD tuning into her music. Despite not necessarily being a household name, McQuaid has seen her fair share in accomplishments over the past two decades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Northern Ireland’s Ards International Guitar Festival.<br><br>Her last record, <em>Walking Into White</em>, received acclaim in part for its drawing inspiration from Arthur Ransome’s <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> book series. Now, on her newest LP, McQuaid is once again digging deep to form a collection of music around a concept. Although, she warns, <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>.<br><br>The record was produced by fellow acclaimed guitarist and songwriting icon, Michael Chapman, and is set to release on 2 February via A Shovel and a Spade. Prior, McQuaid is sharing the album in its entirety with PopMatters. PopMatters readers will be privy to being some of the first ears to hear the accomplished singer-songwriter, author, and innovator’s latest work, with <em>If We Dig Any Deeper...</em> musing a fair bit on the idea of mortality. Like McQuaid’s layered satin vocals, however, these enthralling, harrowing arrangements often hold something more broadly-encompassing to chew on than initial listens may indicate.<br><br>Musically, as well, the record is as consummate and eclectic as fans of McQuaid would have come to expect. It’s a gateway into a true innovator’s soul. Whenever she isn’t setting the focus on her revered DADGAD performance techniques, McQuaid is layering idiosyncratic percussive movements to craft the body of a tune (”One Sparrow Down”) or letting her warm, compelling vocals cover a melancholy tale (”Forever Autumn”).</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561832018-01-20T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:10:30+00:00Johnny’s Garden - Theo Volk (2018)<p><em>20 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “<em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> is mede dankzij Michael Chapman een uitermate coherent album geworden en in korte tijd uitgegroeid tot mijn favoriete album van Sarah. Het is trouwens altijd een genot om haar uit duizenden herkenbare stem te horen, gelukkig kan dat binnenkort ook weer live.” <em>(Thanks in part to Michael Chapman, </em>If<em> </em>We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<em> is an extremely coherent album, one that has quickly become my favourite Sarah McQuaid recording. It’s always a pleasure to hear her one-in-a-thousand voice, and luckily we’ll soon be able to hear it live.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.johnnysgarden.nl/?q=content/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous" target="_blank">https://www.johnnysgarden.nl/?q=content/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518259/sarah-mcquaid-johnnys-garden-2018.png" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/12b4ea4a48f205c655a06eab138410dfb8790248/original/sarah-mcquaid-johnnys-garden-2018.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Johnnys_Garden_2018" width="100%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Drie jaar geleden ontmoette Sarah levende legende Michael Chapman voor het eerst op het Village Pump Festival in Wiltshire, Engeland, waar beiden op het affiche stonden. Sindsdien ontwikkelde zich een hechte vriendschap. Tijdens een bezoek van Sarah aan de boerderij van Chapman in Cumbria, stelde Chapman zelf voor om haar nieuwe album <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> te produceren. Zelf had ze het niet durven vragen, maar greep de kans met beide handen aan en gingen de tegenpolen aan het werk. Aan de ene kant de zoals altijd minutieus voorbereide Sarah en aan de andere kant Chapman, die zelfs van tevoren geen van de op te nemen songs gehoord had. En wonderwel klikte het uitermate goed in de studio tussen de twee. Na afloop merkte Chapman op: “The precision and sophistication of the writing and playing blew me away. I was so glad to be involved.”. De geweldige opener en titelsong zet direct de toon. Sarah wordt hier begeleid door Chapman op een Gibson slide gitaar uit 1961 en het spannende trompetspel van Richard Evans. Enigszins vreemde eend in de bijt is <em>One Sparrow Down</em>, omdat er geëxperimenteerd wordt met ritme. Een gastrol is weggelegd voor haar kat Nightshine. Het centrale thema van de songs is vergankelijkheid. Net als op vorige albums graaft Sarah weer in de muziekhistorie van lang geleden. <em>Dies Irae</em> is bekend uit de rooms-katholieke dodenmis van vele eeuwen geleden en werd eerder door vele bekende klassieke componisten op muziek gezet. Het wordt gezongen in het Latijn. De enige andere compositie die niet door Sarah zelf geschreven is <em>Forever Autumn</em>. Het werd oorspronkelijk geschreven door Jeff Wayne als een jingle voor een Legoreclame. Later werd er tekst aan toegevoegd en ingezongen door Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) op <em>The War of the Worlds</em>. <em>Forever Autumn</em> en het bijzonder fraaie en klein gehouden <em>The Silence Above Us</em> zijn de enige twee nummers, waarin Sarah gebruik maakt van de piano. Ook erg geslaagd zijn de twee instrumentale stukken. <em>The Day of Wrath, That Day</em>, waarvan de titel is afgeleid van de eerste regel van <em>Dies Irae</em>. Sarah eist hier de hoofdrol op, vanwege de wonderschone klanken die zij hier uit haar elektrische Ibanez gitaar tovert. Het andere, kortere instrumentale stuk getiteld <em>New Beginnings</em>, schreef ze ter gelegenheid van het huwelijk van haar goede vriendin Zoë Pollock, bekend van de hit <em>Sunshine on a Rainy Day</em>. In 2009 brachten ze samen als het duo Mama het album <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em> uit. Er zit trouwens nog een Nederlands tintje aan het album, de master werd gemaakt door Sander van der Heide in de befaamde Wisseloord Studios. <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> is mede dankzij Michael Chapman een uitermate coherent album geworden en in korte tijd uitgegroeid tot mijn favoriete album van Sarah. Het is trouwens altijd een genot om haar uit duizenden herkenbare stem te horen, gelukkig kan dat binnenkort ook weer live.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Sarah first met living legend Michael Chapman three years ago at the Village Pump Festival in Wiltshire, England, where they both featured on the line-up. It wasn’t long before they became good friends. On a visit to Chapman’s farm in Cumbria he offered to produce Sarah’s next album </em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<em>. Thrilled at the idea (one she hadn’t dared to suggest herself) she seized the opportunity and the two polar opposites set to work. On the one side the always meticulously prepared Sarah and on the other Chapman, who hadn’t even heard one of the songs he was about to produce. Incredibly, there was an instant click between them in the studio. Afterwards Chapman commented: “The precision and sophistication of the writing and playing blew me away. I was so glad to be involved.” The opening title track immediately sets the tone. Sarah is accompanied by Chapman on a 1961 Gibson slide guitar and the engrossing trumpet playing of Richard Evans. The odd one out is </em>One Sparrow Down<em> because of the experimentation with rhythm. Sarah’s cat, Nightshine, even makes a guest appearance. The main theme of the songs is transience. As on her previous albums, Sarah once again delves into the musical history of yesteryear. </em>Dies Irae<em> comes from the Roman Catholic funeral mass of centuries past and has previously been set to music by many classical composers. It is sung in Latin. The only other track not penned by Sarah herself is </em>Forever Autumn<em>. It was originally written by Jeff Wayne as a jingle for a Lego commercial. The lyrics were added later by Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) and recorded on </em>The War of the Worlds<em>. </em>Forever Autumn<em> and the superbly delicate </em>The Silence Above Us<em> both feature Sarah on piano. The two instrumental pieces are also excellent. </em>The Day of Wrath, That Day<em> borrows its title from the first line of </em>Dies Irae<em>. Sarah takes the lead here with the fantastic tones that she coaxes from her electric Ibanez guitar. Sarah composed the other, shorter instrumental piece New Beginnings to mark the occasion of the wedding of her good friend Zoë Pollock, who had a hit with the song </em>Sunshine on a Rainy Day<em>. Working as the duo Mama, they released an album titled </em>Crow Coyote Buffalo<em> in 2009. There is also a Dutch tint to the album, as the mastering was done by Sander van der Heide at the famous Wisseloord Studios. Thanks in part to Michael Chapman, </em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous<em> is an extremely coherent album, one that has quickly become my favourite Sarah McQuaid recording. It’s always a pleasure to hear her one-in-a-thousand voice, and luckily we’ll soon be able to hear it live.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561582018-01-17T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T22:03:59+00:00Folking.com - David Harley - Album Review<p><em>17 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Captivatingly fragile vocals ... Spine-chilling ... The songs are exceptional: some of the lyrics here would look equally at home in a volume of poetry, though it would be a pity to deprive them of Sarah’s voice and melodic flair.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://folking.com/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous-shovel-and-a-spade-records-saascd001/" target="_blank">http://folking.com/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous-shovel-and-a-spade-records-saascd001/</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID – If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (Shovel And A Spade Records SAASCD001)</strong><br>Ian Semple, whose radio programme on CoastFM specializes in promoting artists with a connection to Cornwall, describes Sarah McQuaid’s new CD <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (due for release on February 2nd 2018) as ‘pure brilliance’ and ‘without doubt one of her finest…’. As this is the first of her albums I’ve heard all through, I can’t make that comparison, but on the strength of this CD, I’ll certainly be digging deeper into her previous output myself.<br><br>Sarah is known far beyond her adopted home in Cornwall as a fine singer, songwriter and guitarist, with particular expertise in the modal guitar tuning DADGAD. This CD also sees her work bolstered by a handful of other fine musicians, including veteran singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Chapman, who also produced it.<br><br>1. The title track ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’ might be summarized as “fear of fracking”, but that would be to understate the lyrical complexity of the piece. Sarah’s vocals and electric guitar are augmented by Michael Chapman’s slide guitar, Roger Luxton’s drums, and Richard Evans’ trumpet.<br><br>2. ‘Slow Decay’ also has a lyrical complexity that’s unusual, even among the more thoughtful contemporary singer/songwriters, playing as it does on the multiple meanings of ‘decay’ in acoustics, wave functions and mortality.<br><br>3. ‘One Sparrow Down’ has some of the feel of the acapella version of Suzanne Vega’s ‘Tom’s Diner’, being sung unaccompanied apart from some unconventional percussion and sound effects. Vega’s song is essentially a sequence of observations and ‘found’ images. However, Sarah’s lyric, with its echo of Matthew 10.29, extends observation into metaphor. And I rather like the tune.<br><br>4. Unusually, ‘The Silence Above Us’ features Sarah’s piano well forward in the mix, as well as her guitar and Samuel Hollis’s upright bass. A lovely ballad.<br><br>5. ‘Forever Autumn’ is a cover version of the song from the Jeff Wayne project <em>War Of The Worlds</em>. I came across a lovely live version by Sarah on YouTube some time ago, but this version gains from the addition of her own piano work and Joe Pritchard’s cello.<br><br>6. The ‘Dies Irae’, a hymn in medieval Latin, the words very familiar from the Requiem mass (though not all the words are used here). This version is essentially the plainsong melody known since the 13th century or earlier, though in this case Sarah’s vocals are supported by her own guitar, Michael Chapman’s slide, and Joe Pritchard’s cello. Its presence here is particularly appropriate, since the opening line is echoed in the well-known instrumental intro to ‘Forever Autumn’. This setting seems particularly suited to her captivatingly fragile vocals.<br><br>7. The theme of mortality is continued with Sarah’s atmospheric instrumental ‘The Day Of Wrath, That Day’, the title being a literal translation of the first line of the ‘Dies Irae’. Sarah plays electric guitar on this, augmented by Roger Luxton’s percussion and some ambient noise from Michael Chapman’s guitar. Spine-chilling.<br><br>8. Although the lyric to ‘Cot Valley’ takes into account the valley’s place in the history of Cornish mining – and the (mis)use of child labour here and elsewhere in Britain right into the 20th century – it also works as a reminder of the way in which beauty spots in so many places – not only Cornwall, but (for instance) Shropshire, South Wales and the North East – have outgrown their dark industrial past. Unusually, Sarah augments her own acoustic guitar work with high-strung electric guitar – that is, a guitar with the four lower strings replaced (usually) with the octave strings from a 12-string set – while the instrumentation is further filled out with Michael Chapman’s electric guitar, Richard Evans’s trumpet, Georgia Ellery’s fiddle, percussion from Roger Luxton, and Samuel Hollis’s upright bass, to great effect.<br><br>9. ‘New Beginnings’ is a very neat guitar piece, written as a “wedding march” for Zoë Pollock’s wedding. I think this one might just creep into my own repertoire.<br><br>10. ‘Time To Love’ was co-written with Gerry O’Beirne, and features Georgia Ellery and Joe Pritchard double tracking violin and cello as a sort of counterfeit string quartet.<br><br>11. ‘Break Me Down’ is described in the press release as “<em>possibly the cheeriest song ever written about decomposition</em>” – I’m trying desperately not to think of the old joke about composing and decomposing – and that’s a pretty good description of this slightly bluesy piece. Sarah’s vocal, electric guitar and high-strung guitar are reliably supplemented by Michael Chapman’s trusty ES175 and Roger Luxton’s drums and percussion. But I was particularly impressed by Samuel Hollis’s work on both upright and electric bass.<br><br>12. ‘The Tug Of The Moon’ may already be familiar to you, having been released as a single. The song is more than adequately carried by Sarah’s vocals and electric guitar. Much as I love the acoustic guitar, it surprises me that more people don’t see (outside jazz, at any rate) the potential of the solo electric guitar as an instrument for accompaniment. Now <em>there’s</em> a song for New Year’s Eve…<br><br>This is an album of fine instrumental work that never detracts from the song or the vocals. And the songs are exceptional: some of the lyrics here would look equally at home in a volume of poetry, though it would be a pity to deprive them of Sarah’s voice and melodic flair.<br><br>I suspect that even Sarah’s fans will be pleasantly surprised at how good this album is, and it should make her many more.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561572018-01-10T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T22:05:52+00:00The Afterword - Colin Harper (Jan 2018)<p><em>10 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “Seeing a shared world in a new way, from a different angle, is the role of the songwriter. Sarah gets a gold star on that front. This is a fabulous album. ... Sarah brought the songs, Michael brought the attitude. Together they turned on the electricity.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/" target="_blank">http://theafterword.co.uk/sarah-mcquaid-if-we-dig-any-deeper-it-could-get-dangerous/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</strong></p>
<p><strong>What does it sound like?:</strong><br><br>I vividly recall being gripped and excited when I first heard ‘Crow Coyote Buffalo’, a 2008 album collaboration, released as Mama, between Sarah McQuaid and Zoë Pollock – one a shoestring, social-media savvy troubadour living in a rambling old house near Land’s End, the other a happily faded 80s pop star with enough residuals to live nearby in a yurt and potter about on a ukulele. Amazingly, Zoë’s perpetual-gap-year vibe and carefree music-making was somehow a perfect fit with Sarah’s hitherto defining characteristics of precision, planning and purpose. The album was a wild ride – thrilling, quirky and liberated. When Sarah was shaken out of her comfort zone, magic of a quite unexpected kind happened.<br><br>With Zoë’s free-spirit lifestyle proving incompatible with the business of tour dates, Sarah was back to being the precise, organised, careful cottage industry sole-trader of before. Her third solo album, ‘The Plum Tree & The Rose’ (2012), was also her third album with producer Gerry O’Beirne, all three recorded in Ireland. Although featuring some of her best song-writing, not least ‘In Derby Cathedral’, Sarah knew that the album ought to mark the end of her association with Gerry as producer (he has continued to co-write a song on each of the two albums since). As a listener, it was clear that the trilogy of albums that Gerry had produced – from the Irish trad-focused ‘When Two Lovers Meet’ (1997) through the Americana-flavoured ‘I Won’t Go Home till Morning’ to the celebration of Sarah’s distinctive song-writing, drawing from numerous wells, ‘The Plum Tree & The Rose’ – had been an exquisite refining of a template: precise, luxuriant, increasingly minimalist acoustic music with a smattering of extra textures and a rich, warm sound palette.<br><br>Sarah bravely – though in my view misguidedly – threw caution to the wind and went to New York for 2015’s ‘Walking into White’, using her cousin Adam as a producer. The album includes some of Sarah’s most brilliant songs – ‘Jackdaws Rising’, the masterpiece ‘Yellowstone’ – but alas I cannot abide the frequencies and determinedly lo-fi production. I like the idea but not the actuality. For me – and many hold a different view – in acting to shake up her ‘sound’, she made the right call in principle, the wrong call in practice.<br><br>And so, we come to ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’. Did she get it right this time? Yes, yes and thrice yes!<br><br>Just like I did when I first heard the Mama album back in 2008, I’m playing it again straight after it’s finished. For the third time now. Though the sheer leap from precision and poise to brinkmanship and swagger is less surprising than before, it’s no less thrilling. Sarah is just brilliant. That’s the sort of sentence one could never have used back in the day, writing for magazines, but I can write it now, because that’s what I happen to be thinking as ‘Deeper…’ starts its third time around and there is no editor at the Afterword and this is a first-person review in real time.<br><br>There are similarities in the two albums’ presentation too: both are minimalist hand-drawn sketches; Sarah’s other four albums use the well-crafted colour illustrations of the same artist. From the very cover of ‘Deeper…’ we suspect this is a collection of music with edge. When we know that it was produced by veteran grizzled iconoclast Michael Chapman, the bones of suspicion acquire the overcoat of confirmation.<br><br>As the album notes attest, Michael was bowled over at a gig by Sarah’s precision and sophistication; Sarah was similarly blown away by Michael’s onstage presence, power and volume.<br><br>‘We are so different, the two of us,’ says Michael, ‘a perfectionist and a gambler, a planner and a chancer. We might need a referee.’<br><br>He was wrong – all they needed was a facilitator and Martin Stansbury, king of the unsung heroes and Sarah’s trusty manager, driver, minder and sound engineer, fills that role just as he did in the Mama project, as a recording engineer quietly able to bottle the lightning.<br><br>As with the awesome ‘Yellowstone’ on ‘Walking into White’, the title track of ‘Deeper…’ – opening the album – draws on a single line of conversation between Sarah and her young son and builds an epic of universality and profundity from it. ‘If we dig any deeper it could get dangerous…’ does indeed sound like a metaphor for a lot of things. The music throbs and trundles along with Chapman’s own distorted electric guitar punctuating Sarah’s electric (a first-time addition to the Sarah sound world). A broad-brush reference point might be Neil Young, but where Neil would have turned in a one-trick jam on the opening verse chords, Sophisticated Sarah creates rise and fall, tension and release with a bona fide arrangement that includes acapella interlude, trumpet (Richard Evans delighting here and elsewhere on the album), massed vocal harmonies, a B section, a middle-eight, contrapuntal backing vocals on the final verse… She makes it all seem so easy. Or, actually, Michael does – as producer, Michael has clearly taken Sarah’s arrangements and recorded performances and not buffed them up, as Gerry O’Beirne (with no disrespect intended) would have done, but rather buffed them *down* – added grit and retained the rough edges.<br><br>‘Slow Decay’ is another pondering of portent – the slow decay of a note, a person, a waveform… With only Sam Hollis’ thrumming double bass accompaniment and a little piano against Sarah’s cyclical DADGAD acoustic guitar pattern, the feel recalls the modal swagger of Bert Jansch’s second album – a similarity rammed home by the final unresolved note. Pure Jansch. I wonder was that one of Michael’s ideas?<br><br>‘One Sparrow Down’ changes the mood – beginning with drums and woodblocks as if it’s ‘Iko Iko’ and then an acapella melody redolent of ‘Tom’s Diner’. Features a guest appearance from Sarah’s cat.<br><br>The feel of ‘The Silence Above Us’ recalls the solo piano/vocal recordings of Sandy Denny around ‘The North Star Grassman And The Ravens’ – particularly ‘Late November’ – minor key, slow tempo, philosophical. Like Sandy at her best, Sarah’s words offer something akin to a narrative while being simultaneously opaque enough to act as a canvas for each listener’s own thoughts. Her music establishes the mood and sets up the viewfinder; we do the rest.<br><br>A cover of ‘Forever Autumn’ might seem surprising, but it fits perfectly into the album’s sequencing. Sarah has made a point of including one cover on her last couple of albums (John Martyn’s ‘Solid Air’ and Ewan MacColl’s ‘The First Time Ever’), and this Jeff Wayne/Justin Hayward-associated old chestnut is the latest example. Separated from the slight cheesiness of its original incarnation, it remains a beautiful melody and set of words. This interpretation, based on Sarah’s guitar and voice and Joe Pritchard’s cello, has an extra degree of emotional heft.<br><br>‘Forever Autumn’ transitions into a droning cello-led arrangement of a Gregorian chant ‘Dies Irae’. As Sarah’s notes point out, the opening of the chant bears an uncanny resemblance to the intro riff to the Jeff Wayne tune just passed. Sarah has a penchant for arranging ancient music – Medieval, Renaissance stuff and the like. She conjures a mood here, singing in Latin with her own skeletal acoustic lines, Michael Chapman’s distant electric drones, low-end cello and with uncredited rolling tom toms. It’s rather Pentangle-ish circa ‘Sweet Child’.<br><br>The doffs of the cap, intentional or otherwise, to vintage British folk-rock continue with the glorious instrumental ‘The Day of Wrath, That Day’. If Michael Chapman’s presence has been the cantankerous uncle roaming in the garden thus far, he kicks the door in with this one. There is a real sense of adventure and liberation here, and electricity (metaphorical as well as literal) rarely heard on a Sarah McQuaid record – not that she’s flailing around making a racket, but because one can palpably sense an artist being ‘allowed’ to be imperfect with a quietly thrilling piece of music, creating a recording even more thrilling as a consequence. Chapman’s grit made a pearl. Sure enough, Sarah’s notes explain she had an unfinished piece but Michael said ‘just sit down and play what comes out’. Two takes later, of Sarah with electric guitar and delay pedal, he said ‘That’s the one!’ and he was right. Michael’s own electric guitar adds ‘knocks, bangs, rumbles and feedback’ according to the credits, and Roger Luxton adds percussion. The sound world is not a million miles away from the swirling jam of guitar, violin and cymbal crescendos on Fairport Convention’s ‘A Sailor’s Life’ from 1969, though the pace more brooding.<br><br>The upbeat, major-key lilt of ‘Cot Valley’ – a full band with bass, fiddle, trumpet, percussion and guitars – takes the mood into the sunlight, in contrast to words based on the role of children in 19th Century Cornish tin mining. This is close to Laurel Canyon ‘70s singer-songwriter territory here, with a rousing refrain, earnest verses and Sarah (unusually for her) strumming rather than picking and even Michael Chapman playing melodic motifs on his (stubbornly distorted) guitar. It’s in the tradition of ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’ from ‘The Plum Tree & The Rose’ in both musical feel and the yesterday/tomorrow bittersweet vibe of the words (and her young daughter a touchstone in both).<br><br>‘New Beginnings’ is another McQuaid original instrumental, this one very much in the poised British fingerstyle or folk-baroque tradition (Sarah being a guitar player who uses exclusively the DADGAD tuning devised in 1962 by Davy Graham). By chance, given the other connections to Mama I’ve suggested above, Sarah dedicates this tune to Zoë Pollock. This is perhaps the one track on the album that could have graced any of the first three solo albums in terms of the general sound and performance. It fits okay here, though it’s the slightest piece on the record.<br><br>‘Time to Love’, a yearning ‘where are we?’ cry to the universe, immediately sounds like a close relation to ‘Leave It For Another Day’ – one of the highlights of ‘Walking into White’ and a standout at any McQuaid live show. Sure enough, the booklet reveals that this, like ‘Leave It…’ was written via email exchanges with Gerry O’Beirne, the producer of Sarah’s first three albums. The new song and its performance and arrangement – all three, aligned like planets – are exquisite. Stately, ravishing, enigmatic, like the ruin of some majestic old building that has always been there and is suddenly seen in a new light by a shaft of sunlight from an angle unexpected, momentarily recalling its glory. And then there’s a string quartet, almost – two violins, two cellos – just for a moment near the end, with the end leaving you still on a tightrope, motionless, holding your breath. It’s another masterpiece – and Sarah’s performance on it is a masterclass of concision and restraint.<br><br>That might well have been a terrific place to end the album. Still, after the exquisite minimalism of ‘Time to Love’, ‘Break Me Down’ returns to the vibe of the opening track, a full-band electric number, this time a smouldering electricity-drenched shuffle like a mid-70s John Martyn track, with double bass, rolling drums and warm, fuzzy distorted guitar patterns.<br><br>And to end, we have the album’s single, ‘The Tug of the Moon’, concerned with leap seconds and Newton’s Third Law. Sarah performs alone, with the loan of Michael Chapman’s electric guitar. It’s an existentialist cosmic waltz. She’s cornered the market, there. As always, a simple observation or a line of dialogue in Sarah’s hands gives rise to a world of possibilities and ruminations. Seeing a shared world in a new way, from a different angle, is the role of the songwriter. Sarah gets a gold star on that front.<br><br>This is a fabulous album. I’ve played it several times through while writing this. I will play it many, many more times. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Sarah’s a brilliant song-writer and I always love seeing her live show. I’m so pleased this collaboration with a legend has proved so much more than a paper endorsement. Sarah brought the songs, Michael brought the attitude. Together they turned on the electricity.<br><br><strong>What does it all *mean*?</strong><br><br>It means I don’t have to feel bad about telling Sarah I don’t like her new record.<br><br><strong>Goes well with…</strong><br><br>Howling wind, rain, candles, whisky and warm fires…<br><br><strong>Might suit people who like…</strong><br><br>Any of the artists referenced above.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561562018-01-03T00:00:00+00:002020-01-14T19:12:51+00:00CultureSonar - Jim Allen<p><em>3 January 2018 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album preview – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.</em></strong> “An entrancing album ... dark, sophisticated lyrical imagery and a spare but atmospheric production.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.culturesonar.com/10-albums-for-2018/" target="_blank">http://www.culturesonar.com/10-albums-for-2018/</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.culturesonar.com/10-albums-for-2018/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2ddd691b95a9027b9cdff459d9755d7c21de401a/original/culturesonar-sarah-mcquaid-18-01-03.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="CultureSonar_Sarah_McQuaid_18-01-03" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>10 Albums To Look For In 2018</strong><br>... <strong>5. Sarah McQuaid’s <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em> (Shovel and a Spade, Feb. 2)</strong><br>This U.K. songsmith has a commanding, dusky voice that bears echoes of great British folkies like Bridget St. John and June Tabor, and that alone might have been enough to make this an entrancing album. But when you add her dark, sophisticated lyrical imagery and a spare but atmospheric production by legendary English singer-songwriter-guitarist Michael Chapman, the whole thing becomes impossible to ignore.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66971002017-11-02T13:00:00+00:002021-07-24T13:31:29+01:00The Afterword - Colin Harper (Nov 2017)<p><em>2 November 2017</em></p>
<p><strong>Album preview – <em>If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous</em>.</strong> “This one sounds like a terrific new path, from the expansive, spare, analogue sound of preview track ‘The Tug of the Moon’.”</p>
<p><a contents="https://theafterword.co.uk/cosmic-americana-sensational-new-sarah-mcquaidmichael-chapman-album-ahoy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theafterword.co.uk/cosmic-americana-sensational-new-sarah-mcquaidmichael-chapman-album-ahoy/" target="_blank">https://theafterword.co.uk/cosmic-americana-sensational-new-sarah-mcquaidmichael-chapman-album-ahoy</a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/1b59cec1781045e0d4a10c6288c1d0b9af36c35f/original/the-afterword-november-2017.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561552017-09-13T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T18:56:05+00:00Chichester Observer - Phil Hewitt<p><em>13 September 2017 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>Sarah talks about her new album, her development as a songwriter and her forthcoming appearance at the Southdowns Folk Festival.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.chichester.co.uk/whats-on/music/sarah-mcquaid-at-southdowns-folk-festival-1-8147543" target="_blank">http://www.chichester.co.uk/whats-on/music/sarah-mcquaid-at-southdowns-folk-festival-1-8147543</a></p>
<p><strong><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518253/sarah-mcquaid-chichester-sep-2017.pdf" target="_blank">Read more</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518253/sarah-mcquaid-chichester-sep-2017.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ae2266914c790206222f67bf5e4cd24271adf6c7/original/sarah-mcquaid-chichester-sep-2017.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Chichester_Sep_2017" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561542017-04-19T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:48:08+00:00AcousticGrooveWarrior - Steve Elliott<p><em>19 April 2017 </em></p>
<p><strong>News article </strong>on Sarah’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ards International Guitar Festival.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://acousticgroovewarrior.com/sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://acousticgroovewarrior.com/sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Lifetime Achievement Award for Sarah McQuaid at Ards International Guitar Festival</strong><br>At last week’s Ards International Guitar Festival, Sarah McQuaid was presented with the festival’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous recipients over the festival’s 20-year history include legendary guitarists Davey Graham, John Renbourn, John Martyn, Arty McGlynn, Martin Simpson, Gordon Giltrap, Pierre Bensusan and Martin Carthy.<br><br>Sarah recalls her initially annoyed reaction when compère Ralph McLean of BBC Radio Ulster and festival director Ernie McMillen of Avalon Guitars came out to present the award:<br><br>“I’d just finished my set and left the stage, and the crowd was calling for an encore, but before I could come back out from the wings, Ralph McLean and Ernie McMillen walked onstage and started talking about the Lifetime Achievement Award.<br><br>“I just thought, ‘Oh, rats, now they’ll bring out some big-name guitarist to accept this bloody award and I won’t get to do my encore!’ Never in a million years did I think it would go to me. I was totally and completely floored. It’s a very, very big deal to be placed on a level with so many of my musical heroes.”<br><br>And she did get to do an encore after all, performing a cover of Ewan MacColl’s ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, which she also recorded on her fourth solo album Walking Into White (Waterbug, 2015).<br><br>“Every year since 1999, Ards International Guitar Festival has awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award to an artist performing at the Festival,” explains the Ards Arts Centre’s Emily Crawford, co-director of the festival along with Ernie McMillen and Darren Porter. “There has never been a female recipient of the award, and with an artist of the calibre of Sarah McQuaid on our bill, it was an easy decision to make in 2017!<br><br>“A favourite of local audiences in Ards, Sarah has a true gift and captivates the audience with seamless playing and an effortlessly enchanting voice,” Crawford continues. “She and her guitar become one beautiful sound, and her goosebump-inducing rendition of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ was the perfect end to an outstanding performance.”<br><br>Ernie McMillen agrees: “It is rare in the guitar world to find a player who displays genius without arrogance, and who shares their hard-won skill and knowledge so selflessly,” he says. “I get to see many specialist guitarists up close, and many over-perform. It’s honey for the soul to witness Sarah McQuaid perform.”<br><br>Sarah McQuaid is currently hard at work writing songs for her fifth solo album, to be produced by folk icon Michael Chapman and released in 2018 (once again on the US-based Waterbug label) with album launch tours in the UK, Ireland, Continental Europe and the USA.<br><br>She also hopes to pen a sequel to The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, the popular tutor she authored on the alternative guitar tuning she uses exclusively – originally published in 1995 and still the standard reference on the subject, selling worldwide through Novello & Co./The Music Sales Group and Hal Leonard Corp.</p>
<p>In addition to her Ards appearance, April sees Sarah performing at the prestigious Costa del Folk Festival on the Spanish island of Ibiza and donating her services to a charity concert to benefit her local village hall in Cornwall. Summer and early-autumn appearances include an outdoor concert at Penzance’s Penlee Park, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Stainsby Festival, Evesham Arts Centre, Faversham Hop Festival, Southdowns Folk Festival, Stroud Folk Weekend and Rye Arts Festival.<br><br>Details of all events can be found at <a data-imported="1" data-link-type="page" href="/tour" target="_blank">http://www.sarahmcquaid.com/tour</a> and <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic/events/" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic/events/</a>.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561532017-03-20T00:00:00+00:002020-01-07T19:48:25+00:00Ten Burning Questions - Terry Lander<p><em>20 March 2017 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview.</strong> Sarah answers “Ten Burning Questions” from <a contents="Coast FM" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.coastfm.co.uk/" target="_blank">Coast FM</a> DJ Terry Lander.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://tenburningquestions.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/sarah-mcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://tenburningquestions.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/sarah-mcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Ten Burning Questions: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><em>1. You make it round to my house. I have every hot beverage in the known world on offer. What do you choose?</em><br>Coffee, black, no sugar. But it has to be good coffee. The trouble with drinking one’s coffee black with no sugar is that if it’s not good it’s completely undrinkable.<br><br><em>2. I’ve been made the Emperor of the world. The first thing I do is ban cricket. How do you feel about this?</em><br>I’m not a cricket fan, but I’m very cross with you for using your absolute power to ban something as harmless as cricket. Surely you can do better than that!<br><br><em>3. You’re offered the perfect job but there’s a big catch – for instance, I’d like to star in a Hollywood film but I’d have to do plenty of underwater shots. What’s the job and what’s the catch?</em><br>I kind of feel like I have the perfect job right now, in that I’m my own boss and I’m doing what I love. The catch is that I have to try to think of clever, humorous answers for questionnaires like this one! Arrrghh!<br><br><em>4. The person you hate the most is living in an area that’s about to be affected by nuclear fallout. Do you phone to warn them?</em><br>Can I email to warn them instead? Or text, even. I really, really, really hate making phone calls.<br><br><em>5. With great power comes great responsibility. Unfortunately you’ve been born with mediocre superpowers. Who are you?</em><br>Sock-Pairing-Woman! I can sort out a tangle of socks in under two minutes, even if they’re all black.<br><br><em>6. It’s celebrity party time. On the guest list are Jedward, the Cheeky Girls and the Chuckle brothers. Who do you invite to be your pseudo-sibling?</em><br>People keep telling me I look like Carly Simon. I can’t see the resemblance myself, but she’s a brilliant singer and songwriter and I’d like to meet her anyway, so what the heck.<br><br><em>7. An invitation comes through from NASA; you’ve got the chance to be the first person on Mars. Would you take a year away from everyone and everything to oblige?</em><br>Hell, no. I find flights hard enough to cope with, whatever about space travel.<br><br><em>8. There’s no appealing, you have to do a reality TV show. Which one would you do?</em><br>We got rid of our television back in 2003, so I’m kind of out of touch with the whole reality TV thing. However, I’ve just gone on Wikipedia to read up about the subject and I see that there’s an Australian programme called “Renovation Rescue” in which a team of tradespeople shows up at your house and renovates it in two days. That sounds ok to me.<br><br><em>9. You’re given the chance of a perfect Sunday. Bearing in mind cricket is banned, what do you do?</em><br>When I’m not away on tour, I normally spend my Sundays rushing around trying to get stuff done that I’ve been putting off all week to do on Sunday. Sometimes I think it would be nice to spend the day lying on the sofa, reading and listening to music instead. But I’ve never actually tried doing that, so maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I think I would.<br><br><em>10. In my house it’s Christmas every week. You’re given a book, a film and an album. What are they?</em><br>Gosh. That’s a tough one. I take it this means I get the same book, film and album every week? So they have to be ones I’d want to read/see/listen to again and again. In which case let’s make the book “The Wind In The Willows”, the film “This Is Spinal Tap” and the album Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560082016-02-25T00:00:00+00:002020-01-07T19:48:43+00:00Heaven Magazine - Koos Gijsman<p><em>25 February 2016 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> Sarah talks about some of the key moments in her career.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.popmagazineheaven.nl/de-sleutelmomenten-van-folkzangeres-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://www.popmagazineheaven.nl/de-sleutelmomenten-van-folkzangeres-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>De sleutelmomenten van folkzangeres Sarah McQuaid<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Op het conto van de in Cornwall wonende singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid staan vier soloalbums en een duoalbum onder de naam Mama. Ook schreef ze een standaardwerk over gitaarstemmingen. Op haar jongste prachtplaat <em>Walking Into White</em> opteert McQuaid na het imponerende <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> uit 2013 voor een meer poppy geluid. Voorafgaand aan haar Nederlandse optredens vroegen we haar naar vijf sleutelmomenten uit haar carrière.<br><br><strong>Sleutelmoment 1: eerste solouitvoering van een lied van eigen hand</strong> - Locatie: National Cathedral School. Washington DC, U.S.A. - Betrokken personen: docenten, stafleden en studenten van de openbare meisjesschool<br><br>“Ik was veertien of vijftien toen dit plaatsvond. Ik had al veel ervaring opgedaan met optreden voor publiek als lid van het Chicago Children's Choir, maar dit was de eerste keer dat ik solo voor een publiek stond om een lied te brengen dat ik zelf op gitaar geschreven had. Hoe het komt dat ik op een maandagochtend om acht uur een van mijn eigen liedjes speelde, weet ik niet. Ook ben ik vergeten welk lied ik had uitgekozen. Wat in mijn herinnering is blijven hangen, is het gevoel van een verschrikkelijke angst die mij in zijn greep had. Ik wist niet of er geluid uit mijn mond zou komen als ik die opende en of mijn vingers de juiste handelingen zouden verrichten. Mijn angst bleek ongegrond, alles ging goed en ik kreeg een groot applaus. Ik leerde op dat moment te vertrouwen op mijn stem en mijn vingers, ongeacht hoe nerveus ik me voel.”<br><br><strong>Sleutelmoment 2: de ontdekking van DADGAD</strong> - Locatie: een festival ergens in Bretagne, Frankrijk - Betrokken persoon: een Franse gitarist wiens naam ze vergeten is<br><br>“Als tiener luisterde ik veel naar Joni Mitchell en musici van het platenlabel Windham Hill, onder wie Michael Hedges, Willy Ackerman en Alex de Grassi. Ik wist dat zij in open stemmingen speelden. Ik experimenteerde met willekeurige stemmingen op mijn gitaar met verschillende noten om te kijken wat dat opleverde. Tijdens mijn studie in Frankrijk trad ik op met de in dat land gevestigde Ierse band Mixed Brew. Backstage raakte ik op een festival in Bretagne aan de praat met een blonde Franse gitarist wiens naam ik me niet meer herinner. Hij adviseerde mij de stemming DADGAD uit te proberen omdat alle Ierse musici deze stemming gebruiken. Ik stemde mijn gitaar en beleefde een eurekamoment. Plotseling kon ik al die klanken produceren die ik zoveel jaren tevergeefs had geprobeerd te maken.”<br><br><strong>Sleutelmoment 3: Luka Bloom observeren terwijl hij met het publiek communiceert</strong> - Locaties: An Créagan, Creggan, Omagh, County Tyrone, Noord Ierland - Betrokken personen: Luka Bloom, Paul Ashe-Brown en een massaal publiek.<br><br>“In de winter van 2001 nodigde Luka Bloom mij uit als zijn voorprogramma tijdens een korte tournee door Ierland. Vanaf het balkon naast het mengpaneel van geluidtechnicus Paul Ashe-Browne zag ik hoe Luka op magische wijze communiceerde met zijn publiek. Ik dacht direct dat ik ook op zo'n manier wilde leren communiceren met mijn eigen publiek. Ook zag ik het belang in van een eigen geluidstechnicus. Ik heb het geluk dat ik de laatste vijf jaar begeleid word door de getalenteerde geluidtechnicus Martin Stansbury, die tevens mijn tourmanager is.”<br><br><strong>Sleutelmoment 4: ontmoeting met Dick Gaughan</strong> - Locatie: The Strandhill Guitar Festival, County Sligo, Ierland - Betrokken personen: Dick Gaughan, Séamie O'Dowd, Felip Carbonell en deelnemers aan een DADGAD-workshop<br><br>“In de zomer van 2006 kreeg ik een uitnodiging van mijn bevriende gitaristen Séamie O'Dowd en Felip Carbonell om tijdens een gitaarfestival een workshop gitaarstemming in DADGAD te geven. Toen ze mij vertelden dat ik deze workshop mocht leiden samen met Dick Gaughan - een van mijn helden - , verdwenen al mijn reserves als sneeuw voor de zon. Na afloop van de workshop vroeg Dick mij waarom ik niet zelf tourde. Ik zei dat ik niet vermoedde dat er een markt was voor mijn muziek. Hij was ervan overtuigd dat er wél een publiek was. Drie maanden later zegde ik mijn baan op en werd ik een fulltime muzikant.”<br><br><strong>Sleutelmoment 5: samen componeren met Zoë</strong> - Locatie: haar keuken in het platteland nabij Penzance, Cornwall, Engeland - Andere betrokken persoon: Zoë<br><br>“Toen ik naar het landelijke Cornwall verhuisde in 2007 was Zoë een van de eerste personen die ik leerde kennen, omdat onze kinderen dezelfde school bezochten. Pas na verloop van tijd ontdekte ik dat zij een voormalige popster was, bekend van de zelfgeschreven hitsingle <em>Sunshine On A Rainy Day</em>. Aan de keukentafel speelde ze een lied waarvan ik de melodie prachtig vond, maar de tekst niet begreep. “Maar ik heb er ook geen tekst voor, dit zijn gewoon onzinregels”, zei ze. Op mijn vraag of ze passende liedregels wilde, antwoordde ze met een volmondig: <em>“Yes, please, that would be great!”</em> Binnen een paar maanden hadden we samen genoeg liedjes geschreven voor een album dat we uitbrachten onder de groepsnaam Mama. Dor mijn samenwerking met Zoë beschouw ik mezelf sindsdien niet alleen als een folkzangeres maar tevens als een liedjesschrijfster.”<br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid live: 26 februari in Café Peter en Leni, Steendam; 5 maart in De Lantaern, Zevenaar; 19 maart in De Vermaning, Zaandam; 20 maart in Tiliander, Oisterwijk.</em><br><br><strong>The key moments of folk singer Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>To the credit of Cornwall-based singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid are four solo albums and a duo album under the band name Mama. She also wrote a standard work on guitar tunings. On her recent stunner <em>Walking Into White,</em> McQuaid opts after the impressive <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (2013) for a more poppy sound. Prior to her Dutch performances, we asked her about five key moments of her career.<br><br><strong>Key Moment 1: First Solo Performance of an Original Song </strong>- Location: National Cathedral School, Washington, DC, USA - Other Persons Involved: Teachers, staff and fellow students at the National Cathedral School, an independent all-girls school in Washington, DC<br><br>“I think I was fourteen or fifteen years old when this moment took place. By that time I already had extensive experience of performing in public as a member of the Chicago Children’s Choir, but this was the first time I ever stood up in public and sang and played a song I’d written on the guitar. I can’t remember how it came about that I performed one of my own songs at a school assembly at 8am one Monday morning – did a teacher suggest it, or did I come up with the idea myself? I’ve no idea which, or even what song it was. What sticks in my memory, though, is that feeling of being absolutely terrified, of not knowing whether any sound would come out when I opened my mouth and not knowing whether my fingers would find their way to the right frets and strings. But they did, and I got a big round of applause. I learned in that moment to trust my voice and my hands to do their job, no matter how nervous I feel.”<br><br><strong>Key Moment 2: Discovering DADGAD </strong>- Location: A festival somewhere in Brittany, France - Other Persons Involved: A French guitarist whose name I can’t remember<br><br>“As a teenager I listened a lot to Joni Mitchell, and also to Windham Hill artists like Michael Hedges, Willy Ackerman and Alex de Grassi. I knew that they all used various different “open tunings”, and I used to experiment with randomly tuning my guitar strings to different notes and seeing what I could do. When I was 18 I went to study in France for a year and wound up becoming the singer/guitarist with a France-based Irish band called Mixed Brew. We had a gig at a festival somewhere in Brittany – I can’t remember exactly where, or what the festival was called – and I got chatting backstage with a French guitarist (whose name I can’t remember, although I do recall that he had blond hair) who said to me “You know, since you’re playing Irish music, you should try the DADGAD tuning. It’s what all the Irish players are using these days.” I tuned the guitar to DADGAD and it was one of those lightbulb “Eureka!” moments – suddenly I could make all the sounds I’d been trying and failing to make for so many years.”<br><br><strong>Key Moment 3: Watching Luka Bloom Connect With An Audience </strong>- Location: An Créagan, Creggan, Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland - Other Persons Involved: Luka Bloom, Paul Ashe-Browne and a packed audience<br><br>“In the winter of 2001, Luka Bloom invited me to come along on a short tour of Ireland as his support act. The timing was good as I’d taken a three-month sabbatical from my magazine editing job to work on writing a novel, so I accompanied him and his touring sound engineer, Paul Ashe-Browne, for a week of gigs. The first of those gigs was at An Créagan near Omagh, where I’ve since played several times as headliner rather than support! I remember standing up in the balcony beside Paul’s sound desk, watching how magically Luka connected with his audience and thinking “That’s what I need to learn to do.” You could almost see a sort of electrical current between him and the people listening. It was also there that I learned the importance of bringing a good sound engineer with you, and again I remember thinking that I would make sure to do the same thing if I ever became a touring artist. And I did: I’ve been privileged to have the very talented Martin Stansbury working with me as sound engineer and tour manager for over five years now.”<br><br><strong>Key Moment 4: Meeting Dick Gaughan </strong>- Location: The Strandhill Guitar Festival, County Sligo, Ireland - Other Persons Involved: Dick Gaughan, Séamie O’Dowd, Felip Carbonell and DADGAD workshop participants<br><br>“When I was pregnant with my first child, my belly got too big for me to hold a guitar comfortably, and after he was born I was too preoccupied with being a mum to even think about music, especially after his sister came along. But in the summer of 2006 I got a phone call from my friends and fellow guitarists Séamie O’Dowd and Felip Carbonell. They said that they were organising a guitar festival and wanted me to give a DADGAD guitar workshop. I was all set to say I couldn’t do it as I hadn’t played my guitar in over four years, but then they said I’d be co-presenting the workshop with Dick Gaughan, one of my musical heroes. I knew I’d be kicking myself for the rest of my life if I said no, so I said yes, and it changed my future. When we finished the workshop, Dick Gaughan asked me why I wasn’t out touring. I said I didn’t think there’d be any market for my music. He said “I know there would.” Three months later I handed in my notice at my job and became a full time musician. I still am.”<br><br><strong>Key Moment 5: Co-Writing with Zoë </strong>- Location: My kitchen in the countryside near Penzance, Cornwall, England - Other Persons Involved: Zoë<br><br>“When I moved to rural Cornwall in 2007, one of the first people I met was Zoë. We met because our children were going to the same tiny school – fewer than 30 children in the entire school – and it was only after I’d got to be friends with her that I discovered that she was a former pop star, best known as the composer and performer of 1991 hit single “Sunshine on a Rainy Day.” Sitting at my kitchen table one day, she played me a new song she’d just written. I told her I loved the melody but couldn’t understand the lyrics she was singing, and she said “Oh, I don’t have any lyrics for it – those are just nonsense words.” I said “Well, would you like some lyrics for it?” She said “Yes, please, that would be great!” and within a few months we’d written a full album’s worth of songs together, which we released under the band name Mama. Prior to co-writing with Zoë, I’d thought of myself as a folk singer who happened to write an occasional song; it was working with Zoë that made me start to think of myself as a songwriter.”<br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid live: 26 February in Café Peter en Leni, Steendam; 5 March in De Lantaern, Zevenaar; 19 March in De Vermaning, Zaandam; 20 March in Tiliander, Oisterwijk.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560092015-11-15T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:01:34+00:00Western Morning News on Sunday - Keith Rossiter<p><em>15 November 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “Someone should write a song about Sarah McQuaid’s life. If she doesn’t get there first.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518214/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-nov-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a data-imported="1" href="/files/518214/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-nov-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/1353a342023c27132d8dc6c9061df42c52c78225/original/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-nov-2015.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Western_Morning_News_Nov_2015" width="75%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560102015-11-11T00:00:00+00:002020-01-06T22:25:26+00:00MacWood Fleet Music Blog<p><em>11 November 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – The Convent.</strong> “A captivating performer with a gorgeous voice, superb collection of albums and a truly adventurous musical nature.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://macwoodfleet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/live-in-2015-sarah-mcquaid-live-at.html" target="_blank">http://macwoodfleet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/live-in-2015-sarah-mcquaid-live-at.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Live In 2015: Sarah McQuaid - Live at The Convent on Friday 6th November 2015</strong><br>I have wanted to visit The Convent at South Woodchester near Stroud for some time. It is quickly becoming a Destination Venue for the discerning musician wanting to play in the west of the UK. Coming over the bridge from Wales it is only a 1 hour 40 minute drive from my home near Swansea.<br><br>The brainchild of Matt & Charlotte Roberts, it is a sensational music venue with fantastic acoustics, beautiful architecture and the added attraction of being the base of NetGig which gives the artists the opportunity to broadcast the gig live which can be viewed live or for seen days thereafter at a small cost. Plus a rather gorgeous boutique hotel complex thrown in for good measure. I've seen several of the NetGigs which have all been excellent but nothing prepares you for the 'live' experience of attending a gig in The Convent. <br><br>And I must admit I picked a gem of a gig for my first Convent experience. <br><br>Sarah McQuaid - born in Spain, raised in Chicago, USA who formerly lived in Ireland and now a resident of Cornwall in the UK hot off the heels of a successful USA tour played The Convent as part of a short autumn UK tour in support of her latest album, the sublime <em>Walking Into White</em>.<br><br>Drawing on songs from throughout her 5 album career, which includes one recorded with Zoe (of <em>Sunshine On A Rainy Day</em> fame) under the name of MAMA, <em>Walking Into White</em> is her fourth solo album.<br><br>Tonight, it was just Sarah and her guitar. Shorn of some of the unusual production techniques and touches, especially on the <em>Walking Into White</em> album, the performance tonight showed just how strong the songs are. I would love an album of just Sarah and guitar in the future. It's an intimate and rewarding experience.<br><br>The evening started with <em>The Sun Goes On Rising</em> from her third album <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>. Sarah has a crystal clear voice throughout the evening, it's a beautiful instrument and has richness of a multi-coloured tapestry of sound. <br><br>Using sparing loops and effects tonight added just the right amount of variation required to keep the audience (both in The Convent & online) intrigued. <br><br>You could have heard a pin drop throughout the entire performance as Sarah weaved her magic. In fact - you can catch the whole performance here - as well as visit past performances and future ones too. All for just a small fee.<br><br>Next up was a lovely song - one of many from the latest album called <em>The Tide</em>.<br><br>For this latest album, Sarah has changed producers and has enrolled her cousin Adam Pierce & Jeremy Backofen who have introduced a multitude of new sounds and approaches to her new album.<br><br>Several of the songs on <em>Walking Into White</em> are based around experiences from reading several of the books in the <em>Swallows & Amazons</em> series by Arthur Ransome.<br><br><em>I Am Grateful For What I Have</em> is a lovely instrumental piece from the new album and here in The Convent, it sounds truly beautiful. The sound quality in The Convent is just world class and upon viewing the concert you'll see just how good it is.<br><br>On <em>Walking Into White</em> there are three short a capella sections called <em>Sweetness & Pain</em> Parts 1-3; Part 1 introduces the title track <em>Walking Into White</em>. On the album, it is accompanied by a lone trumpet (or cornet) but here with just a lone acoustic guitar - it is truly captivating.<br><br>2015 has certainly been a vintage year for the female singer/songwriters - with superb albums from artists such as Bella Hardy, Ange Hardy, Olivia Chaney, Vanessa Peters. And to this list you can add Sarah McQuaid who has really pushed the boundaries of her own artistry with <em>Walking Into White</em>. Tonight's show features many of the tracks on the new album and the next track is one of my favourites on the album - <em>Jackdaws Rising</em>.<br><br>Sarah states that some reviewers of the album have said that it's almost impossible to play live and then goes on to play a superb version of the song using a stomp board and loops to accompany her shining acoustic guitar. Simply breathtaking.<br><br>One of the delights of a Convent show is that they are broadcast live over the internet and you have the opportunity to purchase the show to watch over a seven day period - with this in mind, Matt and his team select a couple of videos from the show to put onto YouTube. Tonight's selection includes the earlier <em>The Tide</em> and the next song up <em>Yellowstone</em>, which Sarah explains has a direct connection to her son.<br><br>Sarah likes to record and play a cover version and tonight she includes several in her set - the next song that Sarah plays is a delicious version of Jean Ritichie's Blue Diamond Mines.<br><br>Although the majority of tonight's set concentrates on the new album - Sarah also dips into her first album <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> and gives us Johnny Lad.<br><br>Sarah then turns to her second album, <em>I Won't Go Home 'til Morning</em> too with a spirited version of Only An Emotion.<br><br>Sarah now lives down in Cornwall - and I don't want to give away the stories that Sarah tells in her show but one I cannot help telling for obvious reasons is the fact that Sarah has recorded an album with Zoe Pollock, who is a neighbour, - now this Zoe is the one of <em>Sunshine On A Rainy Day</em> fame and Sarah includes the title track from that project - <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em> tonight.<br><br>In <em>Yellowstone</em>, Sarah sang about an incident with her young. With the final song in the set - track one from her <em>The Plum Tree & The Rose</em> album - <em>Lift You Up And Let You Fly</em> - is about her daughter and was incredibly moving. You could indeed literally hear a pin drop and I'm sure I saw several people with tears in their eyes after this song.<br><br>My favourite track on <em>Walking Into White</em> is <em>Leave It For Another Day</em> and I was SO glad that Sarah decided to play this live. And it was equally as stunning live. <br><br>As I stated earlier, Sarah does like a cover version and for the first song of a two song encore she gives a receptive Convent audience a truly gorgeous version of <em>The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face</em>, which is also the final track on <em>Walking Into White</em>.<br><br>The final song of a truly gorgeous set tonight was a version of the crooner classic <em>Mr Bojangles</em> - I've never heard an acoustic guitar version of this song - my favourite has always been the Sammy Davis Jnr version - but this was unexpected and excellent.<br><br>And there endth my first Convent gig - and it definitely won't be the last - as I've got several booked over the next few months - it's a gorgeous venue with superb sound and atmosphere. Get yourself down there.<br><br>And it won't be the last time I see Sarah McQuaid either - she's a captivating performer with a gorgeous voice, superb collection of albums and a truly adventurous musical nature. Seek her out, right now.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560112015-10-25T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:03:58+00:00Western Morning News - Gillian Adams<p><em>25 October 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>Sarah answers questions about her favourite things, from books to recipes to superpowers.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518215/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-oct-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518215/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-oct-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/0d360edfe96c6c75f3d1e2f20a3ef8f183137168/original/sarah-mcquaid-western-morning-news-oct-2015.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Western_Morning_News_Oct_2015" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560122015-10-19T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:49:30+00:00The Long Journey - Remo Ricaldone<p><em>19 October 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Italian original). </strong>“Un lavoro dalle notevoli qualità e profondità, uno di quelli che cresce molto ascolto dopo ascolto.” <em>(A work of notable quality and depth, one that grows with each listen.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.bcmai.it/tlj/recensione.asp?IDDisco=3107&IDRecensione=3155" target="_blank">http://www.bcmai.it/tlj/recensione.asp?IDDisco=3107&IDRecensione=3155</a></p>
<p><strong>Walking Into White</strong><br>Artista: Sarah McQuaid <br>Label: Waterbug WBG119 <br>Anno: 2015<br>Stili: Singer Songwriter/Folk<br><strong><em>(English translation appears below Italian original.)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid è una cantante ed autrice di ispirazione folk nata a Madrid da padre spagnolo e madre americana, cresciuta a Chicago e, nel corso degli anni, vissuta in Irlanda, nell’Indiana e attualmente in Cornovaglia, mostrando un particolare e propositivo approccio chitarristico e una vena compositiva che deve molto all’Inghilterra e ai suoi figli più ‘nobili’ nell’ambito degli intrecci tra melodie folk e inflessioni pop e jazz, da John Martyn a Nick Drake.<br><br>Quattro album all’attivo tra cui questo Walking Into White considerato il più emozionale e completo, ricco come è di personalità e di colori affascinanti, tutti o quasi virati al pastello. Forti connessioni con il mondo letterario, arrangiamenti volutamente scarni ed evocativi, una voce apparentemente con poca estensione ma capace di risultare fascinosa nella sua malinconia e nella nostalgia e struggimento che richiama.<br><br>La canzone che da il titolo a questa raccolta rimanda al primo Bruce Cockburn, quello più marcatamente legato al folk, con la tromba di Gareth Flowers che aggiunge un tocco di impronta jazz, Where The Wind Decide To Blow è tra le migliori con il suo andamento schietto e lineare, ancora una volta tipicamente britannico, Jackdaws Rising con il suo rincorrersi di voci e di battiti di mani è un altro episodio da ricordare per originalità e audacia. Lo strumentale I Am Grateful For What I Have gioca sulle emozioni risultando piacevolissimo e godibile, così come Yellowstone che riporta alla mente il Nick Drake di Bryter Layter, con la chitarra classica di Dan Lippel a tessere la melodia. Quasi tutto il materiale contenuto in questo Walking Into White è firmato dalla stessa Sarah McQuaid, ad eccezione del tradizionale Canticle Of The Sun, chiaramente ispirato al Cantico delle Creature di francescana memoria e la conclusiva, splendida, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, scritta da Ewan McColl per Peggy Seeger e qui riletta in completa solitudine.<br><br>Un lavoro dalle notevoli qualità e profondità, uno di quelli che cresce molto ascolto dopo ascolto e sarà un piacevole compagno nelle fredde notti invernali.<br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid is a folk-oriented singer-songwriter, born in Madrid to a Spanish father and an American mother, raised in Chicago, who over the years has lived in Ireland, in Indiana and (currently) in Cornwall. She displays a unique and proactive guitar approach and a songwriting vein that owes much to England and its ‘noblest’ sons of both folk and jazz, from Nick Drake to John Martyn.</em><br><br><em>She has recorded four albums; the latest of these, Walking Into White, is probably her most emotional and mature, rich in personality and in fascinating colours, mostly veering towards pastels. Strong connections with the literary world, deliberately spare and evocative arrangements, a voice with an apparently small range that’s capable of fascinating results in the melancholy, nostalgia and yearning it evokes.</em><br><br><em>The title track reminds me of the early, more folk-oriented Bruce Cockburn, with Gareth Flowers on trumpet adding a touch of a jazz stamp; Where The Wind Decides To Blow is among the best with its candid and straightforward feel; another typically English number, Jackdaws Rising, with its intertwining voices and handclaps, is another song that deserves to be remembered for its originality and audacity. The instrumental I Am Grateful For What I Have plays once again on the emotions with delightful and enjoyable results, as also does Yellowstone with its Nick Drake Bryter Layter-era feel, with Dan Lippel’s excellent classical guitar weaving the melody. Almost every song on Walking Into White was composed by Sarah McQuaid, with the exception of Canticle Of The Sun, clearly inspired by the Franciscan Cantico delle Creature, and the splendid album closer The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, written by Ewan McColl for Peggy Seeger, here performed entirely solo.</em><br><br><em>A work of notable quality and depth, one that grows with each listen, and it will certainly be a refreshing and pleasant companion during the cold winter nights.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560132015-10-07T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:06:14+00:00The Huffington Post - Gregory Weinkauf<p><em>7 October 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “I’ve attended hundreds of concerts of all kinds, and her subtle mastery onstage launches her straight into my fave shows ever.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-weinkauf/sarah-mcquaid-tours-and-e_b_8252046.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-weinkauf/sarah-mcquaid-tours-and-e_b_8252046.html</a></p>
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<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Tours and Enchants With Her Brilliant New Album, <em>Walking Into White</em></strong><br>Finding treasure feels great, and such is the case with musician Sarah McQuaid. The soulful singer, smart and sensuous songwriter, and scintillating guitarist has been hidden in plain sight with three gorgeous solo albums, and her fourth -- the recently-released, critically-acclaimed <em>Walking Into White</em> -- reveals a truly magnificent artist primed to enchant the masses. Sarah's current U.S. tour continues through October before she carries on in the U.K., and listen: I've attended hundreds of concerts of all kinds, and her subtle mastery onstage launches her straight into my fave shows ever. One voice, one guitar, and the wondrous reminder of the magic of music. Sarah has the gift.<br><br>While Mrs. McQuaid and her Jedi-esque manager-engineer Martin Stansbury log thousands of highway miles, it's my pleasure to join them for terrific Thai cuisine and discuss the storied life and career of this focused yet easygoing chanteuse. We promptly explore <em>Walking Into White</em>:<br><br>"It was new territory for me in a number of ways," reveals Sarah. "I was working with my cousin, Adam Pierce, as producer, whereas the previous three albums were all recorded in Ireland with Gerry O'Beirne producing, and this one was recorded in Cornwall, New York, with Adam producing. Another change is that the previous albums were all made over fairly sizable periods of time -- where I would kind of go in, and do a recording session, and then come back out, and then go back in and record some more."<br><br>"With <em>Walking Into White</em>," the artist continues, "I already was in a really hectic tour schedule when the album was being planned, and over the few years in between <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> and <em>Walking Into White</em>, I was constantly jotting down song ideas -- both using audio memos on my phone, jotting down little melodic ideas, and chord progressions and so on -- and also writing down bits of lyrics. Because the tour schedule was so hectic, I hadn't finished a single song by the time we booked the studio time. We really just had 15 days in three weeks to do the whole thing: to record and mix the album. That actually turned out to be a really good way of working, and I'm going to do that again.<br><br>"Because the songs were all written in one intensive session, I think they fit together really well, and I think also I was conscious of making them all quite different from each other, in terms of: rhythmically, and what keys they're in, and what I was doing with the guitar, and what the general feel of the song was. I was thinking, 'I'm putting a suite of music together, and I want to make sure there's plenty of variety and contrast.' And also they all came out of the same kind of creative space, in a way, if that's not too airy-fairy a way to talk."<br><br>For new songs "Where the Wind Decides to Blow," "The Tide," and the title track, Sarah illuminates in her new album a literary inspiration perhaps unfamiliar to American audiences.<br><br>"It reflects a moment in time, and what themes are running through my head, and I guess one big theme would be the natural world and how we interact with it: partly because I was reading this series of books to my kids -- <em>Swallows and Amazons</em>, which are all written by Arthur Ransome -- and thinking about how a lot of situations in the books were kind of wonderful kind of metaphors for life, you know -- and metaphors drawn from the natural world."<br><br>Born in Spain, Sarah grew up in Chicago and Washington, D.C., before carrying on through disparate locales such as France, Pennsylvania, and Ireland -- eventually settling in England's west country. Since she impressively cites the decidedly-not-Disneyfied <em>Wind and the Willows</em> chapter, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" as an inspiration for "Pipe and Tabor" (from her album <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em>, with singer Zoë Pollock, together as duo Mama), I ask if she also grew up with the <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> series.<br><br>"My husband had read them as a kid," she clarifies. "They were written back in the '20s and '30s, and they'd been read to my husband by his mum, and at some stage, when the kids were young, my in-laws, his parents, gave us a box set of all 13 books. He was like, 'Oh, these are great!' And I had never come across them, because I don't think they really made it over to this country. They're very English books -- and they're of their time. There are a few politically incorrect moments in them -- which I kind of fudged over when reading them aloud to my kids. (laughs) With asides of, 'Now, this is the way people used to talk in those days.' (laughs) 'We don't do this anymore.'"<br><br>"And songs that aren't drawn from the <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> series," Sarah elaborates, "like 'Yellowstone' was inspired by a thing my son wrote on a piece of paper. Basically he was lying awake at night and worrying about things, so I said to him -- because this had worked for me -- I said, 'Why don't you try writing down your worries on different pieces of paper, and once they're written down, they're on the paper, and they don't have to be in your head anymore.' He did that, and that worked for him, but of course I being his mother had to go and look through the bits of paper where he'd written down the things that he was worried about. And one of the things that he was worried about was this underground volcano underneath Yellowstone, and the danger that it would erupt and somehow set off a chain reaction of volcanoes."<br><br>Sarah notes that at the show I attended, a geologist approached and explained to her that her son's elaborate chain-reaction concerns were unfounded. But still that volcano is potentially problematic. I ask how her son found out about it.<br><br>"Well, he's an inveterate reader of Wikipedia," she laughs. "So, we don't have TV at all, but we do have computers, and he's a mine of information which he gets off Wikipedia. He comes up with the maddest things like: gummy bears came up in conversation one time. I don't know -- somebody mentioned gummy bears. Were you talking about Haribo, Martin?"<br><br>"I think we were talking about Haribo," responds the stalwart Martin. "We'd been in Germany."<br><br>"You want peanut sauce?" knowingly asks the server.<br><br>Affirmative on the peanut sauce. Sarah cheerfully continues:<br><br>"Somebody was talking about gummy bears, and my son said: 'Gummy bears were invented by so-and-so in such a year, by somebody in Germany in 1926' or whatever -- and I was like, 'Really?! Let's see if he's right!' and I got out my phone, and looked it up, and he was right."<br><br>I let slip a flash of sincere wonder.<br><br>"He just has the most amazing ability to retain information," adds Sarah.<br><br>One of the standout songs on <em>Walking Into White</em> is "Jackdaws Rising," which makes for brilliant and unusual performance material, with Sarah delivering its polyrhythms via stomps and handclaps, plus a round of three simultaneous verses, all looped live by maestro Martin. I ask if she's dealing in metaphor, but not particularly: these jackdaws really swoop where she lives, and this is a word painting.<br><br>"I'm just describing what I see. I guess the kind of metaphorical bit, where I get kind of dreamy about it, is I'm thinking about the whole thing of twilight, and the whole thing about the crossing of worlds, and that this is the time when there's a window through to the spirit world, and it's supposed to be the time when all the ghosts are about, as well. It feels kind of spooky, because -- you can imagine, this cloud of black birds suddenly all flying up at once into the sky, and making huge amounts of noise, and then they [whooshing sound effect] back into the tree again. It's an amazing time."<br><br>("Damn, you're cool," silently reflects the journalist. "Why aren't more people cool like you?")<br><br>In closing, I ask the inspiration for the album's lovely opener, "Low Winter Sun."<br><br>"'Low Winter Sun' -- that also is kind of a word picture of a very specific time and place. It's driving up the hill from my house up to the nearest village -- especially in winter, when the sun is low. As you're driving up the hill, the sun just hits you straight on in the face, and blinds you, and you can't see anything. And there's these wonderful kind of stunted hawthorn trees, and the wind has shaped them, so they're kind of curved over. And when it's winter, and the branches are really clearly outlined, and the sun is hitting you in the face, you see this branch shape against the light, and it's just really stark and very intense.<br><br>"It's funny," smiles Sarah, patient as her Pad Thai cools, "because I try to write songs that are universal in the sense that anybody can listen to them, and feel like it's about their life in some way, but with imagery, I tend to pick on a particular, very specific piece of imagery. But hopefully my emotional reaction to that very specific image is similar to the emotional reaction another person would have to the same image. So if I describe the image, then maybe the emotion can be universal.<br><br>"If that makes any sense!"<br><br>Yes, Sarah McQuaid is a major discovery, her devotion to songcraft impressive, her nuanced delivery grounded yet heavenly. As music magazine The Living Tradition aptly put it, Sarah is world class. And she's presently touring. Seeking treasure? Here you go.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560142015-10-02T01:00:00+01:002020-01-06T22:37:28+00:00Music Road - Kerry Dexter<p><em>2 October 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “Music well worth repeated listening.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://musicroad.blogspot.com/2015/10/folk-with-edge-sarah-mcquaid-waking.html" target="_blank">http://musicroad.blogspot.com/2015/10/folk-with-edge-sarah-mcquaid-waking.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Folk with edge: Sarah McQuaid: Walking into White</strong><br>Time of changing seasons, a turn of light, a lift in the air, time of telling stories...<br><br>Sarah McQuaid tells her stories through word and melody rhythm and tone and timbre. For her fourth recording, which she has called Walking Into White, she found inspiration from sources as different as the landscape of Yellowstone, the flight of jackdaws, a pattern used for ringing church bells, and stories she has been reading to her children.<br><br>The title song, a story which spins out in McQuaid’s imagination into an elegant and spare meditation on the nature of trust, began with an image of two children walking across moorland and being caught in a fog. She drew this from a story by Arthur Ransome which she came across in one of his tales, part of a series she’d been reading to her children each night at bedtime. It seemed to her, she says in her liner notes, “like a parable for life... so much so that I decided to make it the title track of this album.”<br><br>All this is framed in McQuaid’s distinctive alto and her DADGAD guitar playing. That’s a tuning which often contributes to Celtic music’s haunting aspect and one of which McQuaid is a master. Throughout the album, these elements anchor adventures both in story and in the way the music is presented.<br><br>Traveling from her base in Cornwall, England to Cornwall, New York to work for the first time with producers Adam Pierce (who is McQuaid’s cousin) and Jeremy Backofen, who had not worked in the folk genre before, McQuaid and her road manger and sound engineer Martin Stansbury created a collection which weaves in rhythms and sonic placements you might not expect from and artist known as a folk musician. All the while, though, they stayed true to the spirit and ideas of the songs while creating an album that fits in as a natural next step in McQuaid’s musical progress<br><br>On her tours supporting the album (at this writing at the beginning of October, she’s in the midst of a US run; she regularly tours internationally). McQuaid has been devoting the first half of her concerts to playing music from the album as it is sequenced, moving from Low Winter Sun, in which her guitar rings in a pattern drawn from the peal church bells to frame atmospheric and enigmatic lyrics that suggest the beginning of a journey, to a sparse and distinctive take of Ewan MacColl’s classic love song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.<br><br>Between those two Where the Wind Decides to Blow and The Tide find McQuaid taking further inspiration from images in Ransome’s stories to explore ideas of uncertainty, persistence, trust, and reading signs. There’s a lot going on both lyrically and musically, though the songs themselves are rather short, at three verses with a twice repeated chorus for Where the Wind Decides to Blow and six verses for The Tide. The singer raises as many questions as she answers. The idea of walking through and with uncertainty to find trust and connection comes up again in the song Yellowstone, which was in part inspired by conversations McQuaid had with her ten year old son. All of this leaves plenty of room for listeners to explore, and material upon which to reflect.<br><br>That is true of each of the songs on Walking Into White, actually, including Sweetness and Pain, an a capella song whose three verses are spaced through the rest of the music at intervals, making a sort of recurring theme and comment which works both in word and melody. There’s also a very fine instrumental called I Am Grateful For What I Have.<br><br>Jackdaws Rising came about when McQuaid was playing music one evening with her friends Pete Coleman and Claire Hines. They got to playing an instrumental the pair had written and they suggested that if she wanted to write words to go along...<br><br>She was up to that challenge, and it went a step -- okay, several steps -- further when it came to recording the piece, which in lyric is dark and light, falling and rising. So are the production choices, with stamps and handclaps and rhythms which might seem out of time but actually work perfectly to express the energy of the lyric.<br><br>McQuaid’s voice is in varying ways the center of things through the recording, and that comes full circle as she draws things to a close with the hymn Canticle of the Sun and that take on The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. It’s a thoughtful journey Sarah McQuaid leads on Walking Into White, one filled with interest, surprise, and challenge, as she creates music well worth repeated listening.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560152015-10-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:07:43+00:00Acoustic Guitar - Andy Hughes<p><em>October 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“<em>Walking Into White</em> is the Sarah McQuaid album fans have been waiting for.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518216/sarah-mcquaid-acoustic-guitar-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518216/sarah-mcquaid-acoustic-guitar-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/68f908b15d7c98946abe026fd0283b7947b45f92/original/sarah-mcquaid-acoustic-guitar-2015.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Acoustic_Guitar_2015" width="100%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560162015-09-07T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:50:18+00:00The Crimson White - Chandler Padgett<p><em>7 September 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – The Greensboro Room at the Bama Theatre. </strong>“Sarah McQuaid filled the humble Greensboro Room with the warmth of her music.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.cw.ua.edu/article/2015/09/sarah-mcquaid-offers-intimate-concert-experience" target="_blank">http://www.cw.ua.edu/article/2015/09/sarah-mcquaid-offers-intimate-concert-experience</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid has intimate personal concert at Bama Theatre</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid filled the humble Greensboro Room with the warmth of her music last Sunday evening, contributing to the already sultry weather. Dimly lit with some string lights, the room only had a bar and about 30 chairs; the “stage” was an open area less than a yard from the audience. While some may consider these less than ideal concert conditions, they resulted in an intimate setting that resembled a mere meeting amongst friends, allowing McQuaid’s music to shine.<br><br>Rather than blast her listeners with as much noise as possible, Sarah prefers to form a connection with her audience, much like a storyteller. <br><br>She started the show by performing her newest album, “Walking Into White,” which exhibits the range of her talents. The wizardly Spanish guitar of “Yellowstone” and the pleasant Celtic guitar of the instrumental “I Am Grateful For What I Have” represent some of her traditional works, while the low-key electric guitar in the background of “Low Winter Sun” and echoes, stomps and claps of the sense-tingling “Jackdaws Rising” are emblematic of Sarah’s experimentation with new media. “Sweetness and Pain”, an acapella song split into three parts, highlighted McQuaid’s voice—the audience was enraptured with its ethereal sound. <br><br>In between songs Sarah chatted with the audience and shared the story behind each of her songs, often with a laugh and a smile. <br><br>After a short break she returned, only to connect with the audience even more. During “West Virginia Boys”, an Appalachian tune from her second album, she got fans to sing the last line of each verse, and in an unreleased cover of Jean Ritchie’s “Blue Diamond Mines”, she asked the audience to join in on the chorus—they were more than happy to oblige; Sarah said she got chills in her spine. Also notable was “Only an Emotion,” McQuaid’s moving commentary on grief. <br><br>With her versatile guitar and steady, soothing voice, McQuaid gradually drew in her audience into almost a trance, her music and stories like a blanket keeping fans rapt in attention—coming unwound only when the night was over.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560172015-09-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T23:07:34+00:00Ink 19 - James Mann<p><em>September 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em>. </strong>“<em>Walking Into White</em> might not make Sarah McQuaid a household name…but it should. Highly recommended.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.ink19.com/issues/september2015/musicReviews/sarahMcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://www.ink19.com/issues/september2015/musicReviews/sarahMcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong>Walking Into White</strong><br><strong>Waterbug Records</strong><br>For her fourth solo album Sarah McQuaid uses folk and Celtic styles as a starting point, and with producer and musician Adam Pierce (Mice Parade) along for the ride, they transform the expectations of the listener as they take the music onto new paths.<br><br>McQuaid’s music is oft-times ethereal, in part because of her use of the DADGAD guitar tuning (popular in Irish music and the works of Pierre Bensusan) that creates drones using open strings, which McQuaid’s voice melds with as one. Opening with “Low Winter Sun” with a repeating guitar pattern based on a peal for church bells, Pierce adds some atmospheric electric guitar and keyboards, and what could be a simple “strum and hum” tune grows into something richer. “I Am Grateful For What I Have” blends Sarah’s guitar with a classical guitar played by Dan Lippel and a cello part from Kivic Cahn-Lipman, sounding in a fashion like a lost British folk era tune. “The Silver Lining” includes some of the most insightful lyrics I’ve heard in a while: “I am constantly amazed/By the providential nature/Of the choices that I didn’t think I made” atop a jazzy arrangement featuring Pierce again, this time on drums.<br><br>The album ends with Ewan MacColl’s beautiful love song, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, known primarily in America as performed by Roberta Flack, and McQuaid performs it solo, just her lilting voice and understated guitar. It’s a wonderful rendition, and brings this stellar album to a quiet, perfect close. <em>Walking Into White</em> might not make Sarah McQuaid a household name…but it should. Highly recommended.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560182015-08-31T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:51:11+00:00Stereo Embers Magazine - Dave Cantrell<p><em>31 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em>.</strong> “An expansive and thoughtful turn that should bring a flock of fresh new listeners to a singer that those in the folk know have been clamoring about for some time now.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://stereoembersmagazine.com/lightning-strikes-quick-but-essential-reviews-for-the-discerning-listener-2/" target="_blank">http://stereoembersmagazine.com/lightning-strikes-quick-but-essential-reviews-for-the-discerning-listener-2/</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID – “Walking Into White” (Waterbug Records)</strong><br>A resilient album injecting tricky polyrhythmic indie impulses deep into an already deep folk consciousness (or is it the other way around?), nimbly adapting the allegories of classic children’s stories into full-on folk-pop narratives, and unshyly inviting a lively plethora of instrumental and percussive voices int the bountiful mix, <em>Walking Into White</em> crosses boundaries with a deft assurance of purpose. The result is an expansive and thoughtful turn that should bring a flock of fresh new listeners to a singer that those in the folk know have been clamoring about for some time now.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid’s fourth album finds the accomplished, diverse songstress traveling from Cornwall to Cornwall (UK to NY) to work with co-producers Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce (the singer’s cousin, as it happens) and one can hear brushstrokes scattered throughout of the former’s Frightened Rabbit/Felice Bros rustic rock background – “Where the Wind Decides to Blow”‘s jump into a down-home indie groove just past a minute in – and the sly adventurism of the latter’s Mice Parade/Múm instincts – the oddly-tempo’ed clap stomp treatment of “Jackdaws Rising,” complicated in its simplicity and hypnotic. Though decidedly a folk record and make no mistake, the influence of the non-folk production team makes for a record that has the spirit of a quiet brinkmanship blowing through it with a great finesse of heart.<br><br>“Low Winter Sun” bell-chimes with treated acoustic guitar (in McQuaid’s favored DADGAD tuning) and a breeze of vintage synth to enhance the rueful tone the piece rides on; the samba shuffle and crisp classical picking (Don Lippel) – not to mention the insect-wing snap of a cajón – lend the beautiful “Yellowstone” an easy intimate swing, an ideal bed in which to lay its lyrics’ efforts to allay her son’s world-ending worries while the singer’s own anxieties nag in parallel; follow-up (and single) “The Silver Lining” boasts a jerky-smooth upbeat tempo and some triumphant trumpet flourishes (Gareth Flowers) that sets its cautious optimism in a bright persistent light just beyond the clouds.<br><br>Hence the central joy of this record, as beneath the panoramic moods and the startling but unobtrusive studio wizardry – <em>Walking Into White</em> really is wonderfully produced – lies a fluid range of rich, poignantly drawn near-literary metaphors (a fair piece of the album’s themes were inspired by Arthur Ransome’s <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> series) that underscore the truth of McQuaid’s voice as being as much one of a living doubting loving human being as one of traditional folkist reportage. It’s the crux of the folk-pop idiom and here it could not have been more astutely conceived (check “The Tide”‘s thinly-veiled, stuck-in-the-shallows cautions for more proof). Offering naturalism with a sheen of calm brilliance, <em>Walking Into White</em> transcends its native roots even as it plants the genre’s tendrils all that further into the loam.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560192015-08-26T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:51:43+00:00The Vinyl District - Joseph Neff<p><em>26 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em>.</strong> “Another superb outing from Sarah McQuaid, an under-the-radar artist deserving of an audience reflective of her worldly scope.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2015/08/graded-on-a-curve-sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2015/08/graded-on-a-curve-sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>Graded on a Curve: Sarah McQuaid, <em>Walking into White</em></strong><br>Born in Madrid, the multifaceted folk musician Sarah McQuaid was brought up in Chicago, studied in France, and after a lengthy stay in Ireland currently lives in Cornwall, England. Early in 2014 she traveled to Cornwall, New York to record a follow-up to 2012’s <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em>; the result is the trimmest release of her career as McQuaid continues to push the boundaries of an engaging and increasingly personal sound. Issued in the UK/Europe this past February, <em>Walking into White</em> is out now on CD in North America through Waterbug Records to coincide with a September-October US tour.<br><br>Borrowing a term from the realm of organized sports, or for those who simply can’t abide the playing of games, the performing arts, Sarah McQuaid is what’s known as a triple-threat; that is, she does three things extremely well, specifically sing, play guitar, and write songs, though she initially excelled more at the interpretation of traditional and even centuries old material.<br><br>To elaborate, 1997’s debut <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> examined trad Irish sources and offered a fine balance of focus between the strength of McQuaid’s playing and the power of her voice, hitting peaks in the unaccompanied six-minute “Táim Cortha Ó Bheith Im’ Aonar Im’ Luí” and “The Parting Glass,” a closing duet with the esteemed Irish vocalist Niamh Parsons.<br><br>Backed by additional guitar and ukulele, cello and fiddle, keyboard and double bass, and those Irish standbys whistle and pipes, the sound is far from monochromatic, a circumstance abetted by the sole original composition. “Charlie’s Gone Home” is a decidedly more contempo folk proposition reminiscent of a ditty heard on the countertop radio while visiting the apartment of one’s favorite fifty-something hippie librarian aunt for Sunday brunch.<br><br>Many modern folkies consistently hang out on the sonic fringes, but McQuaid isn’t a bit timid over exploring mainstream possibilities, a quality that’s frankly refreshing. After moving to England in 2007 and rereleasing <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> that year, she issued <em>I Won’t Go Home ’til Morning</em> in ’08. Dedicated to her late mother, instead of an Irish foundation the disc was devoted to its stylistic relative across the pond, old-time Appalachian folksong.<br><br>She added a few nicely done tunes of her own, a vibrant, reverent cover of Bobby Gentry’s AM radio staple “Ode to Billie Joe” and a swell “In the Pines” that could temporarily inspire a mind to forget it’s been recorded 38,000 times. Then a curveball of sorts spiraled out in ’09; <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em> was released as Mama in duo with Zoë, a Brit singer best known for the ’91 UK hit “Sunshine on a Rainy Day.”<br><br>It proved an intriguing psych-folk detour, but in ’12 McQuaid’s <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> really brought the goodness, raising the number of originals to nine, deepening the rapport with her collaborators (Parsons is back, and Bill Blackmore’s flugelhorn and trumpet are recurring highlights), and including a terrific version of John Martyn’s tribute to Nick Drake, “Solid Air.” But perhaps its most impressive facet was in sounding both contemporarily informed and derived from well-aged stuff.<br><br>Make that ancient, as <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> updated songs from the 13th, 16th, and 17th centuries. At a glance <em>Walking into White</em> seems to merely adjust the template of its predecessor; it features ten originals, two songwriting collaborations and two covers, one from last century and the other reaching all the way back to early nice guy St. Francis of Assisi.<br><br>Upon inspection the collection offers distinctive rewards, beginning with the spare but musically rich “Low Winter Sun,” McQuaid’s voice and picking intermingling with electric guitar and '80s model Sequential Circuits Pro-One synth from Adam Pierce, <em>Walking into White</em>’s co-producer with Jeremy Backofen.<br><br>Though Pierce is McQuaid’s cousin, this was their first time working together, a scenario extending to Backofen. Coming from a predominantly indie rather than folk background, the pair’s expertise nudges McQuaid into new territory; as “Low Winter Sun” progresses it exudes a touch of melancholy recalling the solo work of Kendra Smith.<br><br>And yet familiar, as the guitar remains striking; noted for extensively using and presenting workshops on the DADGAD tuning, she’s authored <em>The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book</em>, and has a second volume on the way. While the opener spotlights her instrumental acumen, the concise folk-rock of “Where the Wind Decides to Blow” emphasizes maturation as a writer.<br><br>It’s one of three tracks on <em>Walking into White</em> that were inspired by Arthur Ransome’s <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> children’s books; as read to her son and a daughter, there’s thankfully no preciousness to be found. Brisk even before Pierce’s drums kick in, “Where the Wind Decides to Blow” benefits from the attractively hearty nature of the singing, and likewise for “The Tide,” the second Ransome entry bursting with lyrical imagery and luminous fingerpicking.<br><br>“I Am Grateful for What I Have,” a solid instrumental matching McQuaid with the classical guitar of Dan Lippel and the cello of Kivie Cahn-Lipman, retains the brevity of <em>Walking into White</em>’s individual selections, an aspect intensified throughout the record by three sections of the a cappella piece “Sweetness and Pain,” all shorter than a minute as they intermittently reinforce the artist’s folk roots.<br><br>The title-cut wraps up the <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> songs and introduces the trumpet of Gareth Flowers in tandem with McQuaid’s voice and her particularly sharp guitar tones. “Jackdaws Rising” finds her adding lyrics and a vocal melody to a tune written by friends Pete Coleman and Clare Hines (of the band Brocc), and the finished product utilizes stomps and handclaps, combines 5/4 and 4/4 time and weaves the singing of McQuaid, Adele Schulz and Martin Stansbury.<br><br>It’s the most complexly layered track on the disc, and it gives way to an unexpected Spanish-hued treat of “Yellowstone.” Dedicated to her son, McQuaid’s words emit warmth and a hint of ache alongside Lippel and Pierce’s percussion via cajón. From there, the brass accented indie folk-rock of “The Silver Lining” reinvestigates the regions of “Where the Wind Decides to Blow,” while “Leave it for Another Day,” a writing collab with her former producer Gerry O’Beirne, provides an emotional climax employing just vocals and guitar.<br><br>The record closes on a pair of covers. The first, “Canticle of the Sun (All Creatures of Our God and King),” is based on of St. Francis’ words of 1225 and William Henry Draper’s adaptation as first published in the <em>Public School Hymn Book</em> of 1919. Wielding two air organs and a vibraphone plus McQuaid’s vox and axe, it’s a specimen of considerable gorgeousness that’s only fault its succinctness.<br><br>Second is a solo reading of Ewan MacColl’s ode to Peggy Seeger “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” the treatment’s gradually blossoming beauty vivid and tender in equal measure. <em>Walking into White</em> is another superb outing from Sarah McQuaid, an under-the-radar artist deserving of an audience reflective of her worldly scope.<br><br>GRADED ON A CURVE: A-</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560202015-08-23T01:00:00+01:002020-01-07T19:52:03+00:00Invisible Ink Music Blog - Zachary Houle<p><em>23 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em>.</strong> “McQuaid should have a bright future ahead of her if she continues to drop albums as tender and gorgeous as this one.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://zacharyhoule.com/2015/08/23/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://zacharyhoule.com/2015/08/23/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: Walking Into White<br>Fantastic Folk</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid’s fourth album, <em>Walking Into White</em>, is as jaw-droppingly beautiful as it is transcontinental. To record it, she travelled from her adopted home of Cornwall, England (I’ve been there, and it is beautiful country) to Cornwall, New York, to cut the record in just less than three weeks, and work with co-producers Jeremy Backofen (Frightened Rabbit, Felice Brothers) and Sarah’s cousin Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Tom Brosseau, Múm). The end result is an elegant album. Some of the songs are directly about youth: three of its songs were inspired by Arthur Ransome’s classic <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> series of children’s books. To that end, <em>Walking Into White</em> is a delicate album – one that fuses the jazz-folk stylings of Joni Mitchell with the tradition British folk music of, say, Fairport Convention. (Heck, even the phrase “turning of the tide” shows up, something that Richard Thompson has used in song, too.) So, even if a late summer release in the US is strange – it more appropriately showed up in Britain in early February – this is a record worth digging into . And, heck, even if these are more winter songs than summer songs, they will cool you off from the humidity nevertheless.<br><br>What makes this album sterling is the fact that it feels longer than its 37 minutes. The reason, I figure, is that these songs are generally short, running in the two-minute range, but they feel fully formed and fleshed out, so they often belie their brevity. However, there’s more to it than that. McQuaid isn’t afraid to reach out – “Where the Wind Decides to Blow” uses some cascading indie-sounding drums to first-rate effect. There are touches of classical guitar here and there, too, as well as some horns on “The Silver Lining”. Plus, McQuaid shucks norms by using a non-standard tuning on her guitar, giving it more of a jazzy feel. The end result – coupled with top-shelf songwriting – is a listen that is pure bliss. If anything, <em>Walking Into White</em> makes one want to dig deeper into her backcatalogue to hear if it is just as outstanding as this particular release. However, looking forward, it seems as though McQuaid should have a bright future ahead of her if she continues to drop albums as tender and gorgeous as this one. <em>Walking Into White</em> is perfect for those who miss old-style British folk and ’70s folk, a genre that could use the kind of attention that McQuaid so gloriously gives it with A-list affection.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560212015-08-20T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:17:40+00:00The Boston Globe - James Reed<p><em>20 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “A soft but forceful record whose urgency is sometimes masked by the music’s acoustic serenity.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/08/20/new-album-sarah-mcquaid-turns-folk-tradition-inside-out/ocLJvcx05r1DMvJuNi6EtI/story.html" target="_blank">https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/08/20/new-album-sarah-mcquaid-turns-folk-tradition-inside-out/ocLJvcx05r1DMvJuNi6EtI/story.html</a></p>
<p><strong>On new album, Sarah McQuaid turns folk tradition inside out</strong><br>The ghosts of 1970s British folk-rock, particularly Sandy Denny and Nick Drake, haunt Sarah McQuaid’s luminous fourth album. “Walking Into White” opens with what sounds like a screen of static, as if to clear the canvas for the singer-songwriter’s plainspoken ruminations on life and death. It is a soft but forceful record whose urgency is sometimes masked by the music’s acoustic serenity. “Yellowstone” relays a 10-year-old boy’s fascination with nature, but its gentle samba beat belies the existential anxiety bubbling underneath. McQuaid, who was born in Spain, raised in the United States, and now lives in rural England, is not a strict folk classicist. As heard on the syncopated title track, her sophisticated spins on the genre recall the work of Sam Amidon. They’re both artists who honor tradition while illuminating why it endures and how it can be molded into new and original work.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560232015-08-18T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:17:14+00:00Popdose - Rob Ross<p><em>18 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “Exquisite and chill inducing.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://popdose.com/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://popdose.com/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>ALBUM REVIEW: SARAH MCQUAID, “WALKING INTO WHITE”</strong><br>There is something I find immediately charming about Sarah McQuaid’s voice upon first listen to her newest release, <em>Walking Into White</em> – it’s soothing and embracing and doesn’t sound like what can consider atypical of folk-style performers. Although she’s U.K.-based, Ms. McQuaid hails from Chicago (! Aha!), but her style of acoustic playing reminds me of Nick Drake’s way along with the near-huskiness of her voice (yes, yes, I know Nick Drake gets name-checked a lot and so what? He was brilliant. Period.). Nonetheless, her style is very lush and expansive and makes this album something to sink my teeth into.<br><br>From the opening of the stark/bleak “Low Winter Sun” to the powerhouse of “Where The Wind Decides To Blow”, this is top of the mark song execution. Her masterful playing on “I Am Grateful For What I Have” (which has shades of Townshend’s acoustic picking style in there) is exquisite and chill inducing. There is a thread that pulls these songs together, via soundscapes that appear at the end of each track; from “Sweetness And Pain I” segueing into the album’s title track (which features just-right horn punches), this album reads like a novel. The foot-stop rhythm of “Jackdaws Rising” is another turn and the breeziness of “The Silver Lining” is a bright, acoustic pop direction.<br><br>Fourteen songs – fourteen chapters. All different, interesting, melodic, soulful, literate and enjoyable. Sarah McQuaid keeps a warm summer sound with this excellent album.<br><br>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560222015-08-18T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:19:43+00:00The Big Takeover - Chuck Foster<p><em>18 August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “Sarah McQuaid has spent far too long resting in the wings of relative obscurity. Fall into <em>Walking Into White</em> and land in her soft grip, where even darkness becomes a source of comfort.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://bigtakeover.com/recordings/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white-waterbug" target="_blank">http://bigtakeover.com/recordings/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white-waterbug</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid - Walking Into White (Waterbug)</strong><br>UK-based folk singer/guitarist, Sarah McQuaid, presents her fourth solo album, which shows the songwriter flourishing within her realm.<br><br><em>Walking Into White</em> floats in the breeze that blows along a sharp cliff edge. McQuaid’s fluid guitar recalls the mastery of Roy Harper, while her gently powerful voice soothes with the authority of wisdom. The opening “Low Winter Sun” slightly recalls The Who circa <em>Quadrophenia</em> with its airy sparseness, though the following “Where the Wind Decides to Blow” blatantly nods to rock’n‘roll with a bit of heavy drumming. “Yellowstone” evokes Spanish classicism, while the three-part a cappella “Sweetness And Pain” rolls a mysterious fog upon the moor. It ends in pure, majestic beauty with the religious hymn, “Canticle of the Sun,” written by St. Francis of Assisi in 1225, translated and set to music by William Henry Draper in 1919, and, finally, Ewan MacColl’s love song for Peggy Seeger, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”<br><br>Sarah McQuaid has spent far too long resting in the wings of relative obscurity. Fall into <em>Walking Into White</em> and land in her soft grip, where even darkness becomes a source of comfort.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560252015-08-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:18:21+00:00Jersey Beat - Joe Wawrzyniak<p><em>August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “One to relish.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.jerseybeat.com/world-according-to-wawrzyniak.html" target="_blank">http://www.jerseybeat.com/world-according-to-wawrzyniak.html</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH MCQUAID - Walking Into White</strong><br>Representing contemplative folk-rock music at its most achingly delicate and harmonic, singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid's fourth album possesses a certain wrenching poignancy and sweet purity that's downright impossible not to be moved by. Better still, McQuaid's lovely voice projects an endearing mix of strength and vulnerability with bracing directness while her songwriting keeps things concise and thoughtful throughout. The natural unforced flow of the exquisitely fluid and melodic music contained herein further enhances this album's status as one to relish.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560242015-08-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:20:00+00:00babysue - Don W. Seven<p><em>August 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White. </em></strong>“The more we spin this one, the better it sounds.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://babysue.com/2015-Aug-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor917406" target="_blank">http://babysue.com/2015-Aug-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor917406</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid - <em>Walking Into White</em> (CD, Waterbug, Pop/folk/rock)</strong><br>Well now here's one that doesn't sound like all the others. <em>Walking Into White</em> is the fourth full-length release from England's Sarah McQuaid. For this album, Sarah traveled to Cornwall, New York and worked with co-producers Jeremy Backofen and her cousin Adam Pierce. The three week session resulted in this, a unique collection of progressive folk/pop compositions with links to the past and the present. Very much unlike modern commercial artists whose music has no substance or soul, McQuaid's overall sound is moody and remarkably personal. Also very much unlike modern commercial artists, Sarah's voice is exceedingly real. She comes across sounding like a real human being singing real words … rather than someone whose voice has been perfected to pieces by digital processing. Very hard to come up with any comparisons here, as this young lady seems to be coming from her own distinct space. The more we spin this one, the better it sounds. Fourteen smart compositions and they're all rather … magical. Cool reflective cuts include "Low Winter Sun," "Sweetness and Pain," Yellowstone," and "Leave It For Another Day."</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560262015-06-23T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:20:18+00:00Spacelab - Morgan Y. Evans<p><em>23 June 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“Fans of SubRosa’s spellbinding take on ‘House Carpenter’, the ethereal warmth of Melissa Nadler or Pamela Sue Mann’s spacious and lush Kevin Killen mixed stuff or Gillian Welch will love this rich album of ballads and hearth songs poured through a quirky and natural sensibility.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.thespacelab.tv/Music-Features/2015/06-June/004-Sarah-McQuaid-Interview.html" target="_blank">http://www.thespacelab.tv/Music-Features/2015/06-June/004-Sarah-McQuaid-Interview.html</a></p>
<p><strong>INTERVIEW: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><em>Walking Into White</em> by UK songstress Sarah McQuaid is the kind of god or goddess-send folk infused album of musical honesty that is almost otherworldly, yet to deny the humanity of the composer and singer would be to take away her immense talent as a musician. Fans of SubRosa’s spellbinding take on “House Carpenter”, the ethereal warmth of Melissa Nadler or Pamela Sue Mann’s spacious and lush Kevin Killen mixed stuff or Gillian Welch will love this rich album of ballads and hearth songs poured through a quirky and natural sensibility.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> Thank you for taking the time to do this. How is life finding you today?<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Aw, thank you so much for the kind comment about the album! You've just improved my day immensely. Right now I'm in Dublin, Ireland, on a Friday afternoon midway through a six-week UK and Ireland tour, and it's been hammering rain all day and I'm sitting here in a friend's house making use of her wifi and trying to catch up with my massive admin backlog. In an hour or so we'll be heading out to tonight's gig.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> I was wondering if you could elaborate on the title "Walking Into White." Also, I LOVE the horn on the title track. An inspired surprising element and really busy yet tasteful performance atop the soft vocal and very spare but dreamy guitar line. I was impressed at how it all meshed.<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Thank you! The trumpet is played by a very talented guy called Gareth Flowers, whom I'd never met before the day he came in to play on a few of the album tracks. That particular song is one of three that I wrote after reading aloud the "Swallows and Amazons" series of children's books to my kids. Situations in the books kept striking me as wonderful metaphors, and the idea for "Walking Into White" came out of an incident in the second book in the series when two kids get lost in the fog. They're walking through this thick white mist and they can't see anything in front of or behind them, and they don't even know if they're still headed in the right direction -- and I thought "That's how I feel a lot of the time!"<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> So what brought you across the pond and to my neck of the woods in upstate New York? I heard you worked with the Felice Bros engineer ... I know that band, great dudes. Were you also drawn to the folk tradition of the 60's in the Hudson Valley region? Cornwall is nice and obviously by the Hudson River. My best friend was married there.<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> The album was co-produced by my cousin, Adam Pierce, together with his longtime musical associate Jeremy Backofen. Jeremy engineered the album, and he's the one who's worked with the Felice Brothers -- he produced a couple of their albums and also played drums with them for a while. The location was purely a function of the fact that Adam's based there, and I'd been wanting to work with him for a long time. That said, right while we were in the middle of recording the album back in January of 2014, we heard that Pete Seeger had died, so Adam invited some friends around and we all gathered around a Pete Seeger songbook and sang songs in his honour -- Adam had met Pete a few times through living so nearby, and even though he's not involved in folk music at all himself, he had a lot of respect for Pete as a person, as a musician and as an environmentalist.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> Your voice is very human sounding, not a lot of trickery. The warmth on "The Tide" or at times colder, emotional passages all have depth. No trickery needed to make these songs function. "Jackdaws Rising" the foot and hand stomps, guitar and vocals...it's gorgeous layering. Shows that the old row row row your boat round formula still works best sometimes! I feel like you could sing really good lullabyes to kids, haha.<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Well, thank you! When my kids were little I used to sing to them, but these days when I'm singing at home they mostly ask me to keep it down so they can hear their computer games ...<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> How did you know you were satisfied with these songs as a collection?<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> The songs were all written within a very short space of time -- I'd been touring like crazy for the previous couple of years and hadn't had much time to sit down and finish songs, but I had a whole bunch of song ideas that I'd been jotting down, bits of lyrics and little audio memos on my phone, bits of vocal melodies and guitar twiddles. So then once I'd booked the studio time and flights from England (which is where I live) to the USA to do the recording, I got out all those notes and audio memos, went through those and wrote a load of songs in a very short space of time. Not all of them made it onto the album, but I do feel that the ones that did are probably the most coherent, cohesive group of songs that I've recorded as an album -- I feel that they all hang together really well and work almost as a song cycle, whereas my three previous solo albums were written and recorded over much longer time frames.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> I feel like "Sweetness and Pain I" will be a fan favorite. It sounds like an old traditional ballad. Check out my friend's SubRosa's haunting "House Carpenter" if you haven't. Is it a challenge to carry so much feeling through your voice yet still have a controlled, unwavering vocal?<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Again, thank you for the kind words -- and I will make sure to check that out. When I'm singing, I try to keep my focus on the song itself, rather than on how I'm singing it -- I'm thinking about the words and the melody, not about what I'm doing with my voice. That's true of my concert performances as well as of my studio work -- my aim is always that my voice should be a vehicle for the song, rather than the other way around.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> Are you often compelled to travel or are you more of a stay at home and be a recluse type?<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Well, I spend five or six months of every year on the road -- eight weeks in the USA, four Continental Europe, eight in the UK and two in Ireland, plus various festivals over the summer -- and I do love touring (which I guess is just as well, given that I do so much of it!). But then when I do get home, I'm really happy to be home, and I do love where I live -- I'm way down in the southwest tip of England, in the middle of nowhere -- my nearest neighbour is a mile down the road -- and that suits me down to the ground.<br><br><strong>Spacelab:</strong> It was just Earth Day and your "Canticle Of The Sun" is so lovely and inspirational. Is it daunting to sing "Hallelujiah" without being self concious, or is that erased when you think of the beauty of the world?<br><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid:</strong> Again, I'm focused on the content of the song itself -- the words were written by St Francis of Assisi back in the 13th century, and even though it's a hymn, I love it that it talks about the beauty of the world we live in, rather than going on and on about how terrific the next one's going to be! I'm not in any hurry to get to the next world -- I'd like to stick around in this one as long as I possibly can.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560272015-05-14T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:11:14+00:00Kingston Times - Morgan Y. Evans<p><em>14 May 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview/album review – <em>Walking Into White. </em></strong>“Bittersweet-but-beautiful songs that will seep into your heart like wine spilled on a tablecloth.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518217/sarah-mcquaid-kingston-times-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518217/sarah-mcquaid-kingston-times-2015.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/9bd71e4585112b1337977610bda4298747a882b6/original/sarah-mcquaid-kingston-times-2015.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Kingston_Times_2015" width="50%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560292015-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:20:52+00:00Irish Music Magazine - Eileen McCabe<p><em>May 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “The whole album expresses the eclectic influences from McQuaid’s life intertwined with a symbiotic, emotive edge. With a maelstrom of intensity within, it’s a totally enthralling listen.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/releases/releases-may-2015/" target="_blank">http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/releases/releases-may-2015/</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>Walking Into White<br>Waterbug Records WBG119<br>14 Tracks, 34 Minutes<br>www.sarahmcquaid.com</strong><br>It's album number four for the UK based singer songwriter Sarah McQuaid, who has just released <em>Walking Into White</em>. For this album, Sarah ventured from Cornwall, England to Cornwall, New York to work with producers Adam Pierce and Jeremy Backofen; an unexplored territory that veers away from the mainly raw, solo element yet allows for experimentation with the recording process and backing arrangements. Some of it works, some of it falls slightly away yet hardly deters from the vocal delivery that we have come to expect.<br><br>McQuaid has an intensity of vocal, dark, textured and honeyed, that can be likened to the impact of a triple espresso. It leaves you with the feeling you have just reached the other side of an emotional furnace where every thought, feeling and sense of being has smouldered through her songs.<br><br>Take the three songs inspired by Arthur Ransome’s <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> series. ‘Where the Wind Decides To Blow’ tells the story through a child’s eyes of the frenetic fear when you are out of control; in this case on a sled on a frozen lake. McQuaid uses the pacing frenzy and vocal rush to epitomise the blind fear experienced at that moment and then contrasts this as she steps back a pace when performing ‘The Tide’ and reflects on the languidness of waiting for the tide to rise.<br><br>The third Ransome inspired song is also the title song, ‘Walking Into White’. The vocal humidity and brass accompaniment embody the helplessness of not being able to see ahead in the fog which, as Sarah says, ‘is like a parable for life’.<br><br>The whole album expresses the eclectic influences from McQuaid’s life intertwined with a symbiotic, emotive edge. With a maelstrom of intensity within, it’s a totally enthralling listen.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560282015-04-15T01:00:00+01:002020-01-09T21:21:27+00:00FolkWords - Tim Carroll<p><em>15 April 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview.</strong> “We’re talking to one of our ‘Album of the Month’ winners, Sarah McQuaid, about her latest album ‘Walking into White’ – we discuss some of the influences and inspirations that brought the album’s songs to life and explore some of Sarah’s views on music.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http:/www.folkwords.com/sarahmcquaidinterview.html" target="_blank">http:/www.folkwords.com/sarahmcquaidinterview.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Interview with Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><br><em>We’re talking to one of our ‘Album of the Month’ winners, Sarah McQuaid, about her latest album ‘Walking into White’ – we discuss some of the influences and inspirations that brought the album’s songs to life and explore some of Sarah’s views on music.</em><br><br><strong>FW: Where do your influences originate – family, locations, experiences?</strong><br>SM: The answer is probably a little of everything although that’s changed over the years. Looking back across the first three albums a pattern of influence begins to emerge. I was living in Ireland during the first album ‘When Two Lovers Meet’, which given my surroundings, was primarily traditional Irish material. At that time I hadn’t really thought of myself as a songwriter. Then, there was a distinct change with the second album ‘I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning’, when a more American influence appeared, with the inspiration of Appalachian music, old-time folk and people like Peggy Seeger. And then I moved to England and made ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’.<br><br>That’s probably the time when I began thinking of myself as a songwriter and sitting down to write a song rather than waiting for inspiration to strike. ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’ has more original songs and a distinct ‘English feel’ to it because I picked up the influences of the country’s history from buildings and places. They’re songs that mix personal feelings with imagination and the influence of my surroundings. And now with ‘Walking into White’ there’s another set of influences coming into play.<br><br><strong>FW: So would you say that ‘Walking into White’ has a ‘different’ feel?</strong><br>SM: Yes it does, I wanted to achieve a very different soundscape. There’s a flow to the album alternating between contrasting tracks, some are very spare whereas some are deliberately chunky and full.<br><br><strong>FW: Do you believe that innovation and heritage can work hand in hand?</strong><br>SM: Of course, it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Every song had to be written by somebody at some time and every song that exists came out of somebody’s imagination. Each time a song arrives it has some form of innovation added to it. With ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ from ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’, I was trying to write ‘in the tradition’ because the images I tried to create needed a song that evoked the time that I was writing about. That’s not really not the case with ‘Walking into White, however I suppose you could say that the acapella triptych ‘Sweetness and Pain’ is kind of a deliberate attempt to write songs with an older feel.<br><br><strong>FW: There's almost a kind of medieval feel to those songs.</strong><br>SM: I suppose that in some way that was my intention.<br><br><strong>FW: Can you explain the influences of Swallows and Amazons on ‘Walking into White’?</strong><br>SM: It began with reading Arthur Ransome’s books ‘Swallows and Amazons’ to my children. We read aloud a chapter each night at bedtime, which took us a good year to get through all of them. As we read the books, the situations kept striking chords with me, especially the wonderful images and metaphors. Obviously, the songs ended up coming with my own perspectives, with ‘The Tide’ for example, I was thinking of getting metaphorically stuck in the mud. That seems especially true with relationships when you founder and flail around yet you’re watching others sailing serenely by as you’re making no progress.<br><br><strong>FW: That’s an image that must strike a chord with lots of people.</strong><br>SM: If you’re writing about your own experience in some way and putting the essence of those experiences into a song, I think a song somehow fails unless people find a resonance within it. Sometimes people tell me a song really speaks to them, echoing their own experiences or helping them with a tough time. When that happens I feel the song has succeeded. The theme of uncertainty running through ‘Where The Wind Decides To Blow’ continues the influence from ‘Swallows and Amazons’, looking at life and what’s around the corner. Life is all going fine and suddenly you realise you’re not actually in control.<br><br><strong>FW: ‘Swallows and Amazons’ is similar to ‘The Wind in the Willows’ - working on more than one level.</strong><br>SM: Absolutely. Naturally, there’s the children’s story but there’s also the deeper meanings that adults can relate to. The opening paragraph of the chapter, ‘The Piper at The Gates of Dawn’ from ‘The Wind in the Willows’ is so beautiful and evocative. It works as a children’s story, yet it also encapsulates images of fear and wonder that all adults can recognise. As with ‘Swallows and Amazons’ it’s a book written for children but if you’re an adult you hear the sub-text.<br><br><strong>FW: What about the story behind ‘Yellowstone’?</strong><br>SM: Actually the inspiration came from my son. He had experienced some trouble sleeping and I encouraged him to write down any worries or problems that were in his head. I told him that once he wrote them down, they were out in the open and easier to deal with. Children have a view on the world that is unique. He had obviously heard about the Yellowstone ‘supervolcano’ and it had set some thoughts running through his mind. If you look at the album booklet, behind the printed lyrics is a scan of the actual piece of paper where he had written down his concerns over the possible eruption of the Yellowstone setting off a chain reaction around the world. So when I saw what he had written I wrote the song as a metaphor about the bubbling torment of trouble that sometimes exists below ground for all of us and the feelings of fear experienced when you’re trying not to set things off.<br><br><strong>FW: That prompts the question, do words drive the music or music drive the words?</strong><br>SM: The words do tend to be primary but some songs start with me just noodling away on the guitar, sometimes a riff comes up and then I look for words that go with it. With the song ‘Walking into White’ it started with the guitar riff and the phrase: ‘The fog came down a white cloud on the ground’. When I had the whole ‘Swallows and Amazons’ thing wandering around in my head, I thought that’s where I could use the phrase. So although that track started with the guitar, I guess the concept had been there for some time.<br><br><strong>FW: Do melodies or words that have been ‘hanging around’ eventually form songs?</strong><br>SM: Certainly, when I sat down to write ‘Walking into White’ I had lyric fragments written down and audio memos recorded on my phone. I literally had tons of ideas – lyrics without melodies and melodic ideas with no lyrics - it was only when I found myself faced with a studio-time deadline that I sat down and sorted through everything and worked up the ideas that most appealed to me. Naturally, there were some ideas that didn’t make it to the album, one particular song was recorded but ditched because we didn’t think it was as strong as the others. And then the other day I just came across the scratch recording and found that I’d almost forgotten the song existed. Who knows, it will probably get filed away perhaps to return some time in the future in a different format.<br><br>The title track on ‘The Plum Tree and the Rose’ is a perfect example of a song that took a while to come together. I originally wrote a different version of it with almost the same lyrics but a totally different melody and rhythm. It was a more upbeat, driving song that I’d performed live a few times but it didn’t seem to be working. Then it came back to me as I was driving to a gig a year or so after I’d set it aside, so I sung it as an acapella song and it went down really well. Then I thought maybe needs a guitar part, so it took another year before it finally came together.<br><br><strong>FW: Many artists look to ancient or traditional songbooks for inspiration, do you?</strong><br>SM: For the most part my songs would be related to experience, however I found a little Elizabethan songbook and worked with that. I guess you can hear influences like that in songs like ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ and ‘In Derby Cathedral’. Folk music doesn’t have to be exclusively traditional it’s more what you’re trying to convey.<br><br><strong>FW: The track ‘Leave It For Another Day’ has both a contemporary and traditional feel.</strong><br>SM: That’s true. There’s certainly a contemporary feel to it although it may not be precisely what some traditionalists might expect. The song was written together with Gerry O’Beirne, so there’s also a lot of his influences in there too. Any song has to eventually ‘stand alone’ in the same way that all music has to, all I can hope for is that my music reaches people, even though on occasion it may not be what they expect.<br><br><strong>FW: Surely that’s the same with anything creative?</strong><br>SM: Of course. One of the drivers for a songwriter is to reach people. If a song catches the soul of someone it’s immensely fulfilling. I try to capture specific and also some universal images. It’s great if someone can find a link when they think of that image and relate it to their own lives. I’m not sure what it is but if someone can get something like an emotional catharsis then maybe I’ve done my job. It might not happen all the time but I know it does sometimes. Songs tell stories and stories touch people.<br><br><strong>FW: Do you see a powerful narrative a driving force in folk?</strong><br>SM: Folk songs tell stories but there are pop songs that also tell stories - it’s something you tend to find in the folk genre. The narrative in a song is what gives it its longevity. The simplistic or superficial pop song is what many people think of when you mention pop music. However, that's not all it has to offer, many pop songs offer more than that, from tongue in cheek tales to emotive narratives. All you have to do is take a look at songs like ‘Space Oddity’, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ or ‘American Pie’, they’re all narrative songs. To a large extent some pop songs have become folk songs, for example ‘Yellow Submarine’ is regularly being sung in play groups and around campfires, it’s a song that’s become part of the folk heritage of a generation, and there are many more.<br><br><strong>FW: What’s your view on the ‘folk, not folk’ argument?</strong><br>SM: It’s crazy. When I’m trying to book gigs I constantly encounter: ‘We’re a folk club and you’re not really folky enough for us’. Then just as regularly I come across: ‘You’re too folky for our audience’. It’s incredibly annoying. I play quite a number of village hall gigs and I like them because nobody is too concerned about what category to put you in, everybody in the village simply turns out because it’s a good night out.<br><br><strong>FW: So, following on from ‘Walking into White’ what’s next?</strong><br>SM: I definitely want to work with Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce again. I feel that we can do even more next time, we know each other better and the experience of making ‘Walking into White’ makes the thought of moving on to another project even more exciting. So the plan is to take a year out from touring in 2017 to give myself enough time to focus on the process and bring out album number five at the start of 2018.<br><br><strong>FW: Sarah, thank you it’s been a pleasure talking to you.</strong></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560302015-03-25T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:23:18+00:00General-Anzeiger - Neal Graham<p><em>25 March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Folk im Feuerschlösschen (English translation follows German original). </strong>“Traumhafter Gesang, ausgefeilte Spieltechnik und ein breites Repertoire – diese Frau bringt alles mit.”<em> (Gorgeous vocals, sophisticated guitar technique and a broad repertoire – this lady’s got it all.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de/region/rhein-sieg-kreis/bad-honnef/Eine-Stimme-wie-irischer-Malt-article1596623.html" target="_blank">http://www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de/region/rhein-sieg-kreis/bad-honnef/Eine-Stimme-wie-irischer-Malt-article1596623.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid beim Folk im Feuerschlösschen<br>Eine Stimme wie irischer Malt<br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>BAD HONNEF. Sesshaftigkeit war noch nie Sarah McQuaids Ding. Geboren in Madrid, aufgewachsen in Chicago, lebte die Vollblutmusikerin zunächst in Frankreich, dann lange Jahre in Irland. Zur Zeit ist sie im englischen Cornwall zu Hause. Stilistisch festlegen lässt sie sich ebenso wenig.<br><br>Folk, natürlich, aber auch keltische Einflüsse, Mittelalterliches, Americana und Swing – wenn es um ihre Leidenschaft, die Musik, geht, kennt Sarah McQuaid keine Genre-Grenzen. Bei der jüngsten Ausgabe von “Folk im Feuerschlösschen” machte das multinationale Live-Talent seinem guten Ruf alle Ehre.<br><br>Es war Sarah McQuaids zweiter Abstecher in die Folk-Hochburg auf dem Sibi-Gelände; zuletzt war sie im Jahr 2013 in Bad Honnef aufgetreten. Seitdem ist ihr musikalisches Repertoire um ein ganzes Album gewachsen – und ihr Fundus an Anekdoten ebenfalls reichlich aufgestockt.<br><br>Die Programmgestaltung fiel außergewöhnlich aus: “Es gibt so viele Leute, die sich ein Album herunterladen, ohne es dann jemals als Ganzes anzuhören”, meinte die Sängerin. Dabei sei das Gesamtkunstwerk mehr als die Summe seiner Teile. Als Beweis gab es in der ersten Konzerthälfte daher ihr komplettes neues Album zu hören; nach der Pause folgte dann gewissermaßen eine Auswahl ihrer “Greatest Hits”.<br><br>Sarah McQuaids Musik ist gewiss anspruchsvoll – nicht zuletzt der zahlreichen stilistischen Einflüsse wegen. Doch wer sie zu schätzen weiß, dem eröffnet sich eine ganz eigene, detailverliebte Welt. Es sind weniger die ganz großen, eingängigen Melodien, mit denen sie aufwartet, sondern behutsame Klangverflechtungen, vorgetragen mit kunstvollem Gitarrenspiel und wundervoll harmonischen Pickingmustern.<br><br>McQuaid versucht nicht, mit atemberaubender Spielgeschwindigkeit zu punkten. Das hat sie auch gar nicht nötig. Sie mag es ohnehin ruhiger und besinnlicher, liebt das Spiel mit feingliedrig verwobenen Harmoniebildern. Dazu ihr betörender Gesang – warm, hinreißend, mit einem unwiderstehlichen Anflug von Sehnsucht. “Wie dreifach destillierter irischer Malt-Whiskey”, so wurde ihre Stimme einmal beschrieben – mild-süß und herb zugleich eben. Eine passende Beschreibung für eine enorm talentierte Künstlerin.<br><br>Besonders beim gedankenverloren melancholischen “Leave It For Another Day” bewies Sarah McQuaid ihr Talent als Songwriterin. Es sollte nicht das einzige Mal an diesem Abend bleiben, dass sie Gänsehaut bereitete. Herausstach ferner die Live-Sound-Technik ihres Produzenten Martin Stansbury: Perfekt eingesetzte Wiederhall-Effekte verliehen dem ohnehin zauberhaften “Walking Into White” eine geradezu mystische Aura.<br><br>Die Atmosphäre einer nebelverhangenen Waldlichtung in der Dämmerung wurde förmlich greifbar. Cover von Ewan MacColls “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” und Jerry Jeff Walkers “Mister Bojangles” rundeten das Konzerterlebnis ab. Keine Frage: Liebhabern stilistischer Vielfalt dürfte Sarah McQuaids Musik runtergehen wie Honig. Traumhafter Gesang, ausgefeilte Spieltechnik und ein breites Repertoire – diese Frau bringt alles mit. Ihr zweiter Auftritt im Feuerschlösschen dürfte kaum ihr letzter gewesen sein.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Alison Moffat for the translation below!<br>Sarah McQuaid at Folk im Feuerschlösschen<br>A Voice Like Irish Malt</em></strong><br><em>BAD HONNEF. Settling down has never been Sarah McQuaid‘s thing. A musician through and through, she was born in Madrid, grew up in Chicago, moved to France and spent many years in Ireland before deciding on Cornwall, where she currently lives. </em><br><br><em>Her musical style is equally hard to pin down, its folk bedrock overlaid with Celtic influences and touches of medieval music, Americana and swing. Where music, her passion, is concerned, Sarah McQuaid disregards the bounds of genre. The multi-national singer certainly cemented her good reputation at the most recent concert in the ‘Folk im Feuerschlösschen’ series.</em><br><br><em>It was Sarah McQuaid‘s second visit to the bastion of folk after her Bad Honnef debut in 2013. Since then, she’s added an album to her musical repertoire – and countless anecdotes to her collection. The evening followed an unusual plan: “So many people download an album without ever listening to it all the way through – but an album is a complete work of art, and more than the sum of its parts”, explained the singer. As proof, the first half of the concert was taken up by a complete performance of the new album, while the second half was dedicated to a selection of her ‘greatest hits’. </em><br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid’s music demands attention, not least because of its variety of stylistic influences. But those willing to pay attention enter a unique world of meticulous detail. Instead of ‘big’ anthemic melodies, she focuses on delicately woven, filigree sounds backed by skilful guitar and gorgeously harmonious picking patterns.</em><br><br><em>McQuaid makes no attempt to win the audience by playing at breathtaking speed – and she doesn’t need to. Her preference is for a calmer, more contemplative style with shimmering harmonies, combined with her captivating vocals – warm, mesmerising, with an irresistible touch of yearning. Her voice was once compared to “a triple-distilled Irish malt” – pleasantly sweet, yet with a sombre, austere tinge. A fitting description for an enormously talented artist.</em><br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid’s talent as a songwriter came especially to the fore in the dreamily melancholy “Leave It For Another Day” – the first, but definitely not the last gooseflesh moment of the evening. A further highlight was the live sound created by her producer, Martin Stansbury, whose crisply applied echo effects crowned the already enchanting “Walking Into White” with a positively mystical aura that brought the atmosphere of a misty forest clearing at twilight perfectly to life.</em><br><br><em>Covers of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” and Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mister Bojangles” completed the programme. There’s no question that all concert-goers who appreciate diversity of style will lap up Sarah McQuaid’s music. Gorgeous vocals, sophisticated guitar technique and a broad repertoire – this lady’s got it all. Her second appearance at Feuerschlösschen certainly won’t be her last.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560312015-03-23T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:24:59+00:00Honnef Heute - Florette Hill<p><em>23 March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Folk im Feuerschlösschen (English translation follows German original).</strong> “Mit virtuosem Gitarrenspiel, unvergleichlicher Stimme und vielseitigen Kompositionen zog sie die Fans schnell in ihren Bann.”<em> (Sarah McQuaid’s virtuoso guitar, distinctive voice and richly diverse compositions quickly captivated her fans.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.honnef-heute.de/bad-honnef/sahrah-mcquaid-vielseitig-im-feuerschloesschen/51603/" target="_blank">http://www.honnef-heute.de/bad-honnef/sahrah-mcquaid-vielseitig-im-feuerschloesschen/51603/</a><br><strong>Sarah McQuaid – vielseitig im Feuerschlösschen<br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>Bad Honnef: Sonntag trat sie zum zweiten Mal in Bad Honnef auf – Sarah McQuaid. Bereits 2012 begeisterte sie das Publikum im Feuerschlösschen. Und das war auch heute, obwohl es vier weitere Veranstaltungen an diesem Tag in Honnef gab, wieder bis zum letzten Platz besetzt.<br><br>Mit virtuosem Gitarrenspiel, unvergleichlicher Stimme und vielseitigen Kompositionen zog sie die Fans schnell in ihren Bann.<br><br>Mittlerweile hat die Künstlerin fünf Alben aufgenommen, vor der Pause präsentierte sie Stücke ihres ersten Albums. Darin verarbeitete sie für einen Song die Inhalte eines Kinderbuchs oder die schnelle Tide in Norfolk: “Warst Du unvorsichtig und sitzt Du mit Deinem Boot fest im Schlamm, weil Du nicht schnell genug warst, musst Du warten, bis Du wieder von der reinkommenden Flut an Land gespült wirst”.<br><br>Mit dem Iren Iren Gerry O’Beirne schrieb sie Lied, das via E-Mail kommuniziert wurde – er arbeitete daran in Irland, sie in Cornwall. Nach sechs Wochen war es fertig: “Leave It For Another Day”.<br><br>Auch sehr Intimes verarbeitete die in Madrid geborene Musiker in ihren Stücken. So trug sie ein Lied vor, das von den Einschlafproblemen ihres damals 10-jährigen Sohnes handelte.<br><br>Zum Ende hin griff Sarah McQuaid zu einem rosafarbenen Tamburin und animierte das Publikum, die Refrains mitzusingen – was ausgezeichnet klappte. Klar: Bad Honnef eben.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Alison Moffat for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Bad Honnef: Sunday was Sarah McQuaid’s second performance in Bad Honnef after her enthusiastically received concert at the Feuerschlösschen in 2012. And despite competition from four other events in Honnef tonight, the venue was packed to the doors.</em><br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid’s virtuoso guitar, distinctive voice and richly diverse compositions quickly captivated her fans.</em><br><br><em>The artist, who has five albums to her credit, presented tracks from her first album in the first half, including songs based on a children’s story and on Norfolk’s legendary fast tides: “If you aren’t careful and your boat gets stuck in the mud because you weren’t fast enough, you just have to wait there till the incoming tide washes you ashore.” </em><br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid joined forces with Irish musician Gerry O’Beirne to write a song by email – he was in Ireland, she was in Cornwall. After six weeks, the song “Leave It For Another Day” was finished.</em><br><br><em>The Madrid-born musician also gives some very personal insights in her songs, performing a composition about the difficulties experienced by her son (then aged 10) in getting to sleep.</em><br><br><em>At the end of the concert, Sarah McQuaid picked up a pink tambourine and encouraged the audience to sing a chorus – and they joined in with gusto. That’s Bad Honnef for you!</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560322015-03-18T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:26:13+00:00Cry Me A Torch Song - Piers Ford<p><em>18 March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile</strong>. “McQuaid’s voice has an unforced richness which is the perfect foil for the echoing, spacious arrangements of her songs – and for her guitar, which here assumes a dazzling array of guises; one minute it’s as plangent as a piano, the next, it’s buzzing on a rock-and-roll riff. A unique, multi-textured sound emerges as each song pours out a new narrative.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://cry-me-a-torch-song.com/2015/03/18/interview-sarah-mcquaid-a-born-troubadour-comes-of-age/" target="_blank">http://cry-me-a-torch-song.com/2015/03/18/interview-sarah-mcquaid-a-born-troubadour-comes-of-age/</a></p>
<p><strong>Interview: Sarah McQuaid – a born troubadour comes of age</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid might live in Cornwall these days, but it’s hardly surprising that her inner troubadour regularly urges her to get out on the road. A quick skim through her formative years reveals the origins of a nomadic streak that will only be satisfied by taking her distinctive, guitar-driven stories directly to a rapidly growing audience – wherever it happens to be.<br><br>She was born in Madrid, the child of a Spanish father and an American mother, raised in Chicago (the touring bug struck early – McQuaid was a member of the city’s Children’s Choir, which travelled widely across the North American continent), and made regular visits to her grandmother’s home in Indiana. When Europe called, she spent a year studying philosophy at the University of Strasbourg and eventually arrived in Dublin in 1994, where she lived for 13 years, carving a career as a music journalist and dabbling in songwriting, before moving to England in 2007.<br><br>McQuaid says the reasons that she now calls Cornwall ‘home’ were initially purely utilitarian: when her mother died, she took over her house – which then became the natural place for Sarah and her husband Feargal Shiels to settle down and raise their own family . But she also appreciates the county’s significance in her evolution as a musician.<br><br><strong>Crucial Cornwall</strong><br>“Cornwall is wonderful and I don’t know if I’d be doing what I am today if it hadn’t happened that way,” she says. “It was here that I met Zoё [Pollock, the singer/songwriter best known for her 1991 hit ‘Sunshine on a Rainy Day’]. Our kids were at the same school. We got to know each other and she came round and played a few songs for me – with nonsense lyrics. I wrote some words and it was great, just exhilarating, working with her.”<br><br>The two women formed a folk duo, Mama, and released an album in 2008. “I’d made records before that [she released her first album in 1997] and if a song came to me I’d write it, but it was never something I specifically sat down to focus on. But the whole process of working with Zoё filled me with energy and I thought this was something I could actually <em>do</em>, write my own songs for a career. It was the first time I started to think about myself as a songwriter,” she says.<br><br><strong>Walking into White</strong><br>It was also, clearly, the foundation for McQuaid’s status as a rising star in the UK’s eclectic galaxy of notable singer/songwriters. She has just released her fourth solo album, <em>Walking into White</em>, self-penned apart from a fresh, unadorned cover of ‘”The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. It showcases a quiet confidence in her skill as a lyricist, a commitment to her craft that is maturing at an opportune time, and a diversity of influences.ranging from lullabies and Latin beats to traditional folk and ballads of quality.<br><br>McQuaid’s voice has an unforced richness which is the perfect foil for the echoing, spacious arrangements of her songs – and for her guitar, which here assumes a dazzling array of guises; one minute it’s as plangent as a piano, the next, it’s buzzing on a rock-and-roll riff. A unique, multi-textured sound emerges as each song pours out a new narrative. A melancholy trumpet gives an imaginative edge to many of the songs.<br><br>When we speak, she has just returned from an extensive visit to the States and is already planning her next set of UK gigs. This will lead into a European leg and eventually to a full-scale spring tour of Britain, and you can sense her eagerness to get out there and recreate the acoustic idiosyncrasies of the album in an endless variety of live settings.<br><br>That considerable task weighs on the shoulders of her manager and touring sound engineer Martin Stansbury who helped with creative direction on the album, co-produced by McQuaid’s cousin Adam Pierce and Jeremy Backofen. Her professional hook-up with Stansbury was another key influence on her progress as a fully-fledged singer/songwriter.<br><br>“If I hadn’t started working with Martin, I would find it very hard to tour,” she says. “He handles everything. The album has quite a cinematic feel. Recreating that quality, with its musical interludes and shifting sounds is tricky and requires some technical wizardry. Some of these songs became completely transformed during the recording, and now I have to try and recreate Adam’s feedback loops live…”<br><br>The US tour was an exhausting success, which taught McQuaid a few logistical lessons.<br><br><strong>Touring tips</strong><br>“I’ve been touring since 2010 so this is my fourth year and I feel like I’m finally getting it,” she says. “My tip for every travelling musician is to buy nuts and put them in zip-sealed bags! I love it. The way you settle into the rhythm and life actually becomes very easy. You get up, drive, stop for an interview, check in to your hotel, do your sound-check. It’s almost military in its precision.<br><br>“However, I planned the US tour very badly. On paper it looked so reasonable – gigs interspersed with rest days. Only I hadn’t factored in the 600-mile drives on those rest days! I mean, Colorado is breath-taking but Kansas doesn’t change at all, mile after mile. But the gigs were great and it gave me the chance to return to places that I know and love. You get novelty on a tour. Every place, audience and venue is different. Even so, by the tail-end of the US tour, I <em>was</em> getting weary and thinking it would be nice to get home.”<br><br>Home is also the source of a lot of McQuaid’s inspiration: three of the songs on the new album were inspired by Arthur Ransome’s <em>Swallows and Amazons</em> books, which she discovered through bedtime reading sessions with her husband and their two children, and she would always catch up if a gig meant she missed a chapter.<br><br>“Because I grew up in the States I hadn’t been aware of them – my contribution has been Laura Ingalls Wilder’s <em>Little House on the Prairie</em> books. I love children’s literature. E. Nesbitt is another favourite,” she says.<br><br>These tracks are among the most magical on the album, taking the listener into a world of metaphors and life experiences. The ‘white’ of the title isn’t necessarily innocence – it could be a blizzard full of danger; and there is plenty of shade in McQuaid’s evocative lyrics.<br><br><strong>Singing today</strong><br>“I now consider myself a singer/songwriter,” she says, after a pause to think. “There’s a hell of a lot of talent out there. And because of the technology, everyone can put their music out. Record companies don’t have all the control any more. But there’s tons of bad stuff as well, and it’s daunting that you have to plough through so much of it to get to the good stuff. The upside for an artist is that if you don’t want to perform and tour, you can just make albums and work to get them heard.”<br><br>McQuaid, however, intends to carry on doing both, and perhaps it’s a sign of her growing confidence that she included the Ewan MacColl classic on <em>Walking into White</em>.<br><br>“I like to do a cover on every album, and I just love this number. It’s one of the most perfect love songs ever written,” she says. “But I’m acutely aware that he wrote it for Peggy Seeger and hated all the other versions. I’ve tried to be true to it. I was aiming to sing it as though I was singing quietly to the person whose head was on the pillow next to me.”<br><br>And with that, prompted by her manager, she has to call time on our conversation. The road beckons, and there’s another destination to reach before McQuaid reels in another audience in thrall to her sonic way with a story.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560332015-03-15T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:28:16+00:00Folkforum - Mirjam Adriaans<p><em>15 March 2015</em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Een intrigerend album op, met enkele pareltjes om van te blijven genieten.” <em>(An intriguing album that features a few gems that simply demand repeated playing.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkforum.nl/cds/82-cd-recensies/13793-nieuw-album-sarah-mcquaid-intrigeert" target="_blank">http://www.folkforum.nl/cds/82-cd-recensies/13793-nieuw-album-sarah-mcquaid-intrigeert</a></p>
<p><strong>Nieuw album Sarah McQuaid intrigeert<br>Sarah McQuaid - Walking Into White - Waterbug Records WBG119<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Een optreden van Sarah McQuaid is altijd de moeite waard, zo kon ik vandeweek zelf nog vaststellen in het Cultuurhuis in Heerlen, waar ze haar nieuwe CD <em>Walking Into White</em> voorstelde. Dat deed ze door de plaat integraal te spelen met behulp van geluidsman Martin Stansbury die voor de nodige technische snufjes zorgde. McQuaid heeft muzikaal gezien namelijk opnieuw een andere weg ingeslagen.<br><br>Na een album met vooral Ierse traditionals en eentje waar de Amerikaanse folk prominent aanwezig is maakte ze een plaat met wat meer eigen werk en liedjes uit de periodes die in Engeland bekend staan als de Georgian era (1740-1830) en Elizabethan era (1558-1603). Alledrie werden geproduceerd door Gerry O’Beirne (dit keer enkel co-auteur van <em>Leave It For Another Day</em>), maar voor <em>Walking Into White</em> reisde Sarah van het Engelse Cornwall naar Cornwall in de Amerikaanse staat New York. Daar werkte ze met producers Jeremy Backofen en Adam Pierce (een neef van haar). De twee komen niet uit de folkwereld en dat levert een ander geluid op dan op de vorige platen. Sarah McQuaid schreef dit keer alles zelf, op twee nummers na: <em>Canticle Of The Sun</em> (een dertiende-eeuwse hymne waar in de 17de eeuw muziek onder is gezet) en <em>The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face</em>, het prachtige lied dat Ewan MacColl ooit voor Peggy Seeger schreef. Het is een rustige afsluiter geworden van een plaat waarmee ze buiten haar vertrouwde folksfeer stapt.<br><br>Daar moet ik aan wennen, de mooie warme stem verdrinkt hier en daar een beetje in de begeleiding, maar na veel luisteren komen toch wat pareltjes bovendrijven. Zo is er een aardig tekstueel drieluik, <em>Where The Wind Decides To Blow</em> (met een stevig jaren ’70 folkrockgeluid), <em>The Tide</em> (een fijne ballade, met extra vocalen van Adele Schulz) en titelnummer <em>Walking Into White</em> (met een lekker ontspannen trompet van Gareth Flowers) zijn gebaseerd op de kinderboekenserie <em>Swallows And Amazons</em> van Arthur Ransome. Ze las de boeken voor aan haar kinderen en werd zelf geraakt door de verhalen, die soms een metafoor lijken te zijn voor het leven. <em>Sweetness And Pain</em> is een geheel a capella stuk dat in drie delen is verspreid over het album. Een ander liedje dat mij bijzonder aanspreekt is <em>Yellowstone</em> (met een Spaans gevoel door Dan Lippel op klassieke gitaar), het ontstond toen ze ontdekte dat haar zoon bang was dat de grote vulkaan onder Yellowstone ooit zou uitbarsten, met alle (apocalyptische) gevolgen vandien. De tekst ontwikkelt zich van de angsten van een tienjarig kind naar die van een volwassene:<br><br>Who am I to say don’t worry<br>How can we help dwelling<br>On the things we can’t control<br>Even if we’re more than ten years old<br><br>Een heerlijk percussief stuk is <em>Jackdaws Rising</em>, met stomps en handgeklap, ontstaan tijdens een sessie met vrienden. Pete Coleman en Clare Hines hadden een melodie (met de titel 13 Moons) en nodigden Sarah uit om er een tekst bij te maken. Dat deed ze en Adam Pierce had het idee om een vijfkwartsmaat percussie te zetten onder een vierkwarts deun. Het levert een fijn intrigerend en lekker folky nummer op, dat live weliswaar lastig is om uit te voeren, maar Sarah McQuaid doet het toch. In Heerlen komt ze er goed vanaf, “almost in time” is het commentaar van Martin Stansbury. Hij is uiteraard kritisch, het publiek geniet.<br><br><em>Walking Into White</em> herbergt nog steeds de mooie donkere stem van Sarah McQuaid en haar heldere gitaarspel in DADGAD-stemming, toch is het een heel andere plaat geworden dan zijn voorgangers. De producers hebben voor een veel steviger, minder folky, maar wel intense aanpak gekozen. Het levert een intrigerend album op, met enkele pareltjes om van te blijven genieten.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!<br>New Sarah McQuaid album intrigues </em></strong><br><em>That attending a Sarah McQuaid concert is always a guarantee of a great night out was confirmed to me last week when I went to see her presenting her new CD Walking Into White in the Cultuurhuis in Heerlen. She performed the whole album on the night, with no small help from her sound engineer, Martin Stansbury, who provided the technical knowhow that McQuaid’s decision to pursue a new musical avenue demands. </em><br><br><em>After two albums dominated by Irish and American folk, her third CD contained more self-penned work and songs from the Georgian (1740-1830) and Elizabethan (1558-1603) eras in England. All three albums were produced by Gerry O’Beirne (who contributes as co-author on Leave It For Another Day on the new CD), but for the recording of Walking Into White, Sarah made the journey from Cornwall, England to Cornwall in the state of New York, USA, where she teamed up with the producers Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce (Sarah’s cousin). Not having any background in folk music themselves, the contribution of the twin producers resulted in a sound that is markedly different from her previous albums. Sarah McQuaid wrote all of the songs on the album herself, except for two: Canticle Of The Sun (a thirteenth century hymn that was set to music in the 17th century) and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, the fabulous song that Ewan MacColl wrote for Peggy Seeger and the last track on an album that sees her move out of her ‘folky’ comfort zone.</em><br><br><em>It took some getting used to at first -- her beautifully warm voice is a little overpowered every now and then by the musical accompaniment -- but only a few listens later I had discovered a couple of real gems. For example, the trilogy of songs Where The Wind Decides To Blow (with its robust ’70s folk-rock sound), The Tide (a graceful ballad featuring extra vocals by Adele Schulz) and the title track Walking Into White (with the relaxed trumpet playing of Gareth Flowers) are all based on the Swallows And Amazons children’s books written by Arthur Ransome. It was while reading the stories to her own children that Sarah became increasingly attracted to them and their metaphorical significance. Sweetness And Pain is an a capella number that is actually spread over three different tracks on the album. Another song that captured my attention is Yellowstone (Dan Lippel on classical guitar lends it a Spanish feel), which she wrote after discovering that her son was afraid that the enormous volcano under Yellowstone Park was going to erupt, with all the (apocalyptic) consequences of such an event. The lyrics are a smooth translation of the fears of a ten-year-old boy into those of an adult:</em><br><br><em>Who am I to say don’t worry</em><br><em>How can we help dwelling</em><br><em>On the things we can’t control</em><br><em>Even if we’re more than ten years old </em><br><br><em>Jackdaws Rising is a superbly rhythmic number, complete with foot stomps and handclaps courtesy of a session with a bunch of friends. Pete Coleman and Clare Hines had written a melody (titled 13 Moons) and asked Sarah to write some lyrics to go with it. Adam Pierce then came up with the idea of recording this 4/4 tune with the percussion in 5/4. The result is an intriguing and catchy folky number that is not easy to perform live. Not that this prevents Sarah McQuaid from doing so. In Heerlen she manages to pull it off, “almost in time” according to Martin Stansbury. His critical faculties remain sharp; the audience laps it up.</em><br><br><em>While Walking Into White still emphasises Sarah McQuaid’s dark and beautiful voice and on her excellent guitar playing in the DADGAD tuning, it is quite different from its predecessors. The producers opted for a heavier, less folky, but by no means less intense approach. The result is an intriguing album that features a few gems that simply demand repeated playing.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560342015-03-12T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:30:35+00:00Folk Radio UK - Helen Gregory<p><em>12 March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> Walking Into White. </em></strong>“As frustrating as it must surely be that a greater public recognition has so far eluded her, Sarah McQuaid has clearly held true to her own musical vision and it’s to be hoped that <em>Walking Into White</em> is the album which will bring her the wider commercial success she so richly deserves.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2015/03/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2015/03/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – Walking into White</strong><br><em>Walking Into White</em> is the fourth solo album by the Penzance-based singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid. An accomplished musician who has never been afraid to take chances, Sarah has developed a highly distinctive playing style based on the use of the DADGAD open tuning and this has allowed her to soak up diverse influences from Irish traditional music to Appalachian folk, Elizabethan ballads to jazz, pop and many other styles. For this record, she enlisted the services of two producers (Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce) from outside the folk scene and with whom she’d never worked with before. It’s a leap in the dark that could quite conceivably have gone horribly wrong but, for the most part, Sarah’s instincts have proved remarkably good. The result is a highly enjoyable record by a musician who, despite endless tours and recording sessions, still remains one of the UK’s best-known unknowns. However, I do have reservations about the production decision to use what the PR notes call “occasionally unorthodox recording methods (a mini-cassette recorder mounted on a microphone stand, for example)”, which does, from time to time throughout the album, result in noticeable amounts of tape hiss. Whether this adds or detracts from one’s listening experience is, of course, a highly subjective matter which will undoubtedly vary according to individual tastes.<br><br>The opening Low Winter Sun showcases both Sarah’s musical eclecticism and the influence of her co-producers; Adam Pierce’s synth washes underpin guitar melodies which are drawn from church bell peals (specifically the Westminster Quarters and Plain Bob Doubles). Campanological influences aside, the song has its own rhythmic core which sits well with the lyrical subject matter of driving through the countryside with the wintry sun in your eyes.<br><br>Where The Wind Decides To Blow is the first of three songs on the album which were inspired by Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series of children’s books. The idea to write these songs came from Sarah’s having read aloud all twelve books to her two children as bedtime stories and the lyrical content of Where The Wind Decides To Blow is derived from an incident in the fourth book, Winter Holiday, where what starts out as a fun idea suddenly goes a bit sideways. Tempered by Kivie Cahn-Lipman’s dreamy cello, there’s a sense of foreboding in Sarah’s playing which explodes into a full-on 1960s-ish rock arrangement in the middle eight with the arrival of Adam’s overdubbed one-man rhythm section (drums, bass and electric guitar).<br><br>It’s followed by The Tide, the second of the Swallows and Amazons influenced trilogy and which finds its inspiration in both Cool Club and Secret Water. As Sarah points out in her sleeve notes, the stories are something of a metaphor for life: if you get stuck in the mud when the tide goes out, all you can do is wait for it to rise again. Musically a little less raucous than Where The Wind Decides To Blow, Sarah’s exemplary playing is foregrounded over Rob King’s restrained piano and Adam’s skittery percussion, while Adele Schulz adds some ethereal harmony vocals to the refrains.<br><br>The instrumental I Am Grateful For What I Have is a gentle, kaleidoscopic showcase for Sarah’s virtuoso playing; Dan Lippel’s classical guitar adds some nice tonal variation, while Kivie’s understated cello drone grounds the piece and adds depth. It sets the scene for the curiously lo-fi a capella Sweetness And Pain I, the first of an almost accidental trilogy in that, after recording the whole piece, Sarah decided that it might work better split into three parts “to be scattered amongst the other tracks as a sort of interlude and recurring theme”.<br><br>The album’s title track Walking Into White resumes and concludes Sarah’s Swallows and Amazons trilogy, this time based on the book Swallowdale. Again offering a lyrical metaphor for one of life’s more trying experiences – the sense of being lost in a thick fog with no idea of which way to go – it benefits from a clean and simple arrangement of just Sarah (guitar and vocals) around which the trumpet of Gareth Flowers weaves and billows although, like the preceding Sweetness And Pain I, the recording has a definite lo-fi feel about it which manifests itself in a particularly high level of tape hiss, at least to my ears.<br><br>Jackdaws Rising is a joint composition which derives from an instrumental tune called 13 Moons, written by Sarah’s friends Pete Coleman and Clare Hines of the band Brocc. Sarah felt that it would work well as a three-part round (the second and third parts are here sung by Adele Schulz and Martin Stansbury), while co-producer Adam adds a 5/4 percussion part to this rousing 4/4 tune. Additional percussion in the form of stomps and handclaps is provided by the ensemble (including the other co-producer, Jeremy Backofen). A definite highlight and one which may well cause you to, um, shake a tailfeather!<br><br>Dedicated to Sarah’s son Eli, Yellowstone has an almost flamenco feel, thanks in part to Dan’s classical guitar flourishes. Adam adds some restrained cajon beats and the result is a soothing lullaby which will undoubtedly help to calm any ten-year old who has been kept awake by the vagaries of the big bad world outside. By contrast, The Silver Lining is a much livelier affair, partly as a result of its very poppy song structure and partly because of Adam’s driving, rocky drums. Jeremy’s bass helps to keep things on an even keel while the vocal harmonies and Gareth’s muted trumpet add to what is a real radio-friendly highlight of the album.<br><br>Bookended by the second and third parts of the lo-fi Sweetness And Pain a capella trilogy, Leave It For Another Day, co-written with Gerry O’Beirne (who produced her first three albums) foregrounds Sarah’s intricate playing, which is well suited to a song which has the 1960s folk revival at its heart, despite her fragile, delicate vocals being buried in the mix. Adam’s treated electric guitar adds some interesting, if upfront, textures to the sound which, once again features the aforementioned “unorthodox recording methods”.<br><br>Canticle Of The Sun, possibly better known to many as the hymn All Creatures Of Our God And King, is an unusual choice of material but the organ drones (by Martin and Adam) are arranged in a way that allows Sarah’s gorgeous multitracked harmonies to shine through. Her playing, too, is a joy to hear and the feel of church bell ringing pervades the tune to good effect. The album closes with Sarah’s solo (voice and guitar), lo-fi cover of the Ewan MacColl song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. As she says in her sleeve notes, “it’s one of the most perfect love songs ever written” and her performance is a correspondingly tender way to round out the record.<br><br>As frustrating as it must surely be that a greater public recognition has so far eluded her, Sarah McQuaid has clearly held true to her own musical vision and it’s to be hoped that <em>Walking Into White</em> is the album which will bring her the wider commercial success she so richly deserves.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560352015-03-07T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:32:09+00:00The Next Gig - Richard Wagenaar<p><em>7 March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Podium Cafe Peter en Leni (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Live kregen haar nummers nog meer intensiteit, zeggingskracht en kwam het kortom nog meer tot leven.” (Live, the tracks gained intensity, expressiveness and in short came even more to life.)</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://thenextgig.weebly.com/recensies-2015.html" target="_blank">http://thenextgig.weebly.com/recensies-2015.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid overtreft live haar studioalbum<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>STEENDAM – Bij de wereldwijde CD presentatie op het podium van Peter en Leni in Steendam van ‘Walking into White’ van Sarah McQuaid bleek dat de artieste op het podium haar albumprestatie nog wist te overtreffen. Live kregen haar nummers nog meer intensiteit, zeggingskracht en kwam het kortom nog meer tot leven. De kracht van McQuaid is dat ze op het podium erg dicht bij zichzelf blijft. McQuaid is een oprechte artieste met een prima hand voor haar gitaar en in staat om het publiek aan zich te committeren. Sinds haar laatste Nederlandse tour is McQuaid ook nog eens gegroeid als artieste.<br><br>Tijdens haar publiekspresentatie van ‘Walking into White’speelde ze integraal haar album met als bonus een mooie introductie van haar liedjes, zodat ook het verhaal achter haar werk werd verteld. Al direct bleek bij ‘Where the Wind decides to Blow’ en ‘The Tide’ dat McQuaid in topvorm stak. Mooi bij stem, warm en prachtig werden de nummers gebracht. Bij een optreden van McQuaid gebeurt er veel op het podium, maar ook veel achter de mengtafel, waar Martin Stansbury zijn magie bedrijft met onder andere de loop. Dat was onontbeerlijk bij nummers als ‘Jackdaws Rising’ wat live erg moeilijk uit te voeren is, maar wat toch tot een goed einde werd gebracht. Op andere momenten zocht de geluidsman iets teveel de grens op, vooral in ‘Leave it for another Day’.<br><br>Na de pauze nam McQuaid haar publiek mee op een dwarsdoorsnede door haar eerdere werk. Dat leverde een magnifieke uitvoering op van ‘Lift you Up and let you Fly’. Een nummer dat geïnspireerd is door haar dochter en oprecht gezongen werd vanuit een moeders hart. McQuaid sprong op een prettige manier door de breedheid van haar repertoire. Van Americana naar Britse folk en via Ierse traditionals weer terug. Af en toe een cover, zoals ‘Ode aan Billie Joe’ van Bobbie Gentry en als toegift ‘Mr Bojangles’ bij Jerry Jeff Walker waarmee ze eer inlegde voor de schrijvers van beide nummers, maar er ook in slaagde het in te passen in het McQuaid repertoire. McQuaid overtuigde als mens en artieste.<br><br><em><strong>Thanks to Peter van Zeijl for assistance with the translation below!<br>Sarah McQuaid live surpasses her studio album</strong><br>STEENDAM - The worldwide CD launch at Podium Café Peter en Leni in Steendam of Sarah McQuaid’s “Walking Into White” demonstrated that onstage, the artist surpasses even her performance on the album. Live, the tracks gained intensity, expressiveness and in short came even more to life. McQuaid’s strength is that onstage she remains very true to herself. McQuaid is a sincere artist with a fine hand for her guitar, and has the ability to engage her audience. Since her last Dutch tour, McQuaid has also grown as an artist.<br><br>During her public presentation of “Walking Into White”, she played her album in its entirety, with lovely introductions of her songs as a bonus, so that the stories behind her work were also told. With “Where the Wind Decides To Blow” and “The Tide”, it was immediately evident that McQuaid was in top form. A beautiful voice, warm and wonderful songs were brought. At a McQuaid show, a lot happens onstage, but a lot also happens behind the mixing desk, where Martin Stansbury works his magic, including a loop effect. This latter was essential for songs like “Jackdaws Rising”, which is difficult to implement live, but nevertheless was brought to a successful conclusion. At other times, the sound engineer pushed the boundaries a little too far, especially on “Leave It For Another Day”.<br><br>After the break, McQuaid took her audience through a cross-section of her previous work. That generated a magnificent performance of “Lift You Up and Let You Fly,” a song inspired by her daughter and sincerely sung from a mother’s heart. McQuaid hopped in a pleasant way over the breadth of her repertoire, from Americana to British folk, via Irish traditional music and back again. Occasionally a cover, such as Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe” and as an encore “Mr Bojangles” by Jerry Jeff Walker, with which she paid homage to the writers of both songs, but also managed to fit them into the McQuaid repertoire. McQuaid convinced both as a person and as an artist.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560412015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:49:30+00:00Ctrl.Alt.Country - Benny Metten<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Walking Into White is niet enkel McQuaids meest persoonlijke en emotionele plaat tot op heden, het is gewoon ook haar beste.” <em>(Not only is Walking Into White McQuaid’s most personal and emotional album to date, it is also her best.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.ctrlaltcountry.be/Pagina1ArchiefFebruari2015.htm#SarahMcQuaid" target="_blank">http://www.ctrlaltcountry.be/Pagina1ArchiefFebruari2015.htm#SarahMcQuaid</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH MCQUAID “Walking Into White” (Waterbug Records)<br>(3,5****)<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Voor de opnames van haar vierde cd “Walking Into White” ruilde Sarah McQuaid gewoon het ene Cornwall voor het andere in. Om er te kunnen samenwerken met co-producers Jeremy Backofen (Frightened Rabbit, Felice Brothers) en haar neef Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Tom Brosseau, Múm) verliet ze tijdelijk haar geadopteerde Britse thuishaven van die naam voor het gelijknamige stadje in Orange County, New York. Daar in de States ging de Engelse op zoek naar een compleet andere benadering van haar liedgoed. En die vond ze dus onder de vleugels van het normaliter niet in het folkwereldje actieve duo Backofen-Pierce. Dat tweetal slaagde erin om de intensiteit van haar live performances te vatten. Om haar wat ruwere kantje van tijdens die gigs ook op plaat te vereeuwigen. En om als dusdanig haar folkmateriaal ook voor een normalerwijze eerder voor pop en rock vallend publiek aantrekkelijk te maken.<br><br>Geopend wordt er met het in al z’n ijzigheid voorzichtig rillingen over je dan nog argeloze luisteraarslijf jagende “Low Winter Sun”. Vervolgens gaat het richting het met één vitale jump de sixties voor het hier en nu achter zich latende folkrockexperimentjke “Where The Wind Decides To Blow”, net als het ijle, meteen daaropvolgende “The Tide” en het titelnummer gebaseerd op de kinderboeken van Arthur Ransome.<br><br>“I Am Grateful For What I Have” blijkt op zijn beurt dan weer een klassieke allures vertonende akoestische gitaarinstrumental, “Sweetness And Pain I” het eerste van een in drie delen opgesplitst a cappella interludium, “Jackdaws Rising” een sfeervolle, met Adele Schulz en Martin Stansbury “three-part round” en “Yellowstone” een voorwaar zelfs even met een bedaard sambaritme flirtend niemendalletje. Uptempo single “The Silver Lining” kenden we hier al een poosje als een moment van pure klasse van McQuaid en het ingetogen, samen met Gerry O’Beirne, de producer van haar vorige drie albums, gepende “Leave It For Another Day”, haar benadering van Drapers “Canticle Of The Sun” en de afsluitende cover van folkicoon Ewan McColls “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” zijn al evenzeer intrigerende lappen eigentijds folkvlees.<br><br>Kort samengevat: “Walking Into White” is niet enkel McQuaids meest persoonlijke en emotionele plaat tot op heden, het is gewoon ook haar beste. En het zou ons dan ook geenszins verwonderen, mocht de door haar erop ingeslagen weg op termijn ook deze richting succes op wat grotere schaal blijken te zijn.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>To record her fourth CD, “Walking Into White”, Sarah McQuaid decided to swap one Cornwall for another. She relocated from her adopted home in the UK to the town of Cornwall in Orange County, New York, so that she could team up with the co-producers Jeremy Backofen (Frightened Rabbit, Felice Brothers) and Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Tom Brosseau, Múm), who happens to be her cousin. The trip to the States was made with the intention of approaching her music and songs from an entirely different perspective and the Backofen-Pierce duo, who normally don't operate in 'folky' circles, provided the perfect counterfoil. They were able to capture the intensity of her live performances and commit the raw energy of her performances to tape. In so doing, they have managed to make her folky material attractive to an audience that would be more at home with pop and rock music.</em><br><br><em>The icy calm of the opening track “Low Winter Sun” gently teases the unsuspecting first-time listener before bolting along to the Sixties-like sound of the folk-rock experimental number “Where The Wind Decides To Blow”, the fast-paced “The Tide” and the title track, which is based on the children's books written by Arthur Ransome.</em><br><br><em>“I Am Grateful For What I Have” bears all the hallmarks of a classic acoustic guitar instrumental, “Sweetness And Pain I” is the first installment of an a cappella trilogy that also includes the atmospheric “Jackdaws Rising”, a “three-part round” with Adele Schulz and Martin Stansbury, and the flirtatious “Yellowstone” with its easy samba rhythm. We had already fallen completely for the up-tempo single “The Silver Lining” - classic McQuaid - and the subdued “Leave It For Another Day”, co-written with Gerry O’Beirne, the producer of her previous three albums. Her interpretation of Draper's “Canticle Of The Sun” and the cover of folk icon Ewan McColl's “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” are also intriguing slices of pure folk magic.</em><br><br><em>To put it simply, not only is “Walking Into White” McQuaid’s most personal and emotional album to date, it is also her best. And it would be no surprise to us if her newly chosen musical path eventually brings her even greater success.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560402015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:16:31+00:00Le Cri du Coyote - Sam Pierre<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows French original). </strong>“Sarah a su se moderniser sans se renier, osé être différente tout en restant elle-même, se renouveler avec talent.”<em> (Sarah has succeeded in modernising herself without disowning herself, has dared to be different while at the same time remaining herself, renewing herself with talent.)</em></p>
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<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID: Walking Into White<br><em>(English translation appears below French original.)</em></strong><br>Le parcours de Sarah McQuaid est atypique. Née en Espagne d’un père espagnol et d’une mère américaine, elle vit désormais dans la campagne anglaise (Cornouailles) après avoir passé treize ans en Irlande (mais aussi, quand elle avait 18 ans, étudié un an la philosophie à Strasbourg). Guitariste de talent, elle a écrit <em>The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book</em> et publié trois albums depuis 1997, logiquement très marqués, surtout les deux premiers, par des influences celtiques. Changement de décor pour <em>Walking Into White</em> puisque Sarah s’est embarquée pour Cornwall (traduction anglaise de Cornouailles) dans l’état de New York afin de travailler avec deux co-producteurs locaux, Jeremy Backofen et Adam Pierce (son cousin). Les deux hommes ne sont pas issus du monde du folk et travaillent pour la première fois avec Sarah, ce qui donne à l’album une couleur bien différente des précédents. La guitare de Sarah sonne d’une manière inhabituelle, sans doute en raison des techniques d’enregistrement moins orthodoxes qu’à l’accoutumée, la voix a une fraîcheur et une spontanéité qui ne se démentent jamais. On ne pense plus à l’Irlande en écoutant le disque, même lors de la reprise du standard d’Ewan MacColl, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Une véritable atmosphére, d’une esthétique toute moderne, a été créée et subsiste malgré les changements de registre. La trompette jazz (Gareth Flowers) de Walking Into White, la guitare classique (Dan Lippel) de Yellowstone se fondent parfaitement dans l’ensemble, comme le cantique traditionnel Canticle Of The Sun. Sarah a su se moderniser sans se renier, osé être différente tout en restant elle-même, se renouveler avec talent. (SP)<br><em>Waterbug Records / http://www.sarahmcquaid.com</em><br><br><em>Sarah McQuaid’s journey is an atypical one. Born in Spain to a Spanish father and an American mother, she now lives in the English countryside (Cornwall), after having spent thirteen years in Ireland (but having also, when she was 18 years old, studied philosophy for one year in Strasbourg). A talented guitarist, she wrote <em>The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book</em> and has published three albums since 1997, unsurprisingly very marked – especially the first two – by Celtic influences. A change of décor for <em>Walking Into White</em>, as Sarah travelled to Cornwall in New York State in order to work with two local co-producers, Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce (her cousin). The two men don’t come from the world of folk, and were working for the first time with Sarah, which gives the album a very different colour from its predecessors. Sarah’s guitar has an unusual sound, no doubt owing to the unorthodox recording techniques, and the voice has a freshness and spontaneity that never fail. One no longer thinks of Ireland while listening to this album, even during the cover of Ewan MacColl’s standard, <em>The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face</em>. A veritable atmosphere, of a completely modern aesthetic, has been created and subsists despite the changes of register. The jazz trumpet (Gareth Flowers) of <em>Walking Into White</em>, the classical guitar (Dan Lippel) of <em>Yellowstone</em> merge perfectly within the ensemble, as does the traditional hymn <em>Canticle Of The Sun</em>. Sarah has succeeded in modernising herself without disowning herself, has dared to be different while at the same time remaining herself, renewing herself with talent. (SP) </em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560392015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:18:19+00:00Heaven Magazine - Koos Gijsman (Mar 2015)<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Enkele draaibeurten verder beginnen de liedjes te beklijven en kan ik niet anders dan mijn hoed afnemen voor deze moedige zangeres die opnieuw een grote stap gezet heeft in haar ontwikkeling als muzikante.” <em>(After a few spins I couldn’t get the songs out of my head and I simply had to doff my hat to a singer who has obviously taken a major step forward in her musical career.)</em></p>
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<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>WALKING INTO WHITE<br>Waterbug Records<br><em>De Cornwall-connectie</em><br>(8.5/10)<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Drie jaar geleden verscheen het derde album <em>The Plum tree And The Rose</em> van de in het Engelse Cornwall wonende zangeres/ liedjesschrijfster Sarah McQuaid. Het betekende haar debuut als liedjesschrijfster. Dankzij haar samenwerking met plaatsgenoot Zoë, met wie ze in 2009 onder de naam Mama het album <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em> uitbracht, begon McQuaid in die periode zelf liedjes te schrijven. Haar albums als vertolkster van traditionele Ierse folk (<em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> uit 1997) en de traditionele muziek uit het gebied van de Appalachen <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> uit 2008) getuigden al eerder van haar talenten als zangeres en gitariste. De lovende kritieken van vrijwel de hele internationale folkscene voor <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> stellen McQuaid voor de lastige taak met een opvolger te komen die aan de hoge verwachtingen voldoet. Productioneel betekent het een breuk met Gerry O’Beirne met wie ze haar eerste drie albums opnam. Wel heeft hij meegeschreven aan <em>Leave It For Another Day</em>. In de Tree Time Studios in Cornwall, USA hebben de producers Jeremy Backofen (Frightened Rabbit, The Felice Brothers) en Sarah McQuaid’s neef Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Ólöf Arnalds) gekozen voor een invulling die stilistisch minder nadrukkelijk op de folkmuziek is gericht. De welhaast verstilde, transparante opzet van zijn voorganger zul je op <em>Walking Into White</em> maar zelden aantreffen. Het totale klankbeeld is veel steviger en kent een meer poppy karakter. Aanvankelijk moest ik daar aan wennen. Enkele draaibeurten verder beginnen de liedjes te beklijven en kan ik niet anders dan mijn hoed afnemen voor deze moedige zangeres die opnieuw een grote stap gezet heeft in haar ontwikkeling als muzikante.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>The Cornwall-based singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid released her third album The Plum Tree And The Rose three years ago. It marked her debut as a fully-fledged songwriter and was the culmination of a period during which McQuaid began to write her own songs, inspired by her collaboration with fellow artist Zoë with whom she recorded the album Crow Coyote Buffalo in 2009 under the band name Mama. Her previous albums, the traditional Irish folk CD When Two Lovers Meet (1997) and the Appalachian-inspired I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning (2008), had already showcased her talent as a singer and guitarist. The high praise showered by the international folk scene on The Plum Tree And The Rose in particular presented McQuaid with the daunting task of living up to high expectations with her new recording. The first step she took was to find another producer to replace Gerry O’Beirne, with whom she had recorded her first three albums, although he does feature on the new album as co-writer of Leave It For Another Day. In Tree Time Studios in Cornwall, USA, her newly installed producers, Jeremy Backofen (Frightened Rabbit, The Felice Brothers) and Sarah McQuaid’s cousin Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Ólöf Arnalds), chose to employ a less folk-oriented style. The tranquil and transparent feel of the previous albums is almost nowhere to be found on Walking Into White. The sound has become heavier and is even poppy in places. It took some getting used to at first. However, after a few spins I couldn’t get the songs out of my head and I simply had to doff my hat to a singer who has obviously taken a major step forward in her musical career.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560382015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:20:26+00:00Folker - Mike Kamp<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows German original). </strong>“Ein mutiges Album mit einem potenziellen Pophit.” <em>(A courageous album that includes a potential pop hit.)</em></p>
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<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br><em>Walking Into White</em><br>(Waterbug Records WBG119,<br>www.sarahmcquaid.com)<br>14 Tracks, 34:45, mit engl. Texten u. Infos<br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>Auf ihrem vierten Album hat die englische Amerikanerin Sarah McQuaid von gewohnten Klängen Abschied genommen. Ihr bisheriger folkorientierter Produzent, der Ire Gerry O’Beirne, taucht nur noch als Mitverfasser eines Songs auf. Dessen Aufgabe übernahmen die Amerikaner Adam Pierce und Jeremy Backofen, die mit Folk bislang wenig zu tun hatten. Deren Hörerwartungen unterscheiden sich deutlich von O’Beirne, und entsprechend anders klingt McQuaid: Der Sound geht eher in Richtung Indie und bewegt sich zwischen A-cappella-Gesang mit Hintergrundrauschen, angejazzten und bluesigen Tönen und Drums, Bass und Fender, aber selbstverständlich ist die akustische Gitarre weiterhin dabei. Auch sorgten Pierce und Backofen neben ungewöhnlichen Klangideen für deutlich gestraffte Texte, sodass die Lieder meist unter drei Minuten bleiben. Neben den Eigenkompositionen interpretiert McQuaid die Hymne „Lasst uns erfreuen“ (auf Englisch) und MacColls legendäres „The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face“. Ein mutiges Album mit einem potenziellen Pophit („The Silver Lining“), und im März können McQuaids Fans die Liveumsetzung im Rahmen einiger Deutschlandkonzerte überprüfen.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Alison Moffat for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>The fourth album by English American singer Sarah McQuaid introduces a departure from her former signature style. Gerry O’Beirne, the folk-leaning Irish producer of her previous albums, is now only credited as co-writer of one song; his position has been taken by US producers Adam Pierce and Jeremy Backofen, whose careers so far have had little to do with folk. As listeners, their expectations diverge widely from O’Beirne’s – and this divergence is reflected in McQuaid’s new sound. Her style is now closer to indie, spanning a cappella numbers with soughing background effects, jazzy, bluesy songs, and drums, bass and Fender, with Sarah’s characteristic acoustic guitar as a constant. As well as shaking up the sound, Pierce and Backofen have also tightened up the lyrics, keeping most of the tracks under three minutes. McQuaid’s own compositions are joined by an interpretation of the hymn “All Creatures of our God and King” and MacColl’s legendary “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. A courageous album that includes a potential pop hit (“The Silver Lining”). McQuaid’s fans can check out how the album translates to live performance in March, when the singer will be on tour in Germany.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560372015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:21:36+00:00The Musician - Keith Ames<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “A work that grows with each listen.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://issuu.com/musicians_union/docs/the_musician__spring_2015_" target="_blank">http://issuu.com/musicians_union/docs/the_musician__spring_2015_</a></p>
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<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br><em>Walking Into White</em></strong><br>Taking her inspiration from sources including classic children’s tale <em>Swallows & Amazons</em>, Sarah builds upon her back catalogue to spin a web of acoustic magic.<br><br>Sarah’s fourth album of acoustic and folk-tinged intensity has been produced by Stateside producers Jeremy Backofen and her cousin Adam Pierce. Their drive to enthuse the recording with an enhanced intimacy and emotional impact certainly pays off.<br><br>Using a number of unorthodox recording methods, such as a mini-cassette recorder mounted on a microphone stand, the team has created a complete piece and a series of outstanding tracks including <em>Yellowstone</em>, about a boy’s obsession with volcanic apocalypse, which benefits from wonderful Spanish guitar solo interludes. <em>Low Winter Sun</em>, meanwhile -- with its pealing bell effects and chiming strings -- hints of winter chill, yet there is a warmth and positivity emanating from Sarah’s vocals and the ensemble playing. A work that grows with each listen.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560362015-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:22:35+00:00R2/Rock & Reel - Ian Pickles<p><em>March 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “The songs are acutely observed and literate, almost like journal notes set to music. They’re measured and tranquil but they’re never dull because there is always a sense of restlessness and unease behind the poetry.”</p>
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<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>****<br>Walking Into White<br>(WATERBUG) www.waterbug.com</strong><br><br>Sarah McQuaid’s new album is a meditation on landscape and nature and on our relationship with them. The songs are acutely observed and literate, almost like journal notes set to music. They’re measured and tranquil but they’re never dull because there is always a sense of restlessness and unease behind the poetry.<br><br>We are in dangerous country. We should not be deceived by its beauty. A blinding blizzard springs up as cloud rolls in like an anvil. Fog engulfs children on a high fell. Thorns scratch the hand that seeks their fruit. Album opener ‘Low Winter Sun’ sets the scene. A lyric of tremulous brevity reminds of us of those moments when, driving in winter, we are temporarily blinded by sunlight. The guitar plays church bells over distant rumbles of noise and McQuaid’s voice is calm and beguilingly frank. It’s a bit like receiving an unexpected confidence from a stranger.<br><br>Highlights include three songs based on the work of Arthur Ransome, and the a cappella ‘Sweetness And Pain’ which appears as three segments. The album closes with a heartfelt version of st. Francis of Assisi’s solo hit ‘Canticle Of The Sun’ and a particularly sweet cover of Ewan MacColl’s ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’. And it’s all lovely.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560422015-02-24T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:43:20+00:00Concert Monkey - Ioana Nica<p><em>24 February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “A deep, resonant record.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://concertmonkey.be/reports/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-walking-white" target="_blank">http://concertmonkey.be/reports/album-review-sarah-mcquaid-walking-white</a></p>
<p><strong>ALBUM REVIEW: Sarah McQuaid - Walking Into White</strong><br>The singer-songwriters always bring along the constant fascination for an endless ocean of emotions and stories shaped up with (apparently) so little resources – plain songs, their voice, a guitar or a piano. But their work is deeply rooted into the most precious thing that can be put out there: themselves. And behind each of them, there is a unique universe and personal history. Can there be anything more intriguing than that?<br><br>Music journalist, artist, folk singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid has a distinctive biography and background. Born in Spain, raised in US, taught how to sing by her mother, she toured from the age of 12 with the Chicago Children’s Choir, studied in France, settled in Ireland and later on moved to England. ‘Walking Into White’ is her fourth solo album.<br><br>The striking essentials of the album are the strength suggestive of cold and warm feelings without falling into the ‘sad versus happy’ cliché, the richness in sounds, themes and arrangements and its holistic approach towards different topics, leaving still enough space for contemplation and thought.<br><br>It talks a lot about childhood, hiding insightful metaphors on life behind beautiful lyrics and inspiration found in the bedtime reading done by Sarah to her kids. The title track together with two other songs – ‘Where The Wind Decides To Blow’ and ‘The Tide’ found inspiration in Arthur Ransome’s classic ‘Swallows and Amazons’ twelve children’s books. ‘Yellowstone’ is more direct, a true life-guiding advice against children fears which can ruin the beauty of life.<br><br>The same record brings together a vocal-only song and an instrumental-only one. As a great sign of Sarah McQuaid power of suggestion stands ‘Sweetness And Pain’, which was originally recorded as a full a cappella song, to be finally split into three parts across the record. At the opposite pole, ‘I Am Grateful For What I Have’ is a guitar ballad with a self explanatory title, which I find particularly significant for the entire philosophy of the record as it may represent the link between the introspection on less pleasant aspects of life (‘Low Winter Sun’ or ‘Jackdaws Rising’) and hope, joy and reassurance (‘The Silver Lining’ or ‘Leave It For Another Day’).<br><br>The album ends with two covers, ‘Canticle Of The Sun’ wrote in the 13th century by St. Francis of Assisi and best known as the hymn ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’. ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ is a beautiful version for a love song written for Peggy Seeger.<br><br>‘Walking Into White’ is a deep, resonant record with many variations which somehow keep the same high level of intensity. An ambitious project which obviously couldn’t be done without a significant previous experience. Melting together contemporary, medieval and Spanish rhythms or vocal, guitar, cello, synthesizer and trumpets harmonies, and still keeping the sense of a strange unity, which comes natural as if it was the most normal state of play… Such magnitude can only be found the frame of life itself.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560432015-02-19T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:44:39+00:00FolkWords - Tim Carroll (Feb 2015)<p><em>19 February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “Sending out a trembling resonance, this is a collection of songs that feel their way into your being.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkwords.com/reviewarchive_101389.html" target="_blank">http://www.folkwords.com/reviewarchive_101389.html</a></p>
<p><strong>‘Walking into White’ from Sarah McQuaid - completeness and unity pervades</strong><br>The echoing magic of ‘Walking into White’, the latest album from Sarah McQuaid, seizes you from the first and holds you captured long after the last notes fade. The owner of a distinctive captivating voice, exponent of striking melodic dexterity, Sarah has created an album suffused with slices of exploration and discovery that writes one more mesmeric chapter in the ever-expanding chronicle of her music.<br><br>Sending out a trembling resonance, this is a collection of songs that feel their way into your being, combining to impart breadth and spread coupled with an allure that beguiles you to share the confidences they reveal. From the supremely melodic instrumental ‘I Am Grateful For What I Have’ through the lingering three-part round of ‘Jackdaws Rising’ to the combination of child-inspired innocence and adult-insecuritites running through ‘Yellowstone’, a sense of completeness and unity pervades the entire album.<br><br>The hypnotic ‘Low Winter Sun’ pulls you into a moody, synthesized soundscape evoking the chill that accompanies cold winter sunshine, before the potent ‘Where The Wind Decides To Blow’, taking its influence from Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons’, adds adult nuances to the story’s theme. The references to ‘Swallows and Amazons’ crop up in two more songs, with Sarah using her love of these children's books to expand allegorical reach. ‘The Tide’ explores navigating a ‘safe channel’ through shallow water into the dangers lurking in life’s shallows’, while ‘Walking Into White’ expands on another life-parable of finding your way through enveloping fog.<br><br>The truly beautiful ‘Leave It For Another Day’ with its echoing guitars, deeply-moving lyrics and haunting vocals is a shiver-inducing song, ‘Canticle Of The Sun’ (better known as ‘All Creatures Of Our God And King’) repeats the splendour, while Sarah’s emotive take on Ewan McColl’s ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ performs the perfect close.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560442015-02-17T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:45:26+00:00Dancing About Architecture - Dave Franklin<p><em>17 February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White. </em></strong>“Sarah McQuaid doesn’t so much make albums, she takes journeys.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://dancingaboutarchitecture.info/2015/02/17/walking-into-white-sarah-mcquaid-waterbug-records-reviewed-by-dave-franklin/" target="_blank">http://dancingaboutarchitecture.info/2015/02/17/walking-into-white-sarah-mcquaid-waterbug-records-reviewed-by-dave-franklin/</a></p>
<p><strong><em>Walking Into White</em> – Sarah McQuaid (Waterbug Records) reviewed by Dave Franklin</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid doesn’t so much make albums, she takes journeys exploring various music traditions, Celtic, Appalachian and English Folk are all places she has so far visited and the records act like acoustic photo-albums that she gives us access to upon her return. For this latest album, both her method of travel and the type of journey have changed considerably. Not only recording in New York but also collaborating with producers outside the traditional folk and roots environment has some produced some surprising results.<br><br>There are still some many trademark McQuaid sounds, her amazingly rich voice, obviously, the medieval round of Jackdaws Rising, the poeticism and originality of the song crafting, but this time out she's playing with a musical palette that is broader in its scope and often much more contemporary.<br><br>On Yellowstone, for example, her vocal delivery lilts along in a way that conjures Janis Ian’s At Seventeen and is accompanied by some wonderfully evocative Spanish guitar from Dan Lippel. Brass even raises its head in the form of Gareth Flower’s trumpet adding a nice contemporary wash to tracks such as Silver lining and the title track itself.<br><br>Still at the core of much of the writing is that intangible elemental quality that threads through Sarah’s work, in the Sweetness and Pain triptych and the three part song cycle based on Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons, the machinations of the natural world often used as metaphors for the trials and tribulations of life.<br><br>And as on The Plum Tree and The Rose when she chose John Martyn’s Solid Air to cover, here another iconic standard is re-imagined to great effect, this time Ewan MacColl’s “perfect love song” The First Time Ever I saw Your Face.<br><br>Change and evolution is always a good thing and Walking Into White really does find Sarah in some wonderfully new musical scenarios but there is still enough of a connection with the albums that came before as well. The result is an album that still appeals to her existing fan base but one that opens doors to a whole new, slightly more mainstream audience.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560452015-02-09T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:47:07+00:00AltCountryForum - Martin Overheul<p><em>9 February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“<em>Walking Into White</em> is Sarah McQuaids avontuurlijkste, meest ambitieuze en gewaagdste album tot nu toe. En haar beste.”<em> (</em>Walking Into White<em> is Sarah McQuaid’s most adventurous, most ambitious and most daring album to date. And her best.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.altcountryforum.nl/2015/02/09/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://www.altcountryforum.nl/2015/02/09/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – Walking Into White<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Bewondering, betovering en ontroering. Dat is way <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> van Sarah McQuaid drie jaar geleden bij mij opriep. Het album eindigde dan ook hoog in mijn voorkeurslijstje van 2012. Daardoor keek ik reikhalzend uit naar de opvolger. Zou ze de ingeslagen weg aanhouden? Of zou ze, na drie albums te hebben afgeleverd die bloedmooi waren meer wel in elkaars verlengde lagen, kiezen voor een andere invalshoek? Een eerste vingerwijzing naar een nieuwe aanpak was het aanstellen van Jeremy Backofen en haar neef Adam Pierce als producers, twee heren die hun sporen verdienden in de roots- en rockmuziek. Het is vooral hun onbevangenheid tegenover folk die McQuaid zocht in haar wens om andere wegen in te slaan. Een tweede aanwijzing waren de songs die sporadisch werden vrijgegeven. Ze lieten een zangeres horen die haar muzikale wortels niet verloochende, maar tegelijkertijd de deuren wijd openzette om nieuwe invloeden binnen te laten. Die bredere aanpak, inclusief synthesizer, percussie en een bij tijden best stevige elektrische gitaar, zorgt op <em>Walking Into White</em> voor een klankkleur waarin folk, rock, pop en een vleugje flamenco in elkaar overvloeien.<br><br>Natuurlijk is de stem van Sarah McQuaid nog steeds het belangrijkste element op dit album, maar de soms ingenieuze arrangementen en de schwung waarvoor de producers kiezen, maken van <em>Walking Into White</em> behalve een buitenbeentje in haar oeuvre vooral een plaat die het avontuur zoekt en dat ook vindt. Een song als <em>Leave It For Another Day</em> is een exponent van die benaderingswijze. Het nummer rust op een fraaie melodie, maar ontleent extra kracht aan de feedback van Pierce’s Fender. Diezelfde aanpak, zonder feedback maar mét een synthesizer, maakt van <em>Low Winter Sun</em> met zijn repetitieve gitaarloopje een even verrassende als biologerende opener. Het daaropvolgende <em>Where The Wind Decides To Blow</em> zet de verrassing voort met regelrechte rockelementen. Ook in titelnummer <em>Walking Into White</em>, waarin trompettist Gareth Flowers een belangrijk aandeel heeft, blijkt het verruimen van folk met een andere stijl – een stevige dosis jazz – te leiden tot een uitstekende song. Met <em>Yellowstone</em>, opgedragen aan haar zoon Eli, grijpt McQuaid terug naar de afkomst van haar Spaanse vader en mixt ze flamenco met bossa nova: “My son can’t sleep / He’s ten years old / He’s scared that Yellowstone will blow”. Afsluiter <em>The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face</em>, ‘one of the most perfect love songs ever written’, laat dan weer horen dat ze op vocaal vlak naast de besten kan staan. <em>Walking Into White</em> is Sarah McQuaids avontuurlijkste, meest ambitieuze en gewaagdste album tot nu toe. En haar beste.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Delight, fascination and enchantment. Those were the emotions that Sarah McQuaid's album The Plum Tree and The Rose inspired in me three years ago and earned it a high ranking on my list of favourite CDs for 2012. Since then I have eagerly anticipated her next release. Would she follow the same path she had chosen back then? Or, after recording three fabulous albums that were the logical follow-up to each other, would she choose a fresh perspective? The first indication of a new approach was her decision to appoint Jeremy Backofen and her cousin Adam Pierce as producers, both of them having a rich background in roots and rock music. Their open-mindedness with regard to folk music was exactly what McQuaid was looking for. Another indication that she was changing course was the sporadic release of a number of new songs in which we got to hear a singer who wished to remain true to her musical roots while at the same time leaving the door open to new influences. This broad-minded approach, including the use of synthesizers, percussion and robust electric guitar, results in a soundscape on Walking Into White in which folk, rock, pop and even a little flamenco are allowed to intertwine with each other.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid's voice remains the most important element on this album, but the producers' often ingenious arrangements and no shortage of verve make Walking Into White not only something of a maverick in her oeuvre but also an album that actively seeks, and finds, a sense of adventure. The song Leave It For Another Day fully exemplifies this change of approach. It features a beautiful melody, but is given extra power thanks to the feedback from Pierce’s Fender. A similar approach, this time using a synthesizer instead of feedback, helps make Low Winter Sun, with its recurring guitar riff, both surprising and spellbinding as an opening track. The second song, Where The Wind Decides To Blow, pursues this element of surprise, this time in a no-nonsense rock and roll manner. And the title track Walking Into White, featuring Gareth Flowers on trumpet, also shows how the broadening of her folk horizons with the addition of another style – a healthy dollop of jazz – can also result in a terrific song. In Yellowstone, which is dedicated to her son Eli, McQuaid reverts back to her father's Spanish roots and mixes flamenco with bossa nova: “My son can’t sleep / He’s ten years old / He’s scared that Yellowstone will blow”. The final track, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, ‘one of the most perfect love songs ever written’, proves that she is up there with the best of them when it comes to vocal ability. Walking Into White is Sarah McQuaid's most adventurous, most ambitious and most daring album to date. And her best. </em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560462015-02-06T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:48:09+00:00FATEA - Peter Cowley<p><em>6 February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White.</em></strong> “Sarah has produced another superb album, which sounds fresh and contemporary without compromising the subtlety and delicacy of her previous work.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/2015/SarahMcQuaid.html" target="_blank">http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/2015/SarahMcQuaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>Album: <em>Walking Into White</em><br>Label: Waterbug<br>Tracks: 14<br>Website: http://www.sarahmcquaid.com</strong></p>
<p>“Walking Into White” is Sarah McQuaid’s fourth solo album. Her previous release, 2012’s “The Plum Tree and The Rose” was [and still is] one of my favourite albums of that year [and any other year, come to think of it].<br><br>Never one to rest on her laurels, Sarah has dared to be different for her latest offering. She has changed her producer, her studio and the result is an album which is more contemporary in texture and atmosphere than her previous ones. For her new album, Sarah travelled to Cornwall, New York [as opposed to her home in Cornwall, England] to record with her producer-cousin Adam Pierce and his collaborator Jeremy Backofen, both of whom are from the world of contemporary, rather than folk, music. The album was recorded in three snowy weeks in New York and, indeed, several of the songs have a wintry feel to them.<br><br>One of the influences on Sarah’s songwriting for this album are the much-loved “Swallows and Amazons” children’s books by Arthur Ransome. As we shall see, three of the songs here were directly inspired by these books, which Sarah reads to her children.<br><br>But let’s start at the beginning. The album opens with a wash of synthesizer which leads into the atmospheric “Low Winter Sun”, on which Sarah’s guitar replicates the pattern of a peal of church bells.<br><br>The first of the three “Swallows” songs, “Where The Wind Decides To Blow” relates an incident where children make a sailing sled and get blown across a frozen lake at the mercy of a blizzard. This is followed by the second Ransome-inspired song, “The Tide” which is about navigating a safe channel through shallow water to avoid running aground. The third “Swallows” song is the title track “Walking Into White” which describes two children walking across a moor, only to be suddenly enveloped in thick fog, which prevents them from finding their way. This song features a delightful duet between Sarah’s [as ever] beautifully-played guitar and the melodic trumpet of Gareth Flowers.<br><br>In all three “Swallows”-based songs, Sarah has used the randomness [or should it be Ransomeness ?] of the elements [wind, snow, tide and fog] as a metaphor for the vagaries of life in general and how to overcome them.<br><br>The instrumental “I Am Grateful For What I Have” has a typically beautiful melody by Sarah who is joined by Dan Lippel on classical guitar and Kivie Cahn-Lipman on cello to great effect.<br><br>“Jackdaws Rising”is a majestic three-part round with a distinctly medieval flavour to it which, with its layered vocals reminds me of David Crosby’s masterpiece album “If I Could Only Remember My Name”.<br><br>“Yellowstone” is a superb song of Sarah’s about her son’s fear that volcanoes around the world will explode simultaneously in a chain reaction. She tells him not to worry but then realises she has fears of her own over things she can’t control. The song is given an exotic Samba feel by some stunning Spanish guitar by Dan Lippel.<br><br>The title of “The Silver Lining” is self-explanatory, in that it reveals Sarah as an optimist who can see the silver lining through the rain. The upbeat nature of the lyrics is emphasised by the energetic drumming of Adam Pierce and the tuneful trumpet of Gareth Flowers.<br><br>There are two non-original songs. The first of these will be familiar to many listeners as the hymn “All Creatures Of Our God And King”. Here it has its original title of “Canticle Of The Sun” and Sarah’s version is typically beautiful, as is her cover of the classic Ewan McColl song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, which he wrote for Peggy Seeger. I have to agree with Sarah when she describes this as “one of the most perfect love songs ever written”.<br><br>So, in conclusion, have the changes made by Sarah for the recording of this album been a success?<br><br>The answer is, undoubtedly, “Yes”. Sarah has produced another superb album, which sounds fresh and contemporary without compromising the subtlety and delicacy of her previous work. She is an artist at the top of her game and, like its predecessor, this is an album that I will turn to again and again.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560482015-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:53:48+00:00Rootstime - Freddy Celis<p><em>February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Een zeer aangenaam beluisterbaar album.” <em>(A highly enjoyable album.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2015/FEB1/CD109.html" target="_blank">http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2015/FEB1/CD109.html</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID – WALKING INTO WHITE<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid is een folkzangeres uit Cornwall, Engeland die voor de opnamen van de songs voor haar vierde studioalbum “Walking Into White”, de opvolger van “The Plum Tree And The Rose” uit 2012, helemaal naar New York trok om er met haar neef Adam Pierce en Jeremy Backofen als co-producers van deze nieuwe cd te kunnen samenwerken.<br><br>De zangeres schrijft haar liedjes meestal helemaal zelf, maar voor dit album koos ze er toch ook voor om één van haar favoriete liedjes aller tijden op sobere en akoestische wijze te coveren met “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, een folksong die de Britse singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl in 1957 schreef voor zijn toekomstige vrouw Peggy Seeger, maar vooral een lied dat in 1972 definitief in ieders muzikale geheugen werd gezongen door de Amerikaanse R&B-zangeres;Roberta Flack.<br><br>De begeleidingsmuziek bij de nummers op “Walking Into White” is meestal beperkt tot de akoestische gitaar die Sarah McQuaid zelf bespeelt en hier en daar een bijkomend instrument zoals elektrische gitaar met Adam Pierce in “Low Winter Sun” en “Leave It For Another Day”, piano in “The Tide”, cello in “Where The Wind Decides To Blow” en het geheel instrumentale “I Am Grateful For What I Have” of een trompet in titeltrack “Walking Into White”.<br><br>Verder speelt Adam Pierce op cajón en Dan Lippel op klassieke gitaar bij het akoestisch gebrachte nummer “Yellowstone”. De meest speciale song uit deze cd is “Canticle Of the Sun”, een vesper of kerkgezang dat in de 12e eeuw werd geschreven door Sint-Franciscus van Assisi. Het meest georkestreerde liedje op deze cd is echter “The Silver Lining” (zie video), een song die wij graag als beste track uit dit album hebben geselecteerd en die ook als eerste single werd uitgebracht.<br><br>“Walking Into White” is alweer een zeer aangenaam beluisterbaar album geworden en de songs op deze plaat kunt u in de komende maand zelf live gaan beluisteren tijdens de diverse optredens die Sarah McQuaid in Nederland en België zal komen geven. Misschien moet u dat gewoon maar eens een keertje doen.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Sarah McQuaid is a folk singer from Cornwall, England, who made the long trip to New York to record the songs for her fourth studio album “Walking Into White”, the follow-up to her 2012 release “The Plum Tree And The Rose”. In New York she teamed up with her cousin, Adam Pierce, and Jeremy Backofen, who worked as co-producers on her new CD.<br><br>Most of the songs are self-penned, but for this album she also decided to do an acoustic cover of one of her own personal favourites, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, a folk song written by the British singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl in 1957 for his bride-to-be Peggy Seeger, but one that most of us remember from the version recorded in 1972 by the American R&B artist Roberta Flack.<br><br>Most of the musical accompaniment to the songs on “Walking Into White” comes in the form of McQuaid’s own acoustic guitar playing, with the addition here and there of other instruments, such as Adam Pierce’s electric guitar on “Low Winter Sun” and “Leave It For Another Day”, piano on “The Tide”, cello on “Where The Wind Decides To Blow” and the instrumental number “I Am Grateful For What I Have”, and a trumpet on the title track “Walking Into White”.<br><br>“Yellowstone” also features Adam Pierce on cajón and Dan Lippel on classical guitar. The track that stands out most on the CD is “Canticle Of the Sun”, a vesper or choral piece written by Saint Francis of Assisi in the 12th century. “The Silver Lining” (see video) features the most orchestration and gets our vote as best track on the album. It is also the first single to be released from the CD.<br><br>“Walking Into White” is a highly enjoyable album and you can avail of the opportunity to hear the songs live over the coming months during Sarah McQuaid’s tour in the Netherlands and Belgium. You won’t be disappointed.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560472015-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:52:11+00:00Johnny’s Garden - Theo Volk<p><em>February 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“<em>Walking Into White</em> is wat mij betreft haar mooiste album tot dusver.” <em>(</em>Walking Into White<em> is in my opinion her best album to date.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.johnnysgarden.nl/?q=content/sarah-mcquaid-walking-white" target="_blank">http://www.johnnysgarden.nl/?q=content/sarah-mcquaid-walking-white</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: Walking Into White<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Haar eerste drie albums werden geproduceerd door Gerry O’Beirne. De eerste twee verschenen al in de jaren negentig, nummer drie <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> pas in 2012. Dat kwam doordat ze van 1994 tot 2007 in Ierland werkzaam was als muziekjournalist. Door familiale omstandigheden verhuisde ze in 2007 naar Cornwall. Daar pakte ze de draad van haar muziekcarrière weer op. Vooral <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> kreeg zeer positieve kritieken. Ondanks dat besloot ze voor de nieuwe CD geen beroep meer te doen op Gerry O’Beirne.<br><br>Voor <em>Walking Into White</em> trok ze van Cornwall, Engeland naar het kleine plaatsje Cornwall in Amerika, waar haar neef Adam Pierce een studio heeft. Adam Pierce produceerde samen met zijn vriend Jeremy Backofen de plaat. Met het aanstellen van hen nam ze een risico, omdat beiden geen ervaring met folkartiesten hebben. De keuze viel op hen omdat Sarah nieuwe muzikale wegen wilde inslaan. De eerste drie albums waren prachtig, maar kennen niet al te veel dynamiek.<br><br>Drie songs op <em>Walking Into White</em> zijn gebaseerd op de serie kinderboeken getiteld ‘Swallows and Amazons,’ geschreven door Arthur Ransome. De boeken gaan over vakantie-avonturen van kinderen. Ooit las ze deze boeken voor aan haar eigen kinderen, Lily Jane en Eli. Direct in <em>Low Winter Sun</em> is de invloed van Adam en Jeremy duidelijk, een duidelijk andere sound, een gitaar die klinkt als een piano en het gebruik van een jaren tachtig synthesizer zorgen voor een bijzondere sfeer. <em>Where The Wind Decides To Blow</em> is een heerlijk ritmisch, ietwat heavy up-temponummer. Vooral het halverwege invallen van de drums is geweldig. <em>The Tide</em> is een prachtige ingetogen song die ze samen zingt met Adele Schulze. In de voortreffelijke instrumental <em>I Am Grateful For What I Have</em> wordt de klassieke gitaar subliem bespeeld door Dan Lippen. Net als in <em>Solid Air</em> op <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> schittert in de titelsong een trompet, ditmaal bespeeld door Gareth Flowers.<br><br>Zeer bijzonder is <em>Jackdaws Rising</em>, oorspronkelijk een instrumental van de groep Brocc en getiteld ‘13 Moons.’ Sarah schreef er een tekst voor. De melodie is 4/4 maar de percussie is in 5/4! Meerstemmige vocalen worden begeleid door handgeklap en stampvoeten. Een ongelofelijk ingewikkeld nummer, dat bijna onmogelijk live te spelen is. <em>Yellowstone</em> is een prachtige, ingetogen song over haar zoon Eli. Het roept bij mij associaties op met ‘At Seventeen’ van Janis Ian. De klassieke gitaar doet hier Spaans aan. Het uptempo <em>The Silver Lining</em> was al bekend als single. <em>Leave It For Another Day</em>, voorzien van een verrukkelijke melodie, schreef ze samen met Gerry O’Beirne. Een lied dat geheel via e-mail tot stand is gekomen. Ze is terecht trots op het resultaat. De CD sluit af met twee covers. <em>Canticle Of The Sun</em> is gebaseerd op de zeer bekende hymne ‘Lasst uns Erfreuen’ uit 1623. De oorspronkelijke tekst is van Franciscus van Assisi en later aangepast door William Henry Draper. Afgesloten wordt met de Ewan MacColl evergreen <em>The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face</em>. Dit lied wilde ze al heel lang opnemen.<br><br>Het inslaan van nieuwe wegen is wonderwel geslaagd, met dank aan de producers met hun verfrissende kijk op het geheel. Graag wil ik ook nog melding maken van het even prachtige als informatieve tekstboekje dat bij dit album gevoegd is. <em>Walking Into White</em> is wat mij betreft haar mooiste album tot dusver.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Her first three albums were produced by Gerry O’Beirne. The first two date from the 1990s, while number three, The Plum Tree And The Rose, was released in 2012. The long interval was mostly due to the fact that she was busy working as a music journalist in Ireland between 1994 and 2007. Family circumstances prompted her to move to Cornwall in 2007 and it was there that she decided to reignite her musical career. The Plum Tree And The Rose, in particular, earned very positive reviews. However, for her new CD she decided not to use Gerry O’Beirne as her producer.<br><br>To record Walking Into White she made the long journey from Cornwall, England to the village of Cornwall in America, where her cousin Adam Pierce owns a studio. Adam Pierce produced the album together with his friend Jeremy Backofen. She took a risk putting the production in their hands, given that neither of them had any experience working with folk artists. Sarah was keen, however, to change direction, musically speaking. Though the first three albums were excellent, they were a little lacking in terms of dynamics.<br><br>Three of the songs on Walking Into White are based on a series of children’s books entitled ‘Swallows and Amazons’, written by Arthur Ransome. The books relate the holiday adventures of a group of children, stories that she has read to her own children, Lily Jane and Eli. Adam and Jeremy’s contribution is immediately evident in Low Winter Sun, with its patently different sound, including a guitar that sounds like a piano and a 1980s synthesizer that creates a whole new atmosphere. Where The Wind Decides To Blow is a pleasantly rhythmic and heavier up-tempo number. The introduction of drums halfway into the song is particularly impressive. The Tide, a duet with Adele Schulz, is a beautifully subtle song. Dan Lippel contributes his superb classical guitar skills to the outstanding instrumental I Am Grateful For What I Have. And just as in Solid Air on The Plum Tree And The Rose, a trumpet features majestically on the title song of the album, this time played by Gareth Flowers.<br><br>Jackdaws Rising is an extraordinary track and owes its origins to the instrumental ‘13 Moons’ by the band Brocc. Sarah added her own lyrics. The melody is 4/4 but the percussion is in 5/4! The multi-layered vocals are accompanied by hand-clapping and foot stomping. An extremely complicated number that is probably near-impossible to reproduce live. Yellowstone is a beautiful and restrained song about her son, Eli. It immediately made me think of ‘At Seventeen’ by Janis Ian. The classical guitar has an unmistakably Spanish touch. The up-tempo The Silver Lining has already been released as a single. Sarah wrote Leave It For Another Day, with its delicious melody, together with Gerry O’Beirne, a feat they managed to achieve entirely by e-mail. She can be proud of the result. The CD finishes up with two covers. Canticle Of The Sun is based on the well-known hymn ‘Lasst uns Erfreuen’, which dates back to 1623. The original text is from the hand of Francis of Assisi and was adapted later on by William Henry Draper. The Ewan MacColl classic The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is the last track on the album and a song she has been dying to record for years.<br><br>Her decision to follow a new musical path has proven a success, thanks in part to the producers’ refreshing approach. I must also mention the booklet, as beautiful as it is informative, that accompanies this CD. Walking Into White is in my opinion her best album to date. </em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560492015-01-29T00:00:00+00:002020-01-09T21:55:32+00:00Keys and Chords - Cis Van Looy<p><em>29 January 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White </em>(English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Een verfijnd folkschijfje van haast tijdloos allure.” <em>(A stylish folk album with an almost timeless quality.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white" target="_blank">http://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: Walking Into White<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Ze heeft een Spaanse vader, werd geboren in Madrid en groeide op in Chicago. Haar Amerikaanse zangeres, een toegewijd folkadept, bracht Sarah de beginselen van piano en gitaar bij. Ze bewaart ook goede herinneringen aan inspirerende ontmoetingen in het huis van oma in Indiana met haar neef Gamble Rogers, een getalenteerde singersongwriter. Op haar twaalfde reist ze door de VS en Canada met het kinderkoor van Chicago en op haar achttiende verhuist ze even naar Frankrijk. In ’94 trekt ze naar Ierland en is dertien jaar actief als muziekjournaliste in Dublin. Op het groene eiland vindt ze inspiratie voor ‘When Two Lovers Meet’ uit ’97.<br><br>In 2007 verkast Sarah naar Engeland, hetzelfde jaar wordt haar debuut opnieuw uitgebracht en een jaar later is er met ‘I Won’t Go Home ‘Till Morning een opvolger waarop de focus van de Ierse traditie naar de muziek uit de Appalachen verschuift. ‘Crow Coyote Buffalo’ is een samenwerkingsproject met Zoë. McQuaid is ook de auteur van ‘The Irisch Dadgad Guitar Book’, een instructieboek voor traditionalistisch georiënteerde fingerpickers. Op ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’ werkt ze opnieuw samen met producer Gerry O’Beirne, er komt vooral eigen werk aan bod naast een fijne interpretatie van John Martyns ‘Solid Air’.<br><br>Tegenwoordig leeft ze met haar echtgenoot en twee kinderen in Cornwall. Voor de opnamesessies verhuisde ze in de winter enkele weken naar het gelijknamige plaatsje in New York. Haar neef Adam Pierce heeft daar een studio. Pierce leverde bijdragen op elektrische gitaar, toetsen en percussie en zorgde voor de productie van ‘Walking Into White’. Sarah begeleidt haar zang met akoestische fingerpicking die ook enkele instrumentale miniatuurtjes inkleurt.<br><br>Bewondering voor de natuur neemt een bijzonder plaats getuige nummers als ‘ Silver Lining’ en er is ook een fraai drieluik gebaseerd op ‘Swallows and Amazones’ een kinderboekenreeks van Arthur Ransome. Eerder componeerde Sarah al een song voor haar dochtertje Lily Jane, ‘Yellowstone is een prachtige ode aan haar zoon Eli Shields en wordt ondersteund door de klassieke gitaar van Dan Lippel, die horen we, geflankeerd door een cello, ook in ‘I Am Grateful For What I Have’, een sfeervol instrumentaaltje. Zelfs zonder instrumentatie maakt McQuaid indruk met enkele acapella gebrachte intermezzo’s en we worden even stil van haar wonderlijke interpretatie van Ewan MacColls klassieker ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’. Met ‘Walking Into White’ maakte Sarah McQuaid een verfijnd folkschijfje van haast tijdloos allure. Deze dame kan je op vrijdag 20 maart om 12 uur bewonderen op een gratis lunchconcert in Het Stadsmagazijn, Antwerpen.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>She has a Spanish father, was born in Madrid and grew up in Chicago. Her American mother, a dedicated folkie, introduced Sarah to the piano and guitar. She also has fond memories of the time she spent at her grandmother's home in Indiana with her cousin Gamble Rogers, a talented singer-songwriter. At the age of twelve she travelled the USA and Canada with the Chicago Children’s Choir before eventually moving to France when she was eighteen. In 1994, she moved again, this time to Ireland, where she worked in Dublin as a music journalist. It was on that green island that she found the inspiration for her first album ‘When Two Lovers Meet’ (1997).<br><br>In 2007, Sarah moved to England, released her debut album and followed it up a year later with 'I Won’t Go Home ‘Til Morning', which saw a shift in focus from the Irish tradition to the music of the Appalachian mountains. ‘Crow Coyote Buffalo’ was the result of a musical collaboration with Zoë. McQuaid is also the author of ‘The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book’, an instruction book for traditional-oriented fingerpickers. ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’ saw her team up once again with producer Gerry O’Beirne for an album featuring mostly self-penned songs and a very fine interpretation of John Martyn's ‘Solid Air’.<br><br>These days she lives in Cornwall with her husband and two children. To record the new album, however, she decided to spend a few weeks in the village of Cornwall in New York, where her cousin, Adam Pierce, has a studio. Pierce plays electric guitar, keyboards and percussion on the album and also produced ‘Walking Into White’. Sarah accompanies herself with acoustic guitar fingerpicking, which also features on the instrumental tracks.<br><br>A number of the songs, like ‘The Silver Lining’, are an ode to nature and a splendid trilogy is based on ‘Swallows and Amazons’, a series of children's books written by Arthur Ransome. On a previous CD Sarah wrote and recorded a song for her daughter Lily Jane, and this time round 'Yellowstone' is dedicated to her son Eli Shiels. It features the classical guitar playing of Dan Lippel, who also contributes to the beautiful instrumental ‘I Am Grateful For What I Have’, accompanied by a cello. Even without the help of instruments, McQuaid impresses with a number of a cappella intermezzos, and her interpretation of Ewan MacColl's classic ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ is simply breathtaking. ‘Walking Into White’ is a stylish folk album with an almost timeless quality. You can see Sarah performing at a free lunchtime concert in Het Stadsmagazijn, Antwerp, at 12pm on March 20.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560502015-01-28T00:00:00+00:002020-01-10T22:18:33+00:001 In Music - Tiki Black<p><em>28 January 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White. </em></strong>“An original fusion of jazz and folk ... that sounds like the journey of a vintage bourbon through a long winter night.” </p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.1inmusic.com/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/" target="_blank">http://www.1inmusic.com/sarah-mcquaid-walking-into-white/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>Walking Into White</em></strong><br>At times resolutely folk in the most traditional way and at others bathing in some undeniably Jazz sounds and arrangements, Sarah McQuaid’s new album Walking Into White will not stand in the background. The production makes it noticeable, the CD sometimes sounding like vinyl strutting its imperfections to filter the superficial listeners. This is very much musicians entertaining their sensitivities and toying and warming their muses on colder winter hours. McQuaid’s vocals fit perfectly in the constant contretemps of counter-harmonies and have the quality required for the chosen instrumentation, breathing their rawness over the waves. Of all the tracks, “Yellowstone” is the quieter, subtly incorporating some Spanish airs to accompany a more toned down leading vocal, possibly to lift the introspective lyric. Of all the fusions and introductions of Jazz, “The Silver Lining” is the track that best captures the rhythm it embarks on, especially with a lyric that takes its listener by the hand. All in all, this album sounds like it has been fun to make and with background notes talking directly to you and me, and a cover of Ewan MacColl’s classic “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” thrown in, it might just be what the ear looking for an original fusion of jazz and folk was looking for: an arranged marriage that sounds like the journey of a vintage bourbon through a long winter night.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560512015-01-21T00:00:00+00:002020-01-10T22:19:55+00:00Concert Monkey - Michel Preumont<p><em>21 January 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White</em> (English translation follows French original).</strong> “Un album brillant ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives pour Sarah McQuaid.” <em>(A brilliant album that opens new perspectives for Sarah McQuaid.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://concertmonkey.be/reports/sarah-mcquaid-walking-white" target="_blank">http://concertmonkey.be/reports/sarah-mcquaid-walking-white</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID: Walking Into White<br><em>(English translation appears below French original.)</em></strong><br>La sortie du quatrième album de Sarah McQuaid, “Walking Into White”, est prévue pour le 2 février au UK and Europe, plus tard aux States. Sarah a quitté les Cornouailles anglaises pour enregistrer le disque à, il n’y a pas de hasard, Cornwall, état de New York, où sévissent les producers Jeremy Backofen et Adam Pierce. L’album a été enregistré en trois semaines.<br><br>‘Low Winter Sun’ ouvre, avec Sarah à l’acoustique et aux vocals et son cousin Adam Pierce au Fender. La plage, pimentée d’éléments psychédéliques, la reverb sur la voix, notamment, s’éloigne légèrement du folk traditionnel. Elle peut séduire les folk freaks de tous poils, ceux qui vénèrent Nick Drake ou Richard Thompson, tout comme les fervents d’indie pop.<br><br>‘Where The Wind Decides To Blow’: Sarah (ac. - vc.), Adam Pierce (bass, drums, Fender) et Kivie Cahn-Lipman (cello). Un upbeat psychedelic folk-pop inspiré par ‘Swallows and Amazons’, une série de romans d’aventure pour enfants d’Arthur Ransome (1884–1967). C’est marrant de retrouver l’esprit acide de l’époque Woodstock dans le rendu, un retour au flower power movement en somme.<br><br>‘The Tide’: Sarah (ac. - vc.), Adam Pierce + Rob King au piano et Adele Schulz aux harmonies. Comme la précédente, inspirée des ‘Swallows and Amazons’, et toujours les rapprochements avec des groupes tels que The Byrds ou Kaleidoscope (featuring David Lindley). Sarah utilise une métaphore comparant les marées et la vie elle-même.<br><br>‘I Am Grateful For What I Have’: Sarah - Kivie Cahn-Lipman et Dan Lippel (guitare sèche). Un instrumental empreint de classicisme que ne renierait pas Steve Hackett.<br><br>‘Sweetness And Pain part 1’: Une plage concise, chantée a capella, nous prouve une nouvelle fois que Sarah dispose d’une voix la classant aux côtés des plus grandes: June Tabor ou Maddy Prior.<br><br>Le titletrack, ’Walking Into White’: Sarah et Gareth Flowers (Trumpet). Un dernier titre, mélancolique, inspiré par l’oeuvre d’ Arthur Ransome. Superbe trompette en arrière-plan, picking délicat et voix diaphane. Un highlight!<br><br>‘Jackdaws Rising’: Crédité Sarah McQuaid- Pete Coleman- Clare Hines. ‘Jackdaws Rising’ est en fait une adaptation, pourvue d’un texte, de l’instrumental ‘13 Moons’ de Brocc dont font partie Coleman et Hines. Le canon est interprété par Sarah, Adele Schulz et Martin Stansbury, handclaps and footstomps added by Adam Pierce et Jeremy Backofen. Un morceau polyrythmique, original, acrobatique et audacieux.<br><br>‘Yellowstone’: Sarah, Dan Lippel ( guitare classique) et Adam Pierce (cajon). Un titre lumineux composé pour son fils Eli, avec mise en exergue du magnifique travail Paco De Lucia de Dan Lippel.<br><br>‘The Silver Lining’: Sarah - Jeremy Backofen (bass) - Adam Pierce (drums) - Gareth Flowers (trumpet). Sorti en single il y a quelques mois, ce folk pop nerveux, dans la lignée de certains Sheryl Crow, Janis Ian, Carly Simon ou Carole King, brille par sa ferveur optimiste.<br><br>‘Sweetness And Pain part II’: Un nouvel interlude a capella.<br><br>‘Leave It For Another Day’: crédité Sarah McQuaid et Gerry O’Beirne. Sarah (ac. - vc.), Adam Pierce (Fender). Retour au ton psychédélique pour cette composition en duo. Gerry O’Beirne, brillant folk singer irlandais, avait produit les albums précédents de Sarah.<br><br>‘Sweetness And Pain part III’: Suite et fin de la trilogie poétique.<br><br>‘Canticle Of The Sun’ (All Creatures Of Our God And King). Le ‘Laudes Creaturarum’ de Saint François d’Assise dans la version paraphrasée par William Henry Draper. Sarah + Martin Stansbury (organ) et Adam Pierce (organ, vibraphone). Sarah aime s’attaquer à des thèmes ancestraux, sur l’album précédent elle avait écrit ‘In Derby Cathedral’ en pensant à la Comtesse de Shrewsbury inhumée dans la Cathédrale de Derby.<br><br>‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’: signé: Ewan McColl. Une version intimiste du chef-d’oeuvre popularisé par Roberta Flack. “I think it’s one of the most perfect love songs ever written” nous confie Sarah.<br><br>Un album brillant ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives pour Sarah McQuaid.<br><br>Début du UK tour le 19 février. Puis les Pays-Bas et le 20 mars Het Stadsmagazijn, Antwerpen!<br><br><em>The release of Sarah McQuaid’s fourth album. “Walking Into White”, is scheduled for the 2nd of February in the UK and Europe, later in the States. Sarah left the English Cornwall to record the album in, not entirely by accident, Cornwall, New York, where producers Jeremy Backofen and Adam Pierce work. The album was recorded in three weeks.<br><br>“Low Winter Sun” opens, with Sarah on the acoustic guitar and her cousin Adam Pierce on Fender. This track, peppered with psychedelic elements -- notably reverb on the voice -- gently distances itself from traditional folk. It will appeal to folk freaks of all kinds, those who worship Nick Drake or Richard Thompson, just as much as to devotees of indie pop.<br><br>“Where The Wind Decides To Blow”: Sarah (acoustic guitar, vocals), Adam Pierce (bass, drums, Fender) and Kivie Cahn-Lipman (cello). An upbeat psychedelic folk-pop song inspired by “Swallows and Amazons”, a series of children’s adventure novels by Arthur Ransome (1884-1967). It’s amusing to find the acid spirit of the Woodstock era in the record -- in essence a return to the flower power movement.<br><br>“The Tide”: Sarah (acoustic guitar, vocals), Rob King on the piano and Adele Schulz on harmonies. Like the preceding number, inspired by “Swallows and Amazons”, and still inviting comparisons with bands like The Byrds and Kaleidoscope (featuring David Lindley). Sarah uses a metaphor comparing tides with life itself.<br><br>“I Am Grateful For What I Have”: Sarah, Kivie Cahn-Lipman and Dan Lippel (classical guitar). An instrumental full of classicism that Steve Hackett wouldn’t disown.<br><br>“Sweetness And Pain I”: A concise track, sung a capella, proves to us once again that Sarah possesses a voice in the same class as the greatest: June Tabor or Maddy Prior.<br><br>The title track, “Walking Into White”: Sarah and Gareth Flowers (trumpet). One last number, this one melancholic, inspired by the work of Arthur Ransome. Superb trumpet in the background, delicate guitar picking and a diaphanous voice. A highlight!<br><br>“Jackdaws Rising”. Credited to Sarah McQuaid, Pete Coleman and Clare Hines. “Jackdaws Rising” is actually an adaptation, provided with lyrics, of the instrumental “13 Moons” by Brocc, of which Coleman and Hines are members. The canon is performed by Sarah, Adele Schulz and Martin Stansbury, with handclaps and footstomps added by Adam Pierce and Jeremy Backofen. A polyrhythmic piece that’s original, acrobatic and audacious.<br><br>“Yellowstone”: Sarah, Dan Lippel (classical guitar) and Adam Pierce (cajon). A luminous number composed for her son Eli, featuring Dan Lippel’s magnificent Paco De Lucia impression.<br><br>“The Silver Lining”: Sarah, Jeremy Backofen (bass), Adam Pierce ( drums), Gareth Flowers (trumpet). Released as a single a few months ago, this nervy folk pop number, in the style of Sheryl Crow, Janis Ian, Carly Simon or Carole King, shines with its optimistic fervour.<br><br>“Sweetness And Pain II”: Another a cappella interlude.<br><br>“Leave It For Another Day”: Credited to Sarah McQuaid and Gerry O’Beirne. Sarah (acoustic guitar, vocals), Adam Pierce (Fender). It’s back to the psychedelic tone for this collaborative composition. Gerry O’Beirne, a brillant Irish folk singer, had produced Sarah’s preceding albums.<br><br>“Sweetness And Pain III”. Continuation and conclusion of this poetic trilogy.<br><br>“Canticle Of The Sun (All Creatures Of Our God And King)”: The “Laudes Creaturarum” of Saint Francis of Assisi, in the version paraphrased by William Henry Draper. Sarah, Martin Stansbury (air organ) and Adam Pierce (air organ, vibraphone). Sarah likes to tackle ancestral themes; on her previous album she wrote “In Derby Cathedral” while thinking of the Countess of Shrewsbury buried in Derby Cathedral.<br><br>“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”: Written by Ewan MacColl. An intimate version of the masterpiece popularised by Roberta Flack. “I think it’s one of the most perfect love songs ever written,” Sarah confides.<br><br>A brilliant album that opens new perspectives for Sarah McQuaid.<br><br>UK tour starting 19 February. Then the Low Countries and on the 20th of March Het Stadsmagazijn, Antwerp!</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560522015-01-18T00:00:00+00:002020-01-10T22:21:06+00:00insurgentcountry.net - Johanna B. Bodde<p><em>18 January 2015 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>Walking Into White. </em></strong>“A combination of seasoned craft and innovative ideas, while the lyrics read like poetry.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://insurgentcountry.net/reviews-Sarah%20McQuaid%20talks%20about%20Walking%20Into%20White.html" target="_blank">http://insurgentcountry.net/reviews-Sarah%20McQuaid%20talks%20about%20Walking%20Into%20White.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>Walking Into White</em></strong><br>It happens sometimes, that I’m a bit overwhelmed after listening to a new record, absorbing and trying to understand all the music and subsequent information that was given to me. One of these moments where I ask myself: “Who am I, to review a great album like this?” After all, I myself can’t even play a guitar.<br><br>I wasn’t familiar with Sarah’s work, it was first introduced to me by former fellow DJ Peter van Zeijl, who has impeccable taste when it comes to classy female (alternative) folk singers! Sarah is not only a very smart songwriter, but also a brilliant guitarist and she has a rich, strangely compelling, warm voice. This is an ambitious one-of-a kind project, that she pulled off very professionally. A combination of seasoned craft and innovative ideas, while the lyrics read like poetry. I just love the charming idea to use children’s books as source of inspiration. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” - when I first started listening to the radio, Roberta Flack’s version was a major hit, so this recording rekindles a fond memory.<br><br>Last but not least: every album ought to be made like this, with a beautiful lay-out and an lavishly illustrated booklet with all the information a person can possibly think of. Highly recommended, music lovers, you will be just as impressed as I am, guaranteed!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560532014-11-27T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:25:26+00:00The Cornishman - Lee Trewhela<p><em>27 November 2014 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> Sarah talks about the making of <em>Walking Into White</em>.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.cornishman.co.uk/Cornwall-UK-Cornwall-USA/story-24717015-detail/story.html" target="_blank">http://www.cornishman.co.uk/Cornwall-UK-Cornwall-USA/story-24717015-detail/story.html</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518223/sarah-mcquaid-cornishman-27-nov-2014.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518223/sarah-mcquaid-cornishman-27-nov-2014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/f3c8b4ee40ce12718688350e03b24a27754971c3/original/sarah-mcquaid-cornishman-27-nov-2014.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Cornishman_27_Nov_2014" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560542014-06-14T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:28:37+00:00The Irish World - David Hennessy<p><em>14 June 2014 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“Renowned as a performer whose musical output reflects her own eclectic mix, folk and country star Sarah McQuaid has recorded a new album that takes her in a whole new direction.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.theirishworld.com/sarahs-new-sound/" target="_blank">http://www.theirishworld.com/sarahs-new-sound/</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518224/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-14.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518224/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-14.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ef0d90c1d289f625965d99593c6b2befae47fffb/original/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-14.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Irish_World_Sarah_McQuaid__14-06-14" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560552014-06-06T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:30:36+00:00The Connacht Tribune - Jimi McDonnell<p><em>6 June 2014 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “In addition to being intrigued by history, Sarah is something of a musical archaeologist.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://connachttribune.ie/eclectic-sarah-mcquaid-keeps-folk-music-fresh/" target="_blank">http://connachttribune.ie/eclectic-sarah-mcquaid-keeps-folk-music-fresh/</a></p><p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518225/connacht-tribune-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-06.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518225/connacht-tribune-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-06.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/13d17eb7313cc442fefb786bbe54564671ccf053/original/connacht-tribune-sarah-mcquaid-14-06-06.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Connacht_Tribune_Sarah_McQuaid_14-06-06" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560562014-05-30T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:33:11+00:00The Irish Times Ticket Magazine - Tony Clayton-Lea<p><em>30 May 2014 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>“What’s on your rider?” Sarah answers questions about her life on tour.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518226/irish-times-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-30.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518226/irish-times-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-30.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/37eff0ccb40af3910d3b8bc6bf241b8745939fa2/original/irish-times-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-30.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Irish_Times_Sarah_McQuaid_14_05_30" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560572014-05-15T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:34:39+00:00The Orcadian - Peter Ford<p><em>15 May 2014 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Gable End Theatre.</strong> “Luminous and revelatory.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518227/orcadian-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-15.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518227/orcadian-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/8e48e27cd99284ba9c8a05d62780b9e841c98af5/original/orcadian-sarah-mcquaid-14-05-15.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Orcadian_Sarah_McQuaid_14-05-15" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560582013-10-11T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T22:52:32+00:00Club Passim Blog<p><em>11 October 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>“We had a chance to speak with Sarah about how she became the artist and Passim family member she is today.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://clubpassim.tumblr.com/post/63748723312/artist-center-stage-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://clubpassim.tumblr.com/post/63748723312/artist-center-stage-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Artist Center Stage: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><em>Rising star Sarah McQuaid’s voice has been likened to malt whiskey, melted chocolate and “honey poured into wine” (Minor 7th). A captivating performer, she seduces her audience with cheeky banter and stories from the road, as well as with stunning musicianship; in her hands, the guitar becomes much more than merely an accompanying instrument. Born in Madrid (to a Spanish father and an American mother), raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish and American citizenship, Sarah McQuaid refuses to be pigeonholed. Her musical output reflects her own eclectic background: she spans the genres with both her beautifully crafted originals and her interpretations of material from around the globe and down the centuries. Sarah is also the author of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, described by The Irish Times as “a godsend to aspiring traditional guitarists.” She has presented workshops on DADGAD tuning at festivals and venues around the globe, as well as here at The Passim School of Music. We had a chance to speak with Sarah about how she became the artist and Passim family member she is today.</em><br><br><strong>Looking back on such a long line of accomplishments, can you name an event that occurred in your music career that has helped shape who you are as a musician?</strong><br>The move to Cornwall in 2007 was a real determining force in the direction of my current musical career, because it was through doing that this that I met Zoë (author and performer of 1991 hit single “Sunshine On A Rainy Day”) and co-wrote the songs for the Mama album with her. That’s what made me really start to see myself as a songwriter. Prior to that I’d thought of myself more as a song interpreter who happened to write an occasional song. Working with Zoë on the songs for that album [Crow Coyote Buffalo, released in 2009] taught me an awful lot about songwriting and inspired me to start working harder on writing my own songs.<br><br><strong>How would you describe your musical style in your own words?</strong><br>I draw from lots of different genres – folk, jazz, traditional, contemporary, classical, medieval – but I try and bring my own individual style and feel to whatever I do. One thing a lot of people have commented on is that my guitar playing is very much to the fore of what I do — I’m playing harmonies and counter-melodies and counter-rhythms on the guitar, so it’s almost as though my guitar and voice are doing a duet, rather than the instrument just backing the voice.<br><br><strong>What draws you to the stage?</strong><br>There’s a buzz and a magic when you’re performing live in front of an audience that it’s impossible to replicate in the studio or at home. I love it when people at the audience talk back to me, and when I’m getting a good reaction from the crowd it seems to turn my energy level up a notch and make me play and sing better than I would otherwise.<br><br><strong>What brought you to Club Passim?</strong><br>Both the club and the school of music are lovely places to play and teach—really nice staff at all levels, and everyone is very friendly and welcoming. Club Passim was actually the first solo gig that I ever did in the USA, back in February of 2010. It was the first show of my first solo US tour, and I also gave a DADGAD guitar workshop at the Passim School of Music the day before the gig. I have played at Club Passim and given workshops several times since. The workshop I’m giving on this tour will be the fourth one I’ve done at Passim School of Music.<br><br><strong>What has been your favorite Club Passim moment?</strong><br>I had a very emotional moment on that first visit to Club Passim, in February 2010. I’ve got a lot of family in Boston, so I had a bunch of aunts and uncles and cousins in the audience, none of whom I’d seen for a long time as I’ve been living outside the US for most of my adult life, first in Ireland and now in England. I played a song that I wrote about my mother, who’d died six years previously, and looking at all those people at the front tables who’d known and loved her, I couldn’t stop a couple of tears from rolling down my cheek — and then I saw them dabbing at their eyes and fishing for tissues as well. It was lovely, though.<br><br><strong>What do you see for the future of your musical endeavors?</strong><br>Right now I’m working hard on putting material together for my next album, which I’m hoping will be out early in 2015. In the meantime I’ll keep touring hard and doing as many press interviews as I can. I’m in the middle of an eight-week US tour at the moment, with long drives every day and concerts pretty much every night, so it’s hard to see past tomorrow. It can be crazy, but I’m enjoying it immensely!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560592013-08-26T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T22:53:50+00:00Huffington Post - Stephen Winick<p><em>26 August 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>.</strong> “A lovely album that sparkles with intelligent writing, moving music, and pristine production.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-d-winick/donegal-galicia-and-the-w_b_3810593.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-d-winick/donegal-galicia-and-the-w_b_3810593.html</a></p>
<p>Sarah McQuaid is an excellent singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music crosses the borders among Celtic, English, and Early music. Her voice has the smoke and savor of a good single malt whiskey, and she uses it beautifully. Her debut CD, <em>When Two Lovers Meet,</em> was reissued a few years ago. It’s a quietly powerful album of mostly traditional material that stands up there with the classics of Celtic music. On “When a Man’s In Love” she reminds me of the version performed by Lisa Moscatiello with The New St. George almost twenty years ago -- and that’s a ringing endorsement from me! Other songs given lovely arrangements include “The Sprig of Thyme,” “When Two Lovers Meet,” and “The Parting Glass.” McQuaid leads several sets of tunes with accomplished DADGAD guitar playing. Guest musicians include some of the finest in Irish music, including Gerry O’Beirne on strings (who also produced and co-arranged the album), John McSherry on pipes and whistles, and Niamh Parsons on voice.<br><br>McQuaid’s latest album, <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em>, finds her excelling as a songwriter. She now lives in England, and many of the songs have an English theme, but the singing and playing continues to have an Irish feel. Her original song “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers” tells the tale of the prominent lady Bess of Hardwick (1521-1608), Countess of Shrewsbury, in language that would be equally at home in Irish traditional ballads or Shakespeare sonnets. It’s part of a loose trilogy of songs with “In Derby Cathedral” and the title song; the former is about the place where Bess is buried, while the latter sounds like Bess musing on one of her late husbands. All three songs explore the question of the meaning of life in quiet, personal terms. Three arrangements take on Early Music: a Provencal troubadour song by Ellian du Cadenet (1160-1235), a lute song by John Dowland (1563-1626), and the catch “New Oysters New,” which was published by Thomas Ravenscroft (1582-1635), who also gave us “Three Blind Mice.” McQuaid’s approach provides a good example of how a folk-trained vocal style can benefit such songs, turning them into accessible music without harming their delicate complexity. Her fine work, supported again by O’Beirne and a cast of musicians including Rosie Shipley (fiddle), Trevor Hutchinson (bass), and Rodd McVey (keyboards), results in a lovely album that sparkles with intelligent writing, moving music, and pristine production.<br><br>McQuaid will be on tour in the US in September. Check out the schedule and go if you can – she’s an excellent performer and always delivers the goods.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560602013-05-30T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T22:54:53+00:00Bright Young Folk - Shelley Rainey<p><em>30 May 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “A collection of beautiful songs which delight the ear.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-sarat-mcquaid/record-detail.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-sarat-mcquaid/record-detail.aspx</a></p>
<p><strong><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Although of American and Irish descent, Sarah McQuaid has produced an album which is dripping with Englishness. Self-penned songs inspired by English people and places (Bess of Hardwick, Derby Cathedral, Kenilworth) sit alongside Elizabethan classics by John Dowland (Can She Excuse My Wrongs) and Thomas Ravenscroft (New Oysters New - a collection of street cries).<br><br>Sarah ties her own songs neatly to the Elizabethan ones by the use of canons in several songs, which balance the Ravenscroft beautifully. One comes at the end of Derby Cathedral, while the other, In Gratitude I Sing, is a track in its own right and finishes the album. Derby Cathedral is also given a south American flavour with the inclusion of some unobtrusive brass.<br><br>There are echoes of Joni Mitchell in What Are We Going To Do and The Plum Tree and the Rose both in the style of delivery and musing subject matter.<br><br>Two unusual inclusions on the album are a cover of John Martyn’s Solid Air, also with subtle brass, and the ancient Occitan song S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada. Here, the minimal accompaniment of shruti, almost imperceptible percussion and occasional strummed strings punctuate the text giving the song a very mysterious air.<br><br>The Plum Tree and the Rose is a collection of beautiful songs which delight the ear.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560612013-05-12T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:36:29+00:00The Sunday Independent - Ciara Dwyer<p><em>12 May 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “It’s taken singer Sarah McQuaid two children, two marriages (and nearly a third) to find contentment.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/the-long-way-to-happiness-29259981.html" target="_blank">http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/the-long-way-to-happiness-29259981.html</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518228/sarah-mcquaid-sunday-independent-12-may-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518228/sarah-mcquaid-sunday-independent-12-may-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/ccd8841544df244fff745735e3eb88e16294d3de/original/sarah-mcquaid-sunday-independent-12-may-2013.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Sunday_Independent_12_May_2013" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560622013-04-29T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T22:59:47+00:00Hot Press - Greg McAteer<p><em>29 April 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “She’s always followed her muse. But now folk star Sarah McQuaid is adding some intriguing new innovations to her live act.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.hotpress.com/9789030.html" target="_blank">http://www.hotpress.com/9789030.html</a></p>
<p><strong>FOLK THAT: SARAH MCQUAID</strong><br><em>She’s always followed her muse. But now folk star Sarah McQuaid is adding some intriguing new innovations to her live act.</em><br>Described in her press release as a ‘rising folkie’ you might argue that Sarah McQuaid’s star had long since ascended to the heavens. She is on tour across Ireland and the UK at the moment. If you follow her tour diary you’ll know these forays generally consist of Sarah and trusty tour manager Martin trekking wherever the shows take them.<br><br>This time, however, things will play out slightly differently. In Scotland, she’ll perform four concerts ‘in the round’ with fellow songwriters Bill Adair and Richard Grainger. In Farncombe, Surrey, she’ll be backed by Godalming Community Gospel Choir. In June, as part of the Golowan Festival in Penzance, she’s supported by three secondary school students from Mounts Bay Academy, where Sarah gave a songwriting workshop earlier this year.<br><br>“As a solo artist, I don’t often get the chance to perform with other musicians and singers. I’m happy to be doing so much collaborative work on this tour. I know the gigs in Scotland with Bill and Richard will be great. I’ve done a couple of ‘in the round’ performances over in the States. It’s nice to be able to exchange ideas and harmonies in an off-the-cuff, informal way.<br><br>“When Julian Lewry at Farncombe Music Club asked me if I’d like to try working with a gospel choir, I got excited. I sang with a children’s choir for many years and today participate with my local church choir. It’ll be a real honour to have the choir in Godalming joining me.”<br><br>With a voice likened to malt whiskey, melted chocolate and “honey poured into wine” she’s carved out a reputation as a captivating performer, capable of seducing an audience just as readily with cheeky banter as with stunning musicianship. Her musical output reflects an eclectic background. Born in Spain, she was raised in Chicago, holds dual US and Irish citizenship, and now lives in rural England. Refusing to be pigeonholed, she spans the genres with her beautifully crafted originals and interpretations of material from around the globe and down the centuries.<br><br>The Irish leg of her tour concludes at Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul (April 26) and Walton’s New School of Music, Dublin where she’ll be giving a one-hour DADGAD Guitar Workshop (27). Later that evening she plays the Conary Community Hall, Avoca, Co. Wicklow.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560632013-04-28T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T23:00:40+00:00Blabber ’n’ Smoke - Paul Kerr<p><em>28 April 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Excellent songs ... buttressed by some immaculate playing.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://paulkerr.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/" target="_blank">http://paulkerr.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em></strong><br>Inevitably there are albums sent to <strong>Blabber’n'Smoke</strong> that just don’t get reviewed. Some aren’t very good, others just get swallowed up in the pending pile and by the time we get around to them the release date has been and gone so we move on to the next and more current contender. However with the best of these orphans we keep an eye out for opportunity and this time around we can dust off <strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong>’s fine T<strong>he Plum Tree and The Rose</strong> from last year as Sarah’s about to go on a hop across Scotland.<br><br>McQuaid has a fairly exotic background, born in Madrid to a Spanish father and American mum she was raised in Chicago, holds dual US and Irish citizenship, and now lives in England. It may be fanciful to suggest that this is reflected in her selection of the songs here however they include a song sung in the ancient Occitan language (from Southern Europe) along with others written in 1597 and 1609! The immediate attraction of the album however is McQuaid’s voice which is warm with a low register and although it’s quite distinct from that of the late Sandy Denny’s McQuaid has a similar air of authority and empathy with the songs that Denny had.<br><br>Speaking of Denny there’s a lot about the album that recalls the blossoming of modern folk around the late sixties and early seventies. A cover of John Martyn’s <em>Solid Air</em> for starters. This is a tough one to consider as the original is seared in the memory but McQuaid keeps it simple with just guitar and a doleful trumpet turning it into a late night dram friendly obituary. Apart from this McQuaid is very taken with the guitar tuning DADGAD which was Bert Jansch’s calling card and the best parts of the album recall his and John Renbourne’s peregrinations with Pentangle while Kenilworth has a smidgeon of David Crosby’s ethereal <em>If Only I Could Remember My Name</em> about it. There are some excellent songs here all buttressed by some immaculate playing. The jazzy intimations of <em>The Sun Goes On Rising</em> and <em>So Much Rain</em> showcase the writing while the medieval feel of <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em>, <em>New Oysters New</em> and <em>Can She Excuse My Wrongs</em> bring us right back to the likes of Denny and Renbourne who could hush packed halls with renditions of 500 year old songs much in the same way I’m sure McQuaid would do these days.<br><br>McQuaids’s UK tour started in Ireland a week ago and she’ll be in Scotland for four shows from May 1st as part of an “in the round” presentation with Bill Adair and Richard Grainger. After this she heads south. All dates are on her website.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560642013-04-27T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:41:21+00:00The Irish Post - Steve Cummins<p><em>27 April 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>“Questions & Answers – Sarah McQuaid.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.irishpost.co.uk/entertainment/ten-minutes-with-folk-singer-sarah-mcquaid" target="_blank">http://www.irishpost.co.uk/entertainment/ten-minutes-with-folk-singer-sarah-mcquaid</a></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518229/sarah-mcquaid-irish-post-may-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518229/sarah-mcquaid-irish-post-may-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/a1c2ce8c6273d28751eb158e379f87e854efc994/original/sarah-mcquaid-irish-post-may-2013.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Irish_Post_May_2013" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560652013-04-24T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:42:48+00:00The Evening Herald - Chris Wasser<p><em>24 April 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “I swopped the commute for life as a musician.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518230/sarah-mcquaid-evening-herald-24-april-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518230/sarah-mcquaid-evening-herald-24-april-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2d5f5d77faac4aa2852f9afd9e74895f8ebd1fa7/original/sarah-mcquaid-evening-herald-24-april-2013.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Evening_Herald_24_April_2013" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560662013-04-23T01:00:00+01:002020-01-10T23:03:41+00:00The Afterword - Colin Harper<p><em>23 April 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – An Creagán</strong>. “It was a wonderful evening: a warm, intimate show in an unhurried environment and everyone felt part of it.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://theafterword.co.uk/content/wolf-sarah-mcquaids-door" target="_blank">http://theafterword.co.uk/content/wolf-sarah-mcquaids-door</a></p>
<p><strong>The wolf at Sarah McQuaid’s door</strong><br>I had the great pleasure of seeing Sarah McQuaid doing her thing at a cosy and delightful venue (a little arts centre/cafe at an outdoor pursuits place in the middle of nowhere AKA County Tyrone) last week.<br><br>Put it like this, 60-odd miles out from Belfast, I stopped at Beaghmore stone circles (also in the middle of nowhere) as the sun was easing its way downwards and strolled for a while, alone but for birdsong, then got lost on B or C roads, then found the place...<br><br>I was still in good enough time to have a beer, sit outside with a book and fend off a strange man in a football top who started a conversation about how you often find yourself on a ‘pee cycle’ with someone over the course of a long night at a boozer. (I wouldn’t know: I don’t go for long nights in boozers – certainly not the kind that guy hangs around, I’d hope.)<br><br>Sarah played for maybe 25 people, but a small crowd made no difference – it was a wonderful evening: a warm, intimate show in an unhurried environment and everyone felt part of it.<br><br>I’ve posted her fabulous ‘Derby Cathedral’ around here before, and will surely do so again. But for now, here’s another of her songs – this one (from a fairly recent house concert) about the glass being half full, the sun always rising despite the furry predator hanging around the doorway.<br><br>When I said a small crowd makes no difference, that isn’t quite true: it makes a difference to Sarah’s living.<br><br>She’s on tour in Scotland (early May) then around England (rest of May).<br><br>Support her if you can – she’s a lovely woman, and the world needs more of her.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560672013-03-30T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:43:46+00:00The Irish World - David Hennessy (Mar 2013)<p><em>30 March 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “Her sound reflects the eclectic mix of her life.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518231/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-march-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518231/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-march-2013.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/b51ea28f33c8a7b91c1d3708c03db38adb83054a/original/irish-world-sarah-mcquaid-march-2013.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Irish_World_Sarah_McQuaid_March_2013" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560692013-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:45:36+00:00Tykes News - Nigel Schofield<p><em>March 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“An album of contrasts and surprises, all delivered with authority and sensitivity.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.sarahmcquaid.com/publicfiles/Sarah_McQuaid_Tykes_News_Spring_2013.pdf"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/58600bb08663ea7ee0c935de59340dd5dc9125d5/original/sarah-mcquaid-tykes-news-spring-2013.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Tykes_News_Spring_2013" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>The Plum Tree and The Rose<br>Waterbug</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid was born in Spain, is of Irish heritage, grew up in Chicago and now lives in Derbyshire <em>[Cornwall, actually! and I’m not exactly of Irish heritage but we’ll let that slide – S.McQ.]</em>. Influences from all those widespread roots are evident on her third album which sets her own finely crafted lyrics against some surprising, much older pieces.<br><br>The album begins with the very contemporary <em>Lift You Up and Let You Fly</em>, which, in every respect, would be a standout track on any Mary Chapin Carpenter album. However, it is a curve ball. Instead of an album of American-influenced songwriter material, Sarah next takes us to <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em>, a celebration of the visionary 16th century designs of Bess of Hardwick: it’s one of three songs inspired by great English buildings – the others celebrate Kenilworth and Derby Cathedral, atmospherically summoned to the accompaniment of a distant trumpet. Among this trio of architectural anthems, sits an exquisite version of John Martyn’s <em>Solid Air</em>, a smoky jazz interpretation with Sarah’s guitar weaving melodies around Bill Blackmore’s trumpet phrases: John would have loved it.<br><br>By now, you know it is an album of contrasts and surprises, all delivered with authority and sensitivity which tie the album together – a 12th century aubade in medieval French, a Thomas Ravenscroft catch, a Dowland lovesong (the last is a truly subtle showcase for Sarah’s skilled guitar-playing).<br><br>The thread that runs through the album is the philosophical questioning which underlies most of the songs, significantly including the title track. A delight to hear but also something to thing about. One marvels at the verbal dexterity which can epitomise a vast and resonant cathedral in a deft eight word refrain:<br><br><em>Soul, flesh and bone<br>Glass, wood and stone.</em><br><br>Any fear that the album may seem fragmentary is perfectly resolved by the final track – a minute long gem called <em>In Gratitude I Sing</em>, an original Thanksgiving canon sung in impeccable unaccompanied six part harmony. It ties the album’s many strands into a brilliant baroque bow, a melodic masterpiece in miniature.<br><br>The track (and the album) end all too quickly. Thank goodness for the replay button.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560682013-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:47:06+00:00Folker - Markus Dehm<p><em>March 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518232/folker-article.pdf"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518232/folker-article.pdf"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/1dd7f4d50bf5b3f2241a6d3dce6e682753b8da0d/original/folker-article.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Folker-Article.jpg" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560712013-01-27T00:00:00+00:002020-01-12T16:49:51+00:00Moors Magazine - Holly Moors<p><em>27 January 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Een juweel van een album.”<em> (A gem of an album.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.moorsmagazine.com/muziek/mcquaidplumtree/" target="_blank">http://www.moorsmagazine.com/muziek/mcquaidplumtree/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid staat met één voet in de traditionele folk van eeuwen, en ze zingt ook af en toe liedjes die eeuwen oud zijn, soms prachtig a capella, soms met fraaie, pure folkarrangementen, maar McQuaid heeft ook een andere kant die ik nog net een tikkeltje interessanter vind. Je kunt het al zien aan haar keuze om ‘Solid Air’ van John Martyn op haar nieuwe album uit te voeren, een moeilijk nummer, omdat Martyn folk en jazz op een vrij unieke manier met elkaar combineerde en zo jazzy zong dat dat vrijwel onnavolgbaar leek. Maar McQuaid voelt zich door deze improviserende, soepel swingende manier van folk blijkbaar zeer aangesproken, en haalt er ook gerust een trompettist bij, en durft het avontuur echt aan.<br><br>Dat levert een spannend album op, van een zelfverzekerde singer/songwriter die voor een groot deel eigen werk brengt. Ze heeft een beste band om zich heen staan, met onder meer Gerry O'Beirne en Trevor Hutchinson, Bill Blackmore op trompet, en nog wat muzikale grootheden. Vier fragmenten om te laten horen hoe goed ze is. Het album opent met ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’, het perfecte lied voor kinderen. ‘Kenilworth’ is haar eigen jazzfolkliedje, ‘New Oysters New’ is een liedje dat vierhonderd jaar oud is en titelnummer ‘The Plum Tree and the Rose’ is van Sarah zelf en wordt gewoon solo door haar gespeeld en gezongen. Al met al: een juweel van een album.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Sarah McQuaid may be an artist with one foot firmly planted in traditional folk – she sings a number of songs that are centuries old, sometimes beautifully a cappella, sometimes using wonderfully pure folk arrangements – but she also has another side to her that I find even more interesting. A side exemplified by her choice to include a cover of ‘Solid Air’ by John Martyn on her new album, a difficult number given Martyn’s unique combination of folk and jazz and his jazzy vocal that would seem to defy any attempts at a cover. However, McQuaid is obviously very attracted to this improvised and soulful interpretation of the folk idiom and is not put off by the challenge, even going so far as to include a trumpet player in her arrangement.<br><br>The result is an exciting album by a self-confident singer/songwriter, the majority of the songs coming from her own pen. The band on the album, including Gerry O’Beirne, Trevor Hutchinson, and Bill Blackmore on trumpet, is excellent. You can listen to four snippets here and find out for yourself just how good she is. The album opens with ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’, the perfect children’s song. ‘Kenilworth’ is her very own jazz-folk number, the song ‘New Oysters New’ is four hundred years old, no less, and the self-penned title song ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’ is performed solo by Sarah on guitar and vocals. All in all: a gem of an album. </em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560702013-01-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-16T19:50:59+00:00Living Tradition - Frank Chester<p><em>January 2013 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “One of the busiest young performers on the folk circuit right now is the Irish-American singer songwriter Sarah McQuaid, who seems, quite simply, to never stop touring.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518233/living-tradition-sarah-mcquaid.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518233/living-tradition-sarah-mcquaid.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/9d43c15d9e5a16e9d1168043014fc2ef16904873/original/living-tradition-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Living_Tradition_Sarah_McQuaid" width="90%" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560722012-12-06T00:00:00+00:002020-01-12T16:51:48+00:00The Entertainment Bank - Paul Anderson<p><em>6 December 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Simply stellar!!”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://theentertainmentbankcd.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-plum-tree-and-rose-sarah-mcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://theentertainmentbankcd.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-plum-tree-and-rose-sarah-mcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>The Plum Tree and The Rose (Sarah McQuaid)</strong><br>Let me get right to the point about this CD. Sarah McQuaid's “The Plum Tree And The Rose” is the most distinctive and pleasant recording I have had the pleasure of coming across in quite some time. I recommend this one one highly! Here's why: Sarah McQuaid has a sound that would resonate in a King’s castle, or a gathering of people who would enjoy hearing songs about love, war, peace, and hope. Above all else, McQuaid’s voice is blessed with a calming, comforting sound that is so easy to listen to, so her lyrics enter the mind with no sonic abrasion. The music is a range of exceptional mellow rock that is a warm mix of contemporary folk music and Celtic nuances of texture, and tone. The band features electric piano, acoustic piano, lyrical trumpet, bass, and first rate drums. I actually needed “The Sun Goes On Rising”, which is like a lullaby for anyone being pounded by hardships. As a musician, it appealed to me harmonically because the classic chord changes fit so well against Sarah’s voice, and the brush work the drummer was doing really locked the groove in. One final note -- the recording quality of this CD is excellent, and the mix is as warm as the music. Simply stellar!!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560732012-11-24T00:00:00+00:002020-01-12T16:52:42+00:00Fatea - Peter Cowley (Nov 2012)<p><em>24 November 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Bothy Folk Club.</strong> “A superb performance.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/SarahMcQuaidLive.html" target="_blank">http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/SarahMcQuaidLive.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Venue: Bothy Folk Song Club<br>Town: Southport<br>Date: 18th November<br>Back in May of this year, I reviewed the then-new album by Sarah McQuaid, “The Plum Tree and the Rose” for this magazine. I wrote, with uncanny prescience, “It is a truly lovely album from start to finish and one that gets better with every listen”. Six months later and I am still listening to this album on a regular basis and it’s still a lovely album and it does get better with every listen.<br><br>I was, therefore, delighted when I looked at the guest list for my local folk club, the renowned Bothy Folk Song Club in Southport, and noticed that Sarah was booked to appear in November.<br><br>I was not to be disappointed as Sarah is just as good live as she is on her recordings. Armed with nothing more than her voice, an acoustic guitar and sound engineer Martin Stansbury, Sarah proceed to captivate the large crowd with her beautiful music. She began her set with the unaccompanied Sacred Harp hymn “Wondrous Love”, which she learned from a 1956 record by Jean Ritchie and followed this with the traditional Irish song, the slightly risqué “The Next Market Day”.<br><br>These were followed by several songs from the aforementioned “Plum Tree” album, beginning with the excellent “Sun Goes On Rising”, a song about the hope that times of financial adversity will get better.<br><br>Sarah then told of how she came to write “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers” and “In Derby Cathedral” about the historical figure Bess of Hardwick who built Hardwick Hall and was buried in Derby Cathedral. The former is a superb song which demonstrates Sarah’s talent for writing songs which sound as though they come from the tradition, in much the same way that Sandy Denny did. “In Derby Cathedral” was originally intended to be a coda to “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers” but it took on a life of its own and tonight Sarah’s performance of it was simply stunning. By using live samples of her voice, Martin created a choir of Sarahs, to great effect.<br><br>As well as songs from “Plum Tree”, we also heard several numbers from Sarah’s previous album “I Won’t Go Home ‘Til Morning” which features the Southern Appalachian songs and tunes she grew up with, including “In The Pines” [complete with whoops and hollers], “Uncloudy Day” [written by Josiah Kelley Alwood in 1879] and “West Virginia Boys” [ with audience participation ]. Also from that album Sarah played the instrumentals “Shady Grove/Cluck Old Hen”, which showed what a wonderful guitar player she is [Sarah is the author of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, incidentally].<br><br>Just to demonstrate her virtuosity on the instrument, Sarah played John Dowland’s fiendishly difficult-to-play “Can She Excuse My Wrongs “, which was written in the sixteenth century for the lute.<br><br>Sarah is the mother of two children and she played a couple of songs that she has written for them, “Last Song” and “Lift You Up and Let You Fly “. The latter song, in particular, will strike a chord with every parent.<br><br>Towards the end of her set, Sarah played a couple covers, John Martyn’s “Solid Air “ [which was written for/about his friend Nick Drake] and, for a richly deserved encore, Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. It takes a brave singer to sing those two iconic songs but Sarah is a brave singer and she performed them magnificently.<br><br>Thus ended a superb performance by Sarah McQuaid. I wholeheartedly recommend seeing her live but if you can’t do that, have a listen to “The Plum Tree and the Rose “ – you will not be disappointed.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560742012-11-05T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T19:15:44+00:00StageBeauty.net - Don Gillan<p><em>5 November 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – The Square Chapel. </strong>“A rich voice, outstanding song-writing and musicianship, and a warm and welcoming stage presence.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://http://www.stagebeauty.net/reviews/2012/th-mod1265.html" target="_blank">http://http://www.stagebeauty.net/reviews/2012/th-mod1265.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>Square Chapel, Halifax.</strong><br><em>Date of Performance: Sunday 4th November, 2012<br>Duration: 2 hours, 5 mins (one interval, total 20 mins)<br>Folk diva Sarah McQuaid sings a selection of songs taken mostly from her latest album.</em><br>Born in Spain where her father came from, raised in America, the homeland of her mother, married to an Irishman, in whose country her own two children were born, and now living in England, Sarah McQuaid has a truly international pedigree, reflected in her unique style of music which blends the American Appalachian folk influences taught to her by her mother with those of traditional English folk music. Fresh from a tour of the USA (a week ago she was in the dry heat of Texas!) this current UK tour (beginning here in wintery Halifax) delivers a selection of songs mostly taken from her latest album, “The Plum Tree and the Rose”.<br><br>The music is an eclectic mix with a considerable degree of diversity. The Next Market Day is an Irish folk song which uses learning a tune as a euphemism for an altogether sexier activity. Delving deep in to English tradition, Can She Excuse My Wrongs is a 16th century composition, rearranged for acoustic guitar, which was written by a failed suitor of Queen Elizabeth. In a more contemporary but still classic English style is Hardwick’s Lofty Towers, an original song inspired by a stately castle glimpsed from the motorway where it’s owner, Bess of Hardwick, had sought to acheive immortality in name at least by having her initials inscribed atop each of it’s towers. Another self-composition continues the English classic style, and in fact the Hardwick connection, in remembering some of the people buried In Derby Cathedral. West Virginia Boys draws upon her American heritage being a variation of an early twentieth century hill-billy song, ‘West Virginia Gals’, that in turn drew upon a much earlier minstrel composition. Shady Grove/Cluck Old Hen is a lively, purely instrumental acoustic guitar piece that demonstrates Sarah is a highly accomplished guitarist as well as a talented singer. In the contemporary cover piece, Solid Air, she pays tribute to two of her musical heroes, John Martyn, who wrote it, and Nick Drake, whom it is reputed to be about. But my particular favourite of the evening was one of the more contemporary in style of her own compositions – Lift You Up and Let You Fly, a beautiful lullaby inspired by her daughter and describing the worries of over-protective motherhood when the time comes to cut the apron strings.<br><br>Sarah’s only accompaniment to her soft alto voice was her own guitar playing, although her sound technician added a reverb, or in some cases a distinct echo to some of the numbers so that Sarah provided her own vocal backing – all done live on the night without any pre-recording. The accent, essentially Chicagoan but softened and altered by many years living in Ireland and England, is as distinct as her music but never jarring, even when she is singing those old English songs. There are times when you miss a deeper musical accompaniment, but in an intimate studio environment the gentle music combined with Sarah’s own welcoming personality to provides an evening of music that is richly rewarding.<br><br><strong>Verdict</strong><br>A rich voice, outstanding song-writing and musicianship, and a warm and welcoming stage presence combine in rewarding evening of musical entertainment.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560752012-11-04T00:00:00+00:002020-01-12T16:54:24+00:00North West Folk - Les Pilling<p><em>4 November 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“Her latest album <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> has been met with enthusiastic reviews on both sides of the Atlantic and deservedly so. It is a subtle, exquisitely constructed collection of songs.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.northwestfolk.co.uk/article.php?id=205" target="_blank">http://www.northwestfolk.co.uk/article.php?id=205</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid Talks to North West Folk</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid is busy. In the days prior to this interview she had returned from a two month tour of the United States, only to embark on a 23 date concert programme in the UK less than a week later.<br><br>But then getting around is nothing new for her. Born in Madrid, to a Spanish father and an American mother, she was raised in Chicago before moving to Ireland. She now resides in South West England with husband and their two children.<br><br>Her latest album, <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> has been met with enthusiastic reviews on both sides of the Atlantic and deservedly so. It is a subtle, exquisitely constructed collection of songs, drawing inspiration from a wide variety of influences.<br><br>Yet it marks a departure for her. McQuaid’s first release, <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em>, consisted mainly of Irish traditional material, the second, I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning was a tribute to old-time Appalachian folk. Of the thirteen tracks on The Plum Tree and the Rose, nine are self penned, some of them with producer Gerry O’Beirne.<br><br>She puts the increased confidence in her song writing abilities down to a collaboration with pop singer Zoe, the result of which was the album <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em>, released in 2008 under the group name of Mama.<br><br>“In between my 2nd and 3rd albums I made the Mama album with Zoe and it was writing songs with Zoe that made me really think of myself as a song writer. Up to that point I was thinking of myself as a folk singer who happened to write an occasional song. I’d one of my own songs on the first album, I had two of my own songs on the second album. If I found myself compelled to write a song I did. I didn’t go looking for songs.<br><br>“But once I started writing with Zoe, I really enjoyed the process of writing with her and I had huge respect for her abilities as a song writer, so if somebody like her was happy to work with somebody like me, I must be better than I thought I was. And so it was after that, that I started taking a bit more note of when I had ideas for a song.<br><br>“Writing is kind of a piecemeal process. I’d get an idea sitting in the green room for a gig, jot it down and then not actually sit down and work at it until months later and that’s still very much the way I write.”<br><br>That approach can lead to the final version of a composition being somewhat different than its original incarnation. The title track of <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> is a case in point.<br><br>“I originally wrote it with similar words but a totally different melody and totally different rhythm and actually went out and toured with it and was never quite happy with it and put it away for a couple of years and then came back to it and did it as an acapella song with a different melody entirely and then wrote a guitar part for it and then wrote a guitar intro and outro for it, so that song was a long time coming together."<br><br><em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em> was originally conceived as a project on medieval and Elizabethan music. McQuaid’s first American tour changed all that. Her first two albums, unreleased in the States at that point, were combined into a double CD in order to be classed as a new release and gain air time on the radio.<br><br>The strategy was hugely successful. The double CD was number one for the month of February 2010 in the chart compiled for folkradio.org based on the playlists submitted by folk DJs. A switch of focus was called for.<br><br>“When I had that number one, did the tour and got lots of attention for it suddenly the next album I was going to make seemed a lot more important and I had a lot of people advising me that an album of early medieval and Elizabethan music wasn’t going to cut it.<br><br>“Meantime, I kept writing I suppose under Zoe’s influence, I was writing more and more songs and so I wound up going back into the studio and finishing some of the stuff I’d recorded earlier and also recording a bunch of new songs I’d written.”<br><br>One subject of conversation has been the cover of <em>Solid Air</em> that appears on the album, a potentially risky venture given John Martyn’s iconic status.<br><br>“People often quite like to hear something that is familiar. As long as it’s recognisable as the same song but not a slavish copy of the original. As long as you do something with it to make it your own.” The interaction between McQuaid’s guitar and Bill Blackmore’s trumpet provides that attribute.<br><br>“There was another track on the album <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> that I was really keen to have trumpet on so we got a guy, fantastic trumpet player to play on <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> and then he said, ‘well is there anything else you’d like me to do while I’m here?’ and I said ‘what about doing some trumpet on <em>Solid Air?</em>’ We liked what he did so much that the song wound up being a duet between trumpet and guitar.”<br><br>Unusually, perhaps, for a female vocalist, McQuaid’s guitar work gets equal billing with her voice, her style developing from the mid-teens onward.<br><br>“I was only nine when I started playing the guitar, but later on when I got a little bit older, when I got to be 14 and 15, actually developing a guitar style, I guess Joni Mitchell was the big influence, that’s how I originally started playing in a lot of different tunings.<br><br>“Later I discovered Nick Drake. I’d say Nick Drake was a huge influence in the sense that with Nick Drake you start to get that sense of the guitar almost dueting with the voice rather than accompanying it and that’s what I try to do with what I do on the guitar.”<br><br>These days, and for some time now, she plays only in DADGAD tuning, writing a book on the subject, <em>The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book</em>, published in 1995, which is still in print.<br><br>“I was eighteen when I discovered the tuning. I was living in France for a year. I was at a festival in Brittany. Some fella I met at the festival, a French guy, don’t know his name, nobody well known or anything like that. I was playing in an Irish band at the time and he said ‘oh, if you’re playing Irish music you should really be using this DADGAD tuning, it’s what all these other Irish players are using.’<br><br>“I put the guitar into that tuning and tried out a couple of chords and just thought ‘ah, this is great. This is what I’ve been looking for, for ages. This is finally how I can make the sounds that I want to make.'"<br><br>The future looks bright for Sarah McQuaid, if somewhat hectic. “I’m starting to think about the new album. I’m not under huge pressure to put out another one for a year or two. It seems clear that song writing has to be the direction I take for the next album. I’ve got a lot of ideas for songs.<br><br>“There are some other projects that I’d like to do that don’t involve my own songs. I’d love to do an album of Rogers and Hart songs. I’d love to do another guitar book too, a book about DADGAD guitar accompaniment and have a really eclectic collection of songs in there written out with chords and tablature. I’d love to do a gospel album. I love those old bluegrass gospel numbers like <em>Down in the River to Pray</em> and <em>Wondrous Love</em>.<br><br>“There’s all kind of projects I have in mind, but it’s finding time to do them, especially with all the touring I do, I’m round about six months on the road. It’s best to fit more project oriented , creative stuff in there. I’d love to write a musical!”</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560762012-11-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-12T16:55:11+00:00Irish Music Magazine - Nicky Rossiter<p><em>November 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“A fascinating release that has a wonderful combination of the old, sometimes very old, and the new.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/releases/november-2012-releases/" target="_blank">http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/releases/november-2012-releases/</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>The Plum Tree and the Rose<br>Waterbug Records<br>13 Tracks, 47 Minutes<br>www.sarahmcquaid.com</strong><br>This is a fascinating release that has a wonderful combination of the old, sometimes very old, and the new. McQuaid has a voice very well suited to all the tracks and a heart that appears to appreciate the long folk tradition with a mind and a talent to almost replicate it while modernising it with style.<br><br>Her opening track Lift You Up and Let You Fly is from her own pen and is bang up to the minute with its theme of parents letting children go to make their own way in the world.<br><br>On the tracks Hardwick’s Lofty Towers and Kenilworth she reveals a wonderful empathy with the old style ballads of long ago with well written, arranged and performed stories of historical characters and events. Both songs are accompanied by extensive notes in the insert booklet giving us a nice historical background to better enjoy the stories. In Derby Cathedral she draws the listener into a leisurely stroll through an historic location. But life is not all about those long gone misty eyed days of yore with McQuaid. The Sun Goes on Rising brings us squarely back to 21st century reality of the “wolf at the door” and the consequences of recent economic past.<br><br>She delves back into the ballad canon with spirited renditions of songs from around 1600 with Can She Excuse My Wrongs and New Oysters New. It is amazing when we listen to such songs to realise that others – probably not the lesser beings of society – heard these very lyrics before Oliver Cromwell was a gleam in his mother’s eye.<br><br>The title track is another new song with a title and sentiment very much rooted in those earlier days. She closes proceeding with a beautiful song called In Gratitude I Sing and I suppose the listener will echo this with “in greater gratitude I listen”.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560792012-09-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T16:59:54+00:00Folkwales Online Magazine - Mick Tems<p><em>September 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“An outstanding CD with spot-on production.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkwales.org.uk/Magazine/Sept%202012/CD%20Reviews.html" target="_blank">http://www.folkwales.org.uk/Magazine/Sept%202012/CD%20Reviews.html</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH McQUAID<br>The Plum Tree And The Rose<br>(WBG 104)</strong><br>Sarah was born in Spain, raised in Chicago and holds a dual Irish-American passport. Her lovely low voice is one to die for, and she’s a superb DADGAD guitarist and songwriter; she holds DADGAD workshops at festivals around the globe, and she’s also the author of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book. She moved to Ireland, and currently is living in Cornwall. The Plum Tree And The Rose is a remarkable and beautiful collection, enhanced by Sarah’s incisive and penetrating poetry, style of performance and inspiring choice of repertoire.<br><br>Sarah writes as a caring mother in Lift You Up And Let You Fly, as a historian in the pretty and imposing Hardwick’s Lofty Towers, and as an artist painting a detailed artwork of Kenilworth gardens and its bejewelled aviary. Solid Air, the tribute which the late, great John Martyn wrote for his friend Nick Drake, is a masterpiece, with Sarah solo on guitar and Bill Blackmore on trumpet. In Derby Cathedral captures the magnetism of this ancient, stunning monument, The Sun Goes On Rising centres on the recession and the hard economic times that affect everybody, and S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezeda takes the listener back to medieval Provence and the Occitan poet and troubadour Ellian de Cadenet, who lived from c. 1160 to c. 1235.<br><br>Sarah lingers in ancient mood for two more songs, John Dowland’s Can She Excuse My Wrongs (which has a startling and difficult guitar harmony line) and New Oysters New, one of Thomas Ravenscroft’s rounds and catches in which she sings with Niamh Parsons and Tom Barry of the Galway Baroque Choir. She returns to contemporary songwriting with So Much Rain and What Are We Going To Do, which she co-wrote with Irish studio producer Gerry O’Beirne, who makes an absolutely sterling job of Sarah’s CD. She easily avoids the incongruous chasm between modern writing and her love of Elizabethan and medieval music, which Sarah moulds into a moving, unique art form for today.<br><br>The title track is the most saddening and mysterious of all. Sarah says it was several years in the making and has a lot of emotional resonance for her. According to Sarah, can a person’s spirit exist in the physical things they leave behind? All in all, The Plum Tree And The Rose is an outstanding CD with spot-on production, and Sarah thanks all the team and the fine musicians who made it so.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560782012-09-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T16:58:59+00:00Minor 7th - Jamie Anderson<p><em>September 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Her rich alto voice is like honey poured into wine – intoxicating but not overly sweet.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.minor7th.com/m7_10_12.html" target="_blank">http://www.minor7th.com/m7_10_12.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records 2012</strong><br>Her rich alto voice is like honey poured into wine – intoxicating but not overly sweet. She sounds like a Celtic singer more than anything else although she mixes it up with many folk styles including an Elizabethan ballad (”Can She Excuse My Wrongs”) and a thirteenth century song written by Ellian du Cadenet. Most songs feature her lovely finger picked guitar but on the latter, “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada,” she plays an Indian shruti box. It offers a haunting drone while a South American tiple (a stringed instrument with a high pitch) played by Gerry O’Beirne offers color. They certainly aren’t traditional for this type of song but the soundscape they create is perfect. Most of her guitar work feels open and crisp; I suspect that a lot of it is in an alternative tuning since she wrote a highly regarded book about Irish music and the DADGAD tuning. “Lift You Up and Let You Fly” is an original about letting a daughter spread her wings. “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers” tells the interesting story of Bess of Hardwick, an astute woman from the 1500’s who was wealthy not because she married four times but because of her sharp financial skills, a rare thing in those times when most marriages were arranged. There are layers of beautiful vocals and acoustic instruments in “Kenilworth,” a song about poor Robert Dudley who tried to woo Queen Elizabeth I with a beautiful garden but was unsuccessful. John Martyn wrote “Solid Air” as a tribute to Nick Drake and here she gives it a bluesy feel with just her vocal, guitar and some very cool trumpet from Bill Blackmore. Although “The Sun Goes on Rising” is about hard financial times, it contains a lot of hope: “Morning comes and amber turns to grey / The sun goes on rising every day.” She co-wrote “What Are We Going to Do” with Gerry O’Beirne and unlike most of this album, it has a contemporary feel with its modern lyrics and arrangement that includes congas. “New Oysters New” is a unique a cappella piece with three contrasting but complimentary voices. The parts weave in and out as do the vocals in the closing cut “In Gratitude I Sing,” a six part round sung with Niamh Parsons and others. Gorgeous. The liner notes are extensive and give background for each cut. Refreshing in a time when many artists are forgoing the printing of lyrics or song background in CD booklets.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560772012-09-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T16:57:46+00:00AllMusic Guide - J. Poet<p><em>September 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“The word timeless is often bandied about when critics discuss folksingers, but it’s actually an apt description for Sarah McQuaid’s vocals and compositional style.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-mw0002308011" target="_blank">http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-mw0002308011</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>The Plum Tree and The Rose</strong><br>The word timeless is often bandied about when critics discuss folksingers, but it’s actually an apt description for Sarah McQuaid’s vocals and compositional style. She’s traveled the world since she was a child, singing folk songs and soaking up folk culture. She lived in Ireland for 13 years and currently resides in England and sounds more like a British folkie than an American singer/songwriter. “The Sun Goes on Rising” sounds ancient, but it addresses the current economic downturn and although it says “things will get better,” its bluesy tone and McQuaid’s desolate vocal imply otherwise. McQuaid’s crystalline picking and Rod McVey’s piano grace “So Much Rain,” a song of lost love with a folk/jazz feel. “Lift You Up and Let You Fly” is the prayer of a mother for her young child and it balances delicately on the cusp of overprotection and empowerment. McQuaid’s vocal is full of the tremulous emotion every parent feels. The album includes several tasty covers as well. “Solid Air,” a tune John Martyn wrote as a remembrance for Nick Drake, is as soulful and somber as Drake’s music. McQuaid’s vocal and Bill Blackmore’s trumpet imbue the track with unbearable melancholy. “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada” is a French troubadour song from the 1200s with a meandering melody that’s perfect for showing off McQuaid’s music and emotional range. John Dowland’s 1603 hit “Can She Excuse My Wrongs” features some McQuaid’s impressive Elizabethan-style picking and “New Oysters New,” from 1609, sounds like a wandering street vendor’s commercial for fresh shellfish.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560802012-08-09T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:00:40+00:00More Than The Music<p><em>9 August 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview. </strong>“Fast Five: Sarah McQuaid.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/interviews/fast-five-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/interviews/fast-five-sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><strong>Fast Five: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><em>When did you begin making music, and did you ever ponder a different career?</em><br>I’ve been making music ever since I can remember — I toured with the Chicago Children’s Choir from the age of seven and started writing songs and performing them while I was still in my teens. However, I only became a full time musician in 2007. Prior to that I worked as a journalist. It was very frightening to leave the security of a steady job for a career as a touring performer, but I’m very glad that I did!<br><br><em>How would you describe your music?</em><br>I try not to be bound by the definition of any particular genre. My influences range from singer/songwriters to jazz to classical and early music, and when I write a song I’m not aiming to please any particular audience — I’m just trying to write the best song I can write, and hope that it will be meaningful to others. One thing that reviewers mention a lot is that with me, it’s really a duet between my voice and my guitar, rather than the guitar merely accompanying the song. It’s a comment that always pleases me when I hear it.<br><br><em>What have you been up to so far and what can we expect over the coming months?</em><br>I just released my third solo album last March, on the Chicago-based Waterbug Records label. The album was a big departure for me in that it’s the first one to feature mostly my own songs, so I’m delighted that it’s been getting lots of airplay and amazing reviews — I’ve never been described as “incendiary” before! Now I’m gearing up for a very intensive few months of touring — 56 gigs from the 1st of September to the 2nd of December, in both the USA and the UK.<br><br><em>If you could duet with anybody who would it be and why?</em><br>James Taylor. If there’s one musician I’d emulate it’s him — he’s such a consummate artist in so many ways: great songwriter, wonderful singer with such a natural laid-back style, terrific instrumentalist and a riveting live performer. And on his website he shows great generosity of spirit — he even puts up video guitar lessons so fans can learn how to play his songs properly!<br><br><em>What’s your desert island disc and why would you take this one album?</em><br>I never get tired of listening to the Bach Cello Suites — sorry if that sounds awfully highbrow! When I’m concentrating really hard on a big piece of work, I’ll just have it on a continuous loop — somehow it keeps me relaxed and focused at the same time, which isn’t easy to achieve.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560822012-07-25T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:01:25+00:00USA Today - Kerry Dexter<p><em>25 July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “McQuaid knows landscapes, and how to put them into song.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/perceptivetravel/post/2012/07/Buildings-Songs-England-Sarah-McQuaid/811853/1" target="_blank">http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/perceptivetravel/post/2012/07/Buildings-Songs-England-Sarah-McQuaid/811853/1</a></p>
<p><strong>Buildings, Songs, England: Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Songs arise in many different ways. A songwriter might be inspired by a walk by the water, a chance conversation with an acquaintance, a turn of the weather. But architecture? For Sarah McQuaid, a visit to Hardwick Hall, which was built in 1590 near Chesterfield in Derbyshire in the midlands of England by Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury, proved a springboard for her imagination.<br><br>“I found myself wanting to know more about the woman who built it, and whose initials dominate the roof line,” McQuaid says. Research at first offered her ideas of a woman who attained great wealth by manipulating her fortunes to outlive several husbands. Reading her letters, though, McQuaid found that the countess, informally known as Bess of Hardwick, shared a genuine affection and understanding with her spouses, and that her wealth came from her own good choices in managing finances. In a few well worded verses in her song <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em>, McQuaid draws a memorable portrait of the character of the woman who chose to create Hardwick Hall as her legacy and emblazon her initials upon it.<br><br>A sacred space offers the frame for a different song on McQuaid’s album <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>, a piece which is both gentle and haunting. McQuaid evokes the passage of lifetimes and the nature of change as she considers the names and monuments and stained glass of a great church in her song <em>In Derby Cathedral</em>.<br><br>McQuaid knows landscapes, and how to put them into song: she was born in Spain, raised in Chicago, lived for some years in Ireland, and now lives with her family in England’s southwest. From that base she spends six months each year on the road with her music, both giving concerts and teaching workshops on guitar. She has a number of dates set in North America and in the UK in the coming months.<br><br>Songs from <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> will be part of these performances. Differing perspectives on change weave through all the songs on the album, from a troubadour song sung in an ancient language to various voices of people standing on the edge of changes in love in songs both original and from history, to a contemplation of the passage of time shown through landscape, conversation, and children in the title track. <em>Lift You Up and Let You Fly</em> finds McQuaid contemplating the joys and bittersweet aspects of helping a child grow, and an original canon of thanksgiving in which McQuaid’s graceful alto is joined by the voices of five fellow musicians brings things to a thoughtful close.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560832012-07-06T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:04:00+00:00The Alternate Root - Danny McCloskey<p><em>6 July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Sarah McQuaid has a voice that captures air on the first note as it sails across jazz piano riffs and sparkling guitar work.”</p>
<p><strong>(“Featured Artists of the Week” for week commencing Friday, 6 July, 2012)<br>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid pitches a folk tent in the campground of genre peers on <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>. Vocally, Sarah offers warm resonance in her delivery, an intimacy that shares texture with artists such as Judy Collins, Odetta and Joni Mitchell on album tracks “The Sun Goes on Rising”, “Lift You Up and Let You Fly”, “So Much Rain” and “What Are We Going to Do”. Sonic comparisons to Sandy Denny and Maddy Pryor come to mind on “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”, “In Derby Cathedral”, “Can She Excuse My Wrongs”, “Kenilworth”, “New Oysters New” and the title track, as Sarah treads the paths of old English folk ballads to track the ghosts in her rural England home. <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> honors folk tradition from the British Isles through the Appalachian mountain range. Sarah McQuaid has a voice that captures air on the first note as it sails across jazz piano riffs and sparkling guitar work on her third album effort.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560892012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:12:11+00:00FolkWorld - David Hintz<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “This is a powerful record that really grows as each song moves into your head.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkworld.eu/48/e/cds5.html#mcqu" target="_blank">http://www.folkworld.eu/48/e/cds5.html#mcqu</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em><br>Waterbug; 2012</strong><br>Let’s follow the path .... Sarah McQuaid was born in Spain, raised in Chicago, is a dual citizen of Ireland and the USA, and now lives in rural England. Although you may become a balanced folk singer/songwriter by studying many different forms of music and their geographies, it does not hurt to have this wide variety of world experiences to help you shape your music. McQuaid uses all of that and then brings in her deep, airy voice. Her quiet power is evident most in a delicate cover of John Martyn’s “Solid Air” using just her voice, her acoustic guitar, and a trumpet. “In Derby Cathedral” is also a powerfully deep, dark arrangement that reminds me of a subtler Loreena McKennitt. There are also shifts into more of a smoky jazz club feel, although the music is still folk based. Ultimately the meditative songs are the ones that amaze me most. I often think of Nico with deeper voiced female vocalists, but rarely use her as a comparison due to the arrangement differences. Here, there is some of the John Cale style production and arrangements evident in Nico’s “The Marble Index”. Just listen to the drone on “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada” and it is hard to not think of John Cale. This is a powerful record that really grows as each song moves into your head.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560882012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:11:16+00:00Victory Review - John C. McClure<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Truly profound and deeply emotive. ... This is one for the keeping.”</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em></strong><br>This was not an easy album for me to review. Essentially, it is a singer-songwriter album and consists of a lovely voice with assorted instrumentation. I have run across one or two of those in my days as a reviewer of CDs, so it should not have been a problem, but it was. The problem was not the quality of production or the musicianship or the quality of the vocals. Those were all completely excellent. The problem was the shifting origins of the album’s music, and the subtlety with which it was performed.<br><br>By the end of the first song, “Lift You Up and Let You Fly,” I thought, “Oh, this is going to be a contemporary Folk album”, and there are parts that do that. Then I found myself listening to a jazz-inspired “Solid Air” of John Martyn’s, complete with a Miles Davis sort of trumpet, and changed my mind. Then there was the drone of a Shruti Box (chordal drone) on “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada” which was written in the 10th century as an Occitan “dawn song”. Hmm.... Getting hard to keep up here.... Then there is an a cappella version of “New Oysters New,” a series of rounds from 1609 with Niamh Parsons and Tom Barry.<br><br>And that sort of beautiful discontinuity continues throughout this extraordinary collection of different musical directions, each song fronted by McQuaid’s breathy alto and featuring a delicate attention to instrumentation and nuance. This album is part blessing and part curse. The blessing is that once you descend into the layers of emotion and mood that the project encompasses, you find that it is a true musical gem and well worth a series of critical listens, each one expanding your appreciation for Sarah McQuaid and the collection of singers and players she has assembled to record this eclectic and lovely mix of material.<br><br>The curse is that you will be shown how your own musical prejudices and assumptions can cause you to skip over or dismiss work that is truly profound and deeply emotive. It may take a little work to get next to this album, but it will be absolutely and totally worth all of it. This is one for the keeping.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560872012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-16T19:59:17+00:00The Journal of the Classic Rock Society - Miles Bartaby<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Sarah McQuaid has a voice that oozes warmth and richness.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518238/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-classic-rock-society-review-plum.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/4bbf2beb7c7dcaff40f01a551cb6caa9de6522de/original/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-classic-rock-society-review-plum.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_2012_07_Classic_Rock_Society_Review_Plum" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid has a voice that oozes warmth and richness. Her gentle folk songs are accompanied by some stylish acoustic guitar playing which allows the voice to take command and draw you in to the stories. Now resident in the south west of England, Sarah McQuaid has lived in the US and Ireland and she has been able to draw on the folk traditions of all these places on this third album. There is a theme to some of the songs about the relationship between people and places, which gives rise to a couple of the album’s highlights centred on Derbyshire – Derby Cathedral, with its haunting outro, and Hardwick’s Lofty Towers. There is also a cover of Solid Air which is even more laid back than John Martyn’s original.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560862012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:08:06+00:00Folker - Volker Dick<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows German original). </strong>“Diese Frau hat Stil.” <em>(This lady’s got style.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folker.de/201204/rezi-na.php" target="_blank">http://www.folker.de/201204/rezi-na.php</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518237/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-folker-review-plum.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/65767cba00875d32d40ab7209bb5338309d09c71/original/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-folker-review-plum.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_2012_07_Folker_Review_Plum" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>(Waterbug Records WBG104, 13 Tracks, 47:02, mit engl. Texten u. Infos<br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>Meistens geht es um die grossen Dinge: Warum und wozu sind wir eigentlich auf der Welt? Wie füllen wir dieses Leben aus? Sarah McQuaid hat ihre Antwort gefunden: Sie schreibt Songs, die nicht nur um solche Sinnfragen kreisen, sondern auch ums Politische in Gestalt von Wirtschaftskrisen und Armutsangst. Das alles trägt sie mit einer Stimme vor, die schnell an Joni Mitchell erinnert, nach einer Weile aber mehr Tiefe und Wärme erkennen lässt. Dazu spielt die Künstlerin, die in Spanien geboren wurde, in Chicago aufwuchs und heute im ländlichen England lebt, eine pointierte Fingerpicking-Gitarre in DADGAD-Stimmung, über die sie auch ein Lehrbuch geschrieben hat. Sie könnte gleich noch eines darüber verfassen, wie man Songs mit dichter Atmosphäre anreichert. So glänzt ihre Coverversion von John Martyns „Solid Air“ mit grosser Intensität, obwohl ihr dabei nur Bill Blackmore an der Trompete als Begleitung zur Seite steht. Gleiches darf von „Can She Excuse My Wrongs“ aus der Feder des Renaissance-Komponisten John Dowland behauptet werden. Die neun selbst geschriebenen Lieder des Albums stehen gleichwertig neben solchen Vorbildern, ohne deren Niveau zu beleidigen. Diese Frau hat Stil.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Helen Kreuz for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Mostly it’s about the big questions: Why are we here? What is life's purpose? Sarah McQuaid has found her answer. She writes songs that not only deal with these questions, but make a political statement on economic problems and the fear of poverty. She sings about all these themes in a voice that reminds us at first of Joni Mitchell, but on further listening has more depth and warmth. Born in Spain, raised in Chicago and now living in rural England, this artist plays a precise finger-picked style guitar in the DADGAD tuning, on which she has also written a book. She could write another one on how to enrich songs with profound atmosphere. Her cover version of John Martyn’s “Solid Air” is brilliant in its intensity, even though she’s only accompanied on this track by Bill Blackmore on the trumpet. The same can be said of “Can She Excuse My Wrongs”, from the pen of Renaissance composer John Dowland. The nine original songs on the album are just as excellent, with no discredit to the role models mentioned. This lady’s got style.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560852012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:09:31+00:00Living Tradition - Clive Pownceby<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Lucid and quite magical at times, Sarah McQuaid transcends mere craftsmanship with inspiration and innovation on this record – it’s intelligent, grown-up music.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518236/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-living-tradition-review.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/a1157d21fc3295d94acbcde06eb2641c04c4f2c2/original/sarah-mcquaid-2012-07-living-tradition-review.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_2012_07_Living_Tradition_Review" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records WBG104</strong><br>There’s no getting around it, Ms McQuaid gets better with every album! Hers is truly a world class talent – no argument – and her previous outing having been largely focused on the Appalachian traditional songs she knew from her childhood in the USA, this new offering swings the balance in favour of self and co-written material. Reflecting her aesthetic family background (Father – Spanish artist, Mother – American art critic), the eclectic tastes and influences that Sarah has assimilated over 30 years or so of performance in a variety of genres are reflected in a recording with strength and depth making for a rich, emotional musical excursion.<br><br><em>Lift You Up And Let You Fly (“though my belly made you, I can’t hold you, I can’t cage you”) </em>is as confessional and poignant as it sounds and the mood overall is well, <em>‘atmospheric’</em>. The Elizabethan items – <em>John Dowland’s Can She Excuse My Wrongs?</em> and the round <em>New Oysters New</em> – are totally engaging, contrasting with her reflective <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> where she meditates on there-and-then as opposed to the here-and-now – in fact there’s a fair amount of lyrical contemplation throughout.<br><br>Gerry O’Beirne is once again the sonic mandarin behind the desk, bringing out the best in the airy melodic qualities of Sarah’s vocals and the structured, concise arrangements are wholly complementary.<br><br>The McQuaid voice is not a flinty one and is ideally suited to songs with a passionate intensity, such as her cover of John Martyn’s <em>Solid Air</em> where Bill Blackmore’s trumpet is almost trance-inducing and the vocal burns with a brilliant allure. Lucid and quite magical at times, Sarah McQuaid transcends mere craftsmanship with inspiration and innovation on this record – it’s intelligent, grown-up music. Non-believers and newcomers can both shop here with confidence!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560842012-07-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:10:53+00:00Shire Folk - Kevin T. Ward<p><em>July 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Gentle and sublime, but at times moving and intense, it’s genuinely enchanting.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518235/shire-folk-review-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/7c6b0966fd600072dcd932971a0566feb477961a/original/shire-folk-review-sarah-mcquaid.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Shire_Folk_Review_Sarah_McQuaid" width="50%" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>The Plum Tree and The Rose<br>Waterbug Records WBG104</strong><br>With Irish and Appalachian folk emphases, singer, guitarist and composer Sarah McQuaid’s two previous solo recordings reflected her widely peregrine life experience across the USA and Europe. This quite different and diverse offer further reflects her keen musicological bent.<br><br>So, a 13th century Provencal troubadour’s ‘Alba’ (‘dawn song’), sung with Old Occitan pronunciation and accompanied by Indian shruti box and South American tiple, joins 16th and 17th century English traditional material by John Dowland and Thomas Ravenscroft (the charming round New Oysters New).<br><br>The evident passion for history comes out in songs about Bess of Hardwick, Robert Dudley’s efforts at courtship of Good Queen Bess (via his pleasure garden at Kenilworth) and Derby Cathedral, cleverly combining period atmosphere with contemporary feel. Other self-penned material (some written jointly with accompanist guitarist/producer Gerry O’Beirne) explores life, times and the universe poetically, philosophically and reflectively.<br><br>Musically, there's the wonderful voice – a rich, deep, and mature alto with slightly accented edges; a pitch perfect instrument offering plenty of lyrical intimacy. Ariane Lydon’s voice is similarly distinctive and, overall, June Tabor and Martha Tilston are perhaps useful comparisons. Then there’s the elegantly crafted guitar work, discreetly enhanced by flugelhorn, trumpet, fiddles, keyboards, double bass, and percussion.<br><br>Gentle and sublime, but at times moving and intense, it’s genuinely enchanting. Several folk, jazz and classical influences are finely woven into arresting and alluring patterns in the chord combinations and nuanced musical detail in the interplay of melodies, bass and rhythms. In short, it’s intelligent and beautiful music.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560902012-06-28T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T17:13:28+00:00Rock Jazz Pop - Torsten Sukrow<p><em>28 June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows German original).</strong> “Klanglich ist das Album überzeugend und wird dem Zuhörer Freude bereiten.”<em> (Sonically, the album is compelling and will delight the listener.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://rock-jazz-pop.com/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/2566/" target="_blank">http://rock-jazz-pop.com/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/2566/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br><em>(English translation appears below German original.)</em></strong><br>Was macht eine Frau, die als Tochter eines Spaniers und einer Amerikanerin in Madrid geboren wurde, in Chicago aufwuchs, die amerikanische sowie irische Staatsbürgerschaft hat und nun mit ihrer Familie im ländlichen England lebt für Musik? Sarah McQuaid findet offensichtlich großen Gefallen an der alten, englischen Folkmusik.<br><br>Auf Ihrem neuen Album “The Plum Tree And The Rose” sind diese Einflüsse unüberhörbar. Mehr noch; sie arbeitet stilistisch und textlich mit den Elementen der frühen Neuzeit und hat sogar einige alte Lieder aus dieser Epoche für dieses Album aufgenommen. Zu allen Titeln gibt es im Booklet die Texte sowie Beschreibungen, die meist die Intention erläutern, wie es zum jeweiligen Stück gekommen ist. Auch hier zeigt sich vielfach das eingangs beschriebene Interesse zur frühen Neuzeit. Der Großteil der Songs wurde von Sarah McQuaid selbst, teilweise zusammen mit Gerry O’Beirne geschrieben. Gerry O’Beirne hat das Album auch produziert und spielt die Gitarrenparts.<br><br>Interessant an der Zusammenstellung der Songs ist, dass mich Stücke wie “Lift You Up And Let You Fly” oder “So Much Rain” an die Musik von James Taylor erinnern, jedoch wunderbar mit den traditionell anmutenden Titeln harmonieren. Die Verwandtschaft der alten britischen Folkmusik zum amerikanischen Singer-/Songwriter Genre ist somit erkennbar. Die Vorfahren von James Taylor kamen übrigens aus Schottland. Die Stimme von Sarah McQuaid lässt durchaus den Vergleich zu Carly Simon zu. Sie hat das gleiche Timbre. Und interessanterweise waren James Taylor und Carly Simon von 1972 bis 1983 verheiratet. Das alles passt wohl eher zufällig zusammen, aber die Verbindung ist dennoch irgendwie da und interessant! Wer also die Klangfarbe der Stimme von Carly Simon mag, mit der Musik von James Taylor etwas anfangen kann und ebenfalls einen Zugang zu alter englischer Folkmusik hat, könnte mit “The Plum Tree And The Rose” einen Volltreffer landen. Klanglich ist das Album überzeugend und wird dem Zuhörer Freude bereiten.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Helen Kreuz for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>What kind of music can we expect from a lady born in Madrid to a Spanish father and an American mother, who grew up in Chicago, has Irish and American citizenship and now living in the English countryside with her family? Sarah McQuaid has found her love of old English folk music.<br><br>On her new album “ The Plum Tree & The Rose”, all these influences can be heard. Moreover, she works stylistically and textually with elements of the early modern period and has even recorded some of these ancient songs on this album. The album includes a booklet with lyrics, background information and information on how the songs came about. Here again we can find her interest in the early modern age. Most of the songs are written by Sarah McQuaid; some are co-written with Gerry O’Beirne. Gerry O’Beirne also produced and plays guitar on the album.<br><br>The combination of the songs on the album is very interesting – “Lift You Up And Let You Fly” and “So Much Rain” remind me of the music of James Taylor, but harmonise wonderfully with traditionally presented titles. The affinity of old English folk music to the American singer/songwriter genre is evident. By the way James Taylor’s ancestors came from Scotland. Sarah McQuaid’s voice can definitely be compared to Carly Simon’s. She has the same timbre. Interestingly enough, Carly Simon and James Taylor were married from 1972 to 1983. It’s only purely coincidental, but somehow the connection is interesting! So if you like the acoustic colour of Carly Simon’s voice, the music of James Taylor and you are into old English music, you will love “The Plum Tree And The Rose”. Sonically, the album is compelling and will delight the listener.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560912012-06-17T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:30:38+00:00Green Man Music - Dave Franklin<p><em>17 June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“The word timeless is banded around far too much these days, but this album comes as close to that accolade as any I have heard.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.greenmanmusic.biz/?p=5180" target="_blank">http://www.greenmanmusic.biz/?p=5180</a></p>
<p><strong><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> – Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>After exploring the traditional styles of Ireland and The Appalachians on previous albums, her third, <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, has its feet firmly planted in the dark clay of England’s folk movement, both contemporary and ancient.<br><br>One thing I always find speaks volumes about an artist and where they are coming from is the cover songs that they chose to include along side their own compositions; McQuaid’s choices are very revealing. With three songs garnered from the works of troubadours and renaissance players, a love and understanding of the roots of the genre become obvious and her fourth borrowing is a masterful cover of the hallowed ground that is John Martyn’s “Solid Air”. And the art of the right selections is that they blend in to the artist’s own songs with ease and they very much do.<br><br>The wonderful stories and pieces of history wrapped up in songs such as “Kenilworth”, “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers” and “In Derby Cathedral”, not to mention the effortlessly chilled musical arrangements, imbibe the songs with the weight of time and tradition and I would defy the listener to tell the covers from the original pieces, such is their authenticity.<br><br>But it’s not all double history or a Cecil Sharp House style open day; there are plenty of contemporary themes explored as well. The lilting groove and gentle optimism of “The Sun Goes on Rising” brings us bang up to date and songs such as “So Much Rain” and the title track itself explore universal themes in brilliantly poetic fashion.<br><br>The word timeless is banded around far too much these days, but this album comes as close to that accolade as any I have heard. Timeless in its lack of modern cliché, timeless in its inclusion of vast swathes of musical, not to mention factual, history and timeless in the fact that it could just as easily have been the product of the sixties folk revival as it is of this time.<br><br>This is the first of Sarah’s albums I have heard but if her previous works match the evocative exploration of (mainly) English folk that is found here, I think that they also are journeys that I will be taking very shortly as well.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560932012-06-08T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:33:10+00:00Nederlands Dagblad - Herman Veenhof<p><em>8 June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Bijzonder is het geslaagde samengaan van zang, sobere gitaarbegeleiding en trompet, een instrumentkeuze die in folkkringen moedig en verrassend is.” <em>(An exceptional feature is the successful combination of her voice, laid-back guitar arrangements and trumpet, a mix of instruments that is as surprising as it is courageous for a folk album.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2012/mei/16/cd-recensies-8-juni-2012" target="_blank">http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2012/mei/16/cd-recensies-8-juni-2012</a></p>
<p><strong>Folk (4 stars)<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Sarah McQuaid<br>Waterbug/Munich Records<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>De Amerikaanse-Ierse Sarah McQuaid maakte in 1997 de Ierse folkplaat <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> en in 2008 <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, met muziek uit de Appalachen. Tekst en stem waren even warm als verstild. Dat is ook zo bij haar nieuwe plaat. Bijzonder is het geslaagde samengaan van zang, sobere gitaarbegeleiding en trompet, een instrumentkeuze die in folkkringen moedig en verrassend is. Gerry O’Beirne produceerde dertien mooie songs, speelt Zuid-Amerikaanse tiple en twaalfsnarige gitaar. Euphonium en trompet zijn voor Bill Blackmore, naast Rod McVey (toetsen), Trevor Hutchinseon (contrabas), Rosie Shipley (viool), Máire Breatnach (viool) en Noel Eccles (percussie). Veel volk, maar een helder, sober geluid. Er is een brief aan haar moeder in ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’. Heel mooi is ‘Solid Air’. Maar de trilogie ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’, ‘In Derby Cathedral’ en het titelnummer overtreffen alles.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Danny Guinan for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>The Irish/American singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid’s previous releases include the Irish folk album <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> (1997) and <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> (2008), a recording of Appalachian music. Her voice and the lyrics on both albums were warm and tranquil. The same can be said of her new album. An exceptional feature is the successful combination of her voice, laid-back guitar arrangements and trumpet, a mix of instruments that is as surprising as it is courageous for a folk album. Gerry O’Beirne produced the thirteen beautiful songs and also added the South American tiple and 12-string guitar. Bill Blackmore contributed euphonium and trumpet, alongside a host of other musicians including Rod McVey (keyboards), Trevor Hutchinson (double bass), Rosie Shipley (fiddle), Máire Breatnach (fiddle) and Noel Eccles (percussion). Quite a crew, but the resulting sound is clear and focused. The song ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’ is an open letter to her daughter, and the cover of ‘Solid Air’ is outstanding. But it is the trilogy of ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’, ‘In Derby Cathedral’ and the title track that steal the show.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560922012-06-08T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:33:21+00:00Spiral Earth - David Kushar<p><em>8 June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Sarah’s albums are always a lavish affair, but this feels like her most complete to date, with class stamped all over it.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.spiralearth.co.uk/news/Review-story.asp?nid=6260" target="_blank">http://www.spiralearth.co.uk/news/Review-story.asp?nid=6260</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em></strong><br>In contrast to Sarah McQuaid’s previous solo albums, which explored the Irish and Appalachian songbooks, <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> presents an eclectic array of material mirroring the changing landscapes of Sarah’s own life: Sarah was born in Spain, raised in Chicago, and now lives in England.<br><br>Possessing some of the sultry hypnotism of John Martyn’s acoustic music, it’s apt to find a cover of ‘Solid Air’ with trumpet from Bill Blackmore taking the place of Danny Thompson’s rubbery basslines. Continuing in the same languid spirit, ‘Kenilworth’ and ‘In Derby Cathedral’ present a distinctive centrepiece with Sarah’s impressive voice and guitar backed with thoughtful band arrangements.<br><br>Enigmatic text is sung over a softly propulsive bed of shruti box and South American tiple for an ‘alba’ or ‘dawn song’ written in the 13th century – material sourced from over seven hundred years ago is a stretch for any artist but the results entirely justify the educational study involved. Followed by John Dowland’s ‘Can You Excuse My Wrongs’, an Elizabethan piece arranged for Sarah and guitar, and ‘New Oysters New’, a round for voices published in 1609, the album starts to resemble a section of John Renbourn’s discography. However, further originals bring unique dimensions tackling meaty topics regarding parenting and our own existence.<br><br>Sarah’s albums are always a lavish affair, but this feels like her most complete to date, with class stamped all over it.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560942012-06-04T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:34:18+00:00Lonely Planet - Kerry Dexter<p><em>4 June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Rather than offering history lessons only by fact, through all the songs McQuaid invites listeners to consider permanence and impermanence, and what may last and carry on after we are gone.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/523/158203/Travel+to+an+English+Manor+With+Music?destId=773652" target="_blank">http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/523/158203/Travel+to+an+English+Manor+With+Music?destId=773652</a></p>
<p><strong>Travel to an English Manor With Music<br>Destination: England<br>Music: <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> by Sarah McQuaid (from Waterbug Records)<br>Article by Kerry Dexter</strong><br>It has been nearly five centuries since Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury – more informally known as Bess of Hardwick – put her fortune and her imagination to work to commission the building of Hardwick Hall in the midlands of England. Still the hall stands, noted especially for its extensive use of large windows, unusual for buildings in the Renaissance. What’s also prominent in the design is the recurrence of Bess of Hardwick’s initials, ES for Elizabeth of Shrewsbury, worked into the stonework on the roof line.<br><br>All these things got singer and songwriter Sarah McQuaid thinking about what sort of person Bess of Hardwick might have been, and what sort of life she led. In history books she’s usually mentioned for great wealth and power, but McQuaid took a more personal focus for her song “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”, which proves a thoughtful and illuminating idea of a woman’s life that connects across the centuries in just a few short verses.<br><br>McQuaid is well qualified to tell such a story: born in Spain, raised in Chicago, living for more than a decade in Ireland and now raising her family in the southwest of England, she brings a poet’s ear and a songwriter’s voice to the music she has chosen for <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>. There are songs she’s written and songs from several sources recent and past that she covers. Some have to do with or are inspired by ideas from history, often English history, while others are more personal. Rather than offering history lessons only by fact, through all the songs McQuaid invites listeners to consider permanence and impermanence, and what may last and carry on after we are gone.<br><br>These ideas and questions play out in the title track, as McQuaid intertwines the legacy of memory with nature and family in <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, and considers the changes and uncertainties of love in the song “So Much Rain”. History takes its places again through reflection in the song “In Derby Cathedral”, and there is a meditation on the loving and letting go that comes with parenthood in “Lift You Up and Let You Fly”. Though that focus on time and change is perhaps less explicit through the other songs, it is there, as McQuaid looks at Robert Dudley’s courting of the first Queen Elizabeth in the song “Kenilworth”, covers songs by John Martyn and John Dowland, and closes with a six part canon called “In Gratitude I Sing”. Through the album, McQuaid’s many hued alto voice and creative guitar work are well supported by Trevor Hutchinson on double bass, Gerry O’Beirne (who produced the album) on guitar, Rosie Shipley on fiddle, Niamh Parsons on voice, and others.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560972012-06-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:46:42+00:00Maverick - Pete Fyfe<p><em>June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Sarah McQuaid has the intelligence and tenacity to cultivate her lyrics so that the legacy of her songwriting will remain long after she has passed away.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.maverick-country.com/#/sarah-mcquaid-cd-review/4565841286" target="_blank">http://www.maverick-country.com/#/sarah-mcquaid-cd-review/4565841286</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records WBG104<br>(5 stars)</strong><br>Much like her heroine Bess Of Hardwick (“Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”), Sarah McQuaid has the intelligence and tenacity to cultivate her lyrics so that the legacy of her songwriting will remain long after she has passed away. If that sounds morose, it isn’t meant to be. It’s just that McQuaid’s way with words will draw you in and leave you feeling as if you’ve just stepped from an invigorating shower. She’s the kind of writer who conveys her thoughts brilliantly via the medium of music. Take for instance the opening track “Lift You Up And Let You Fly”: within a few short verses she is able to let the listener know the pain but understanding in watching a child’s development and eventual release into the world with all the compassion of a mum who (hopefully) doesn’t watch Jeremy Kyle. It has to be said that from a listener’s point of view this is where the producer and musician Gerry O’Beirne’s skill in utilising Bill Blackmore’s flugelhorn is an astute piece of placement. Think of Christy Moore’s “All For The Roses” if you’re unsure where you’ve heard this thought process before and, whilst on the subject of instrumentation, much as I’d like to name every musician who contributed to this beautifully crafted album, I’m afraid I can’t as I haven’t got the space. Let’s just say I’m bowled over with the creative input from everyone involved. In truth I could write a whole book on the subject of Sarah McQuaid’s way with words but perhaps that is best left to the lady herself. If you require any further incentive, why not check out the gorgeous single “The Sun Goes On Rising” which is available for your listening pleasure at www.sarahmcquaid.com/music.html and, like me, I’m sure you will be seduced by Sarah’s alto vocals and perfectly solid performance. In the meantime I suppose I’ll just have to kill time waiting expectantly to hear the next album which, if it’s anything like this recording, will receive another five out of five. Highly recommended …buy it, buy it, buy it!</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560962012-06-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:28:43+00:00The Folk Diary - Jim Marshall<p><em>June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “A beautifully crafted collection.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518240/folkdiaryplumtree-resized.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/cb41035bea9ae2457785e9c6adc57c30e39c9948/original/folkdiaryplumtree.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="FolkDiaryPlumTree" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Waterbug WBG104</strong><br>With a song entitled “So Much Rain” and a number of tracks with a distinct Elizabethan/Shakespearian flavour you could be led into believing that this is a very topical release, but it isn’t, and obviously wasn’t planned as such. In actuality, it’s a beautifully crafted collection of Sarah McQuaid’s own compositions, some written with Gerry O’Beirne, interspersed with a few works from the likes of John Dowland, Thomas Ravenscroft and John Martyn. What makes it so interesting is the fact that it’s not all that easy to spot which are the new songs and which are the old. I was particularly impressed by “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”, “In Derby Cathedral” and “Kenilworth”, possibly because I spent my childhood in the Midlands and knew these landmarks very well – often visiting “Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall” – and they’re all McQuaid originals, but the whole album is a treat to listen to.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560952012-06-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:32:41+00:00Irland Journal - Markus Dehm<p><em>June 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows German original). </strong>“Intelligent in der Themenwahl, außergewöhnlich in der Präsentation.” <em>(Intelligent themes extraordinarily presented.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518239/irlandjournalreviewplumtree-resized.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/77d59db52a9bdd27c47be432fc2ad0290c60105c/original/irlandjournalreviewplumtree.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>(Waterbug Records,<br>13 Tracks)<br><em>(English translation appears<br>below German<br>original.)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid bringt mit “The Plum Tree and the Rose” ihr drittes Album auf den Markt. Zu hören ist sehr spezielle Musik von einer sehr speziellen Musikerin. Ruhig und zurückhaltend sind diese Lieder, intelligent in der Themenwahl, außergewöhnlich in der Präsentation. Begleitet wurde Sarah von solch grandiosen Musikern wie Gerry O’Beirne (auch Produzent des Albums), Trevor Hutchinson, Noel Eccles, Máire Breatnach und Niamh Parsons, wobei sie, selbst begnadete Gitarristin und Autorin eines Gitarrenbuches, das wohl auch alles ganz allein hätte schultern können - wie bei ihren Bühnenauftritten. Was aber mindestens so fasziniert wie die Musik selbst, ist die Auswahl der Themen, vor allem jene mit historischem Hintergrund, wie beispielsweise “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”. Der Song handelt von einer Dame, die Ende des sechszehnten Jahrhunderts lebte und deren Wirken Sarah so sehr interessierte, dass sie einen Song über sie schrieb. Wieviel Recherche mag wohl notwendig sein, bis ein solcher Songtext letztlich zu Papier gebracht ist. Dieses Album ist jedes Hörens wert - aber Achtung: Man muss den Longplayer in Ruhe anhören, man muss sich Zeit nehmen und wirklich die Ohren spitzen, um ja nichts zu verpassen. Ein “Nebenbei mal so Mithören” hat diese Arbeit nicht verdient.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Helen Kreuz for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>“The Plum Tree And The Rose” is Sarah McQuaid’s third album. This is very special music from a very special person. The songs are quiet and reserved, intelligent themes extraordinarily presented. Sarah is accompanied on the album by such superb musicians as Gerry O’Beirne (who also produced the album), Trevor Hutchinson, Noel Eccles, Máire Breatnach and Niamh Parsons, although Sarah herself, a brilliant guitarist and author of a guitar tutor, could have easily mastered this alone as she does in her stage performances. Just as fascinating as the music is her choice of themes, especially the historical background of tracks like “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”. The song is about a lady who lived in the late sixteenth century and whose life’s work inspired Sarah to write this song. Imagine the amount of research it takes until a song like this is finished. This album is really worth listening to – but a word of warning: take time to listen to it carefully and keep your ears open so as not to miss a single detail. It deserves better than to be played as background music.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560982012-05-20T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:46:21+00:00Fatea - Peter Cowley (May 2012)<p><em>20 May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Once in a while, you come across an album that stands out from the crowd. This is one such album. It is truly a lovely album from start to finish and one that gets better with every listen.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/SarahMcQuaid3.html" target="_blank">http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/SarahMcQuaid3.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>Album: <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em><br>Label: Waterbug<br>Tracks: 13</strong><br>Once in a while, you come across an album that stands out from the crowd. This is one such album. It is truly a lovely album from start to finish and one that gets better with every listen.<br><br>For those who do not know her or her work, Sarah has a cosmopolitan background. She was born in Spain, raised in the USA, studied in France, lived in Ireland for several years and is now resident in England. This is Sarah’s third album, the previous two being “When Two Lovers Meet” and “I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning”. The first one focussed on Irish songs and the second was founded in the old-timey music of the Appalachians and also featured Sarah’s own songs. This new album “The Plum Tree and The Rose” has its roots firmly in English soil. This time Sarah wrote nine out of the thirteen tracks and there are four covers. Apart from John Martyn’s sublime “Solid Air”, the remaining covers are all ancient songs, dating from the 13th, 16th and 17th Centuries.<br><br>The album begins with Sarah’s beautiful song “Lift You Up and Let You Fly” which is a touching song about a mother having to let her child fly the nest (“When I set you free and let you fly away from me, I know you might not come back”). I am sure that this song will strike a chord with all parents.<br><br>The next song is one of a trilogy of superb songs by Sarah that relate to historic places in England - “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”, “Kenilworth” and “In Derby Cathedral”. The first of these tells the story of Bess of Hardwick and has the feel of a traditional song. The second, “Kenilworth”, sounds for all the world as if it is a long-lost track by The Pentangle as it uses a very similar jazz-folk style to that of the late Bert Jansch and colleagues. The third part of the trilogy, “In Derby Cathedral” is less traditional-sounding but features some beautiful brass playing by Bill Blackmore (who features on other tracks, notably “Solid Air”).<br><br>Talking of “Solid Air”, it is a bold move to cover such a classic, especially as John Martyn’s version is definitive and inimitable. However, Sarah makes a very good job of it, and does not attempt to follow John’s version. As previously mentioned, it features a wonderful trumpet solo by Bill Blackmore.<br><br>As well as historical themes, Sarah does not shy away from contemporary subjects in her songs. “The Sun Goes On Rising” deals with the economic downturn but has a hint of optimism - “Things will get better if only I can hold that wolf at bay”. This song was co-written by Sarah and the album’s producer Gerry O’Beirne, who also co-wrote “So Much Rain” and “What Are We Going To Do”. “So Much Rain” is a lovely song about lost love and features some gorgeous piano from Rod McVey.<br><br>One of the highlights is “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada” which is a 13th Century “alba” or dawn song sung in Old Occitan. It is a very atmospheric track with a drone and tiple accompaniment. Moving forwards to the 16/17th Centuries, we have John Dowland’s “Can She Excuse My Wrongs” and Thomas Ravenscroft’s “New Oysters New”. The latter is sung as a round by Sarah, Niamh Parsons and Tom Barry. Sarah’s own “In Gratitude I Sing” is also sung as a round and is a song of thanks for the earth which concludes the album on a lovely note.<br><br>In conclusion, this is a very fine album and one that I would not hesitate to recommend.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560992012-05-16T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:38:08+00:00Hot Press - Jackie Hayden<p><em>16 May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“An album that should feature on many end-of-year best-ofs.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518241/hotpressreviewplum-resized.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/7d244570e4c0d80a6327dcb83d913cfc1d7af574/original/hotpressreviewplum.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="HotPressReviewPlum" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em><br>(4 stars)</strong><br>ENGLISH FOLK-THEMED ALBUM TRANSCENDS THE CENTURIES<br>The latest album from Irish-American folk singer, guitarist and songsmith Sarah McQuaid is a seamless blend of her own compelling compositions and songs drawn from the rich history of English folk music.<br><br>Her ‘Lift You Up And Let You Fly’ is an evocative look at a mother seeing her child turning to adulthood, with Bill Blackmore’s sombre horn playing an inventive and unexpected foil to McQuaid’s delicious vocals. ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ and ‘Kenilworth’ – not, despite the title, an ode to the mighty Luton Town – are two fine originals, boasting a timeless quality. ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’ dates from 13th century Provence, and features an Indian shruti box played by Sarah herself. McQuaid also treats us to a captivating version of John Martyn’s ‘Solid Air’, with Blackmore’s evocative flugelhorn in support. The acapella ‘New Oysters New’ and ‘In Gratitude I Sing’ are tantalisingly short. Not a complaint you hear too often round here!<br><br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> showcases how McQuaid’s immersion in the folk milieu gives her an instinct for creating new works that slot comfortably into that tradition – and are destined to last. She has turned in an album that should feature on many end-of-year best-ofs.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561002012-05-04T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:49:13+00:00Keep Music Live - Paul Abraham<p><em>4 May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“An amazing album where the listener should be thanksgiving to a singer-songwriter who is without parallel. A classic.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://keepmusiclive.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://keepmusiclive.blogspot.co.uk/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em></strong><br>Within 15 seconds of listening to this album, you realise that this is a very special CD from a unique and talented singer-songwriter. After the warm and delightful opener “Lift You Up and Let You Fly”, you are then told the story of how an incredible lady in the late 1500s built the magnificent Hardwick Hall near Chesterfield, knowing she had created something special which would still be talked about for many years to come, very much like this album. The cover of “Solid Air” is a fitting tribute to Nick Drake who no doubt would nod in appreciation of a powerful and memorable rendition. In “Kenilworth” and “In Derby Cathedral”, Sarah combines the asking of the big questions about life, while celebrating the human spirit and resourcefulness needed to face life’s problems, which is revisited later with the album’s title track. The economic state of the world and all its knock-on effects are brought to the fore with intelligence, compassion and integrity in “The Sun Goes On Rising”. The listener is then taken on a wonderful insight to the music of hundreds of years ago and which are dramatically brought to life with “S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada”, “Can She Excuse My Wrongs” and “New Oysters New” which takes us back to the 13th century, Elizabethan age and the early 17th century. The pictures Sarah paints vocally are so vibrant and strong in “So Much Rain” and yet highlight a delicacy within her delivery that creates an atmosphere of warmth and the performance in the next track (”What Are We going To Do”) is a tribute to her talents. “In Gratitude I Sing” is a perfect end to an amazing album where the listener should be thanksgiving to a singer-songwriter who is without parallel. A classic.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561042012-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-12T19:54:15+00:00NetRhythms - David Kidman<p><em>May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “A sublimely well-crafted calling-card for Sarah’s unobtrusive artistry.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.netrhythms.co.uk/reviews.html#mcquaid" target="_blank">http://www.netrhythms.co.uk/reviews.html#mcquaid</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> (Waterbug)</strong><br>Sarah’s name is becoming increasingly well known in the UK through persistent touring and higher-profile exposure of late, but she remains something of a best-kept secret. More’s the pity, for hers is a consummate talent – she’s an exceptionally fine singer and a highly competent guitarist and writes thoughtful and attractive songs, while having great taste in selectively covering other folks’ material alongside her proven feel for traditional song.<br><br>And yet, between 1997 and 2008, Sarah released only two solo CDs (both recorded in Ireland, where she was living at the time); together reflecting her musical background, these complemented each other well, for the first focused on Irish traditional music and the second celebrated old-time Appalachian folk. These were followed in 2009 by a mesmerising joint album with fellow Penzance resident Zoë (Crow Coyote Buffalo).<br><br>Sarah’s long-awaited followup, The Plum Tree And The Rose, is satisfyingly listenable and, despite being stylistically more diverse, displays a keen consistency of vision and expression. The 13-track menu includes no fewer than nine of Sarah’s own compositions, which themselves display influences from folk to jazz and old-fashioned popular song. Best of these are the trio of songs which are connected by metaphysical concerns: the themes of spiritual questioning and the relationship between soul and place. Standout among them is the powerful, emotionally and poetically resonant title song (whose melody seems incidentally to reference The Snows They Melt The Soonest), whereas the monumental In Derby Cathedral fairly drips genius loci (and forms an apt companion to Hardwick’s Lofty Towers, Sarah’s recounting of the story of Bess of Hardwick who happens to be buried there).<br><br>Kenilworth, which imagines a courtly ode sung to Queen Elizabeth I, provides a musical time-tunnel leading to a pair of tracks later on the disc which share a loosely Elizabethan timeline: John Dowland’s plangent song of sexual frustration Can She Excuse My Wrongs? and a catchy little Thomas Ravenscroft round (New Oysters New).<br><br>The disc’s remaining two covers are very much contrasted: a 13th century Occitan alba (dawn song) receives an enterprising and appropriately sparse shruti box and tiple backdrop, whereas on John Martyn’s classic Solid Air Sarah’s limpid vocal cascades duet fetchingly with Bill Blackmore’s trumpet. Three of Sarah’s songs were co-written with Gerry O’Beirne, whose sympathetic and even-handed production perfectly suits Sarah’s special brand of artistic eloquence and accomplishment; The Sun Goes On Rising, a restless, anxiously shuffling socio-political commentary on the global economic downturn, is probably the finest of these jointly-penned items, but So Much Rain (a rumination on lost love and the changing of the seasons) runs it close.<br><br>A kind of elegantly minimalist understatement is a characteristic of Sarah’s music, evidenced as much by her subtle, well nigh impeccable guitar playing as by the musical content of the closing track, In Gratitude We Sing, a delightful round for six voices (a mere trifle in terms of playing-time, but very appealing indeed) which features the voice of Sarah’s friend Niamh Parsons. But the whole album is a sublimely well-crafted calling-card for Sarah’s unobtrusive artistry.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561032012-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:41:07+00:00fRoots<p><em>May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Impeccable.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/668e8ab7806fd9a6330e53c047e514eeea02b61c/original/frootsreviewplumtree.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em></strong><br>This finely-crafted disc expertly cradles Sarah’s elegantly poised, tenderly expressive singing voice and delicate guitar in quietly monumental arrangements benefitting from subtle deployment of choice accompanists (Niamh Parsons, Gerry O’Beirne, Bill Blackmore). Sarah’s own emotionally and historically resonant compositions are superbly complemented by Dowland, Ravenscroft and John Martyn’s <em>Solid Air</em>. Impeccable.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561022012-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:42:57+00:00R2/Rock & Reel - John Crosby<p><em>May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose.</em></strong> “Bewitching ... Behind the gentle lilt of the performance every note counts.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/c26426e318098254c5e27f00da9ab3142f290e40/original/r2reviewplum.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em><br>(4 stars)</strong><br>Covering such an iconic song as John Martyn’s ‘Solid Air’ (his tribute to Nick Drake) is inevitably ambitious. That Sarah McQuaid carries this off is partly due to the haunting arrangement (featuring the burnished haze of Bill Blackmore’s trumpet underpinning her own vocal and guitar) but also because the singer’s throaty alto pitches perfectly with the reflective mood the lyric inhabits.<br><br>It’s Blackmore’s trumpet that opens and permeates ‘In Derby Cathedral’ with a Spanish tinge worthy of Miles Davis or Joaquin Rodrigo (a nod perhaps to McQuaid’s birthplace Madrid, though this is a very English sort of song and performance in spite of that flourish). Songs such as ‘The Sun Goes On Rising’ are bewitching <em>because</em> rather than in spite of their understated delivery. Behind the gentle lilt of the performance every note counts.<br><br>The recordings are diverse: there is a slight baroque feel to some of them, particularly on John Dowland’s 16th century ‘Can She Excuse My Wrongs’; alternatively, Cadenet’s even earlier – 13th century – piece ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’ has a more modern feel, partly due to the underlying pulse created by Noel Eccles’s percussion and the plucked notes from Gerry O’Beirne’s tiple. Very fine music making, indeed.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561012012-05-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:45:00+00:00Heaven Magazine - Koos Gijsman (May 2012)<p><em>May 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“<em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> benevelt op alle onderdelen de zinnen.” <em>(</em>The Plum Tree and The Rose<em> makes the senses swoon on all counts.)</em></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/0491e5caa09c7e4cd906838838d5479672ad7b9f/original/heavenreviewplumtree.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid:<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records<br>Folkklassieker<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Als folkliefhebber op leeftijd gelden voor mij de jaren zestig met acts als Fairport Convention, Pentangle en Nick Drake als de hoogtijdagen van het genre. Eenzelfde ongekend hoge kwaliteit dicht ik graag het jongste album van de in Engeland woonachtige zangeres-liedjesschrijfster Sarah McQuaid toe. <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> benevelt op alle onderdelen de zinnen. Allereerst is dat te danken aan het formidabele stemgeluid van deze zangeres. Een stem waarin de buigzaamheid van Sandy Denny’s vocalen leunt op de diepe tonen waartoe Marianne Faithfull in staat is. Combineer dat met haar veelzijdige spelbereik op de akoestische gitaar en een uniek vermogen klassiek klinkende folkliedjes te schrijven en je hebt eigenlijk enkel nog een groep excellerende instrumentalisten en een producer met verstand van folkmuziek nodig om van een topalbum te kunnen spreken. Welnu, op beide onderdelen heeft McQuaid de juiste keuzes gemaakt. Producer/gitarist Gerry O’Beirne heeft in de Marguerite Studios, Dublin het talent van de musici op juiste waarde geschat, waardoor de inkleuring van McQuaid’s liedjes de juiste accenten bevat. De hoofdprijs gaat naar trompettist Bill Blackmore die met McQuaid magie bedrijft in de John Martyn cover ‘Solid Air’.Voeg daar twaalf folkliedjes uit de hoogste categorie aan toe en je hebt als folkliefhebber een album in huis gehaald waarmee je decennia vooruit kunt.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>As a middle-aged lover of folk music, for me, 1960s acts like Fairport Convention, Pentangle and Nick Drake rank as the high season of the genre. I’d like to assign the same high quality to the latest album from England-based singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid. <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> makes the senses swoon on all counts. First of all, the formidable voice of this singer. A voice in which the flexibility of Sandy Denny’s vocals leans on the deep tones of which Marianne Faithfull is capable. Combine this with her versatile range on the acoustic guitar and unique talent to write classic-sounding folk songs, and you only need a group of excellent musicians and a producer who knows what he’s doing to be able to speak of a top album. Well, McQuaid has made the right choices on both counts. Producer/guitarist Gerry O’Beirne has, at Dublin’s Marguerite Studios, judged the talents of the musicians rightly, so that the colouring of McQuaid’s songs contains the correct accents. First prize goes to trumpet player Bill Blackmore, who with McQuaid weaves magic on the John Martyn cover ‘Solid Air’. Add twelve folk songs of the highest category, and you have bought yourself an album that can last you for decennia.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561052012-04-27T01:00:00+01:002020-01-13T19:46:23+00:00Concerts-Review - Michel Preumont<p><em>27 April 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows French original). </strong>“Orchestration subtile et un timbre impeccable.”<em> (Subtle orchestration and an impeccable sound.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://concerts-review.over-blog.com/article-sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-104225315.html" target="_blank">http://concerts-review.over-blog.com/article-sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-104225315.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em><br><em>(English translation appears below French original.)</em></strong><br>C’est en 2008, lors d’un concert à Toogenblik à Haren, que tu fais connaissance avec la folksinger, Sarah McQuaid, qui jouit de la double nationalité Américaine et Irlandaise.<br><br>A l’époque, elle venait de sortir un second album <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, qui succédait à <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em>, sorti en 1997. <br><br>Printemps 2012, une troisième plaque à son actif: <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, produite par le singer/songwriter/guitariste irlandais, Gerry O’Beirne, qu’on retrouve comme musicien e.a. chez Alan Stivell, Luka Bloom, Sharon Shannon et comme producer pour Patrick Street, Fiona Joyce ou Andy M Stewart.<br><br>Comme ingénieur du son, Sarah s’octroie les services du bassiste/contrebassiste Trevor Hutchinson (Lúnasa, The Waterboys, Sharon Shannon ...).<br><br>Outre ces deux pointures, on note la présence de Bill Blackmore (flugelhorn, trompette) – Rod McVey (claviers) – Rosie Shipley & Máire Breatnach (fiddle) – Noel Eccles & Liam Bradley (percussions) et Niamh Parsons, Tom Barry, Frances Hutchinson, Emer Ní Bhrádaigh pour seconder Sarah aux vocals.<br><br>Tous ces musiciens étant des habitués des musiques celtiques traditionnelles.<br><br>L’élégante et mélancolique pochette a été dessinée par l’artiste Mary Guinan, déjà responsable de l’artwork des albums précédents de Miss McQuaid.<br><br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> contient treize titres: nine originals, parfois co-crédité Sarah McQuaid/Gerry O’Beirne, une cover, le formidable ‘Solid Air’ de John Martyn, et trois traditionnels ou ballades élisabéthaines, arrangés par la jolie chanteuse.<br><br>La délicate ballade ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’ ouvre l’album, le thème de la maman voyant s’envoler le fruit de ses entrailles n’est pas neuf, mais l’alto aux consonances Sandy Denny/June Tabor de Sarah, combiné à la sobre orchestration dominée par le bugle de Bill Blackmore, accroche d’emblée l’auditeur.<br><br>Le superbe ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ te ramène au folk d’inspiration élisabéthaine à la Pentangle, John Renbourn, Fairport Convention ou Maddy Prior.<br><br>Le duo trompette/voix jazzy sur ‘Solid Air’, que John Martyn avait composé en hommage à son ami Nick Drake, subjugue tout en te donnant des frissons au bas de l’échine.<br><br>Tout comme ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’, ‘Kenilworth’ baigne dans un mystérieux et raffiné climat aux senteurs Tudor.<br><br>Le majestueux ‘In Derby Cathedral’ termine la trilogie 16ème siècle en pensant notamment à Bess of Hardwick, enterrée dans la célèbre cathédrale du Derbyshire. Le titre se meurt en polyphonie liturgique. Beau!<br><br>Le socialement engagé et, vocalement proche de certaines compositions de Joni Mitchell, ‘The Sun Goes on Rising’ traite, selon les propres dires de Sarah, des “hard economic times we’ve all been going though of late.”<br><br>Cadenet, circa 1200, ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’, chanté en vieil occitan et pour lequel Gerry utilise un tiple ibérique élégant sur fond de bourdon.<br><br>Retour en Angleterre, John Dowland, 1597, ‘Can She Excuse My Wrongs’, une chanson courtoise, déjà enregistrée par Elvis Costello ou Sting, que Sarah interprète seule: vocals & guitar. C’est tellement beau que tu ressors le vinyle ‘Tabernakel’ que Jan Akkerman a sorti en 1973.<br><br>A peine 60 secondes: ‘New Oysters New’, un canon ostréicole, published in 1609.<br><br>‘So Much Rain’ du piano folk avec quelques intonations Janis Ian et ‘What Are We Going To Do’, à la Joni Mitchell à nouveau, hantent le Tin Pan Alley style.<br><br>Sarah solo pour le titletrack, ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’, qui reprend la veine old British (love) folk songs.<br><br>Tasteful!<br><br>Le canon à six voix ‘In Gratitude I Sing’ clôture de belle manière cet album brillant.<br><br>Respect de l’héritage musical anglo-saxon, orchestration subtile et un timbre impeccable: la classe!<br><br><strong><em>Translation below:</em></strong><br><em>It was in 2008, during a concert at Toogenblik in Haren, that this writer first encountered the folk singer Sarah McQuaid, who enjoys dual Irish and American nationality.<br><br>At the time, she had just released a second album, <em>I Will not Go Home ’Til Morning </em>, the successor to <em>When Two Lovers Meet </em>, released in 1997.<br><br>In the spring 2012 appeared a third album to her credit: <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, produced by Irish singer/songwriter/guitarist Gerry O’Beirne, already known for his work as a guest musician with Alan Stivell, Luka Bloom, Sharon Shannon and as producer for Patrick Street, Fiona Joyce and Andy M Stewart.<br><br>As a sound engineer, Sarah engaged the services of bassist Trevor Hutchinson (Lúnasa, The Waterboys, Sharon Shannon ...).<br><br>Alongside these two eminences, we note the presence of Bill Blackmore (flugelhorn, trumpet) – Rod McVey (keyboards) – Rosie Shipley & Máire Breatnach (fiddle) – Noel Eccles & Liam Bradley (percussion) and Niamh Parsons, Tom Barry, Frances Hutchinson, Emer Ní Bhrádaigh guesting with Sarah on vocals.<br><br>All these musicians are familiar faces of traditional Celtic music.<br><br>The elegant and melancholic cover was designed by artist Mary Guinan, already responsible for the artwork on McQuaid’s previous albums.<br><br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose </em> contains thirteen tracks: nine originals, sometimes co-credited Sarah McQuaid/Gerry O’Beirne, a cover of the great ‘Solid Air’ by John Martyn, and three traditional Elizabethan ballads arranged by the pretty singer.<br><br>The delicate ballad ‘Lift You Up and Let You Fly’ opens the album. The theme of a mother’s watching the fruit of her womb fly away is not new, but Sarah’s alto, evocative of Sandy Denny or June Tabor, combined with the sober orchestration dominated by Bill Blackmore’s flugelhorn, grips the listener immediately.<br><br>The superb ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’ recalls the Elizabethan-inspired folk of Pentangle, John Renbourn, Fairport Convention and Maddy Prior.<br><br>The duo of trumpet and jazz vocal on ‘Solid Air’, composed by John Martyn in honour of his friend Nick Drake, conquers all, sending chills down your spine.<br><br>Like ‘Hardwick’s Lofty Towers’, ‘Kenilworth’ is bathed in a mysterious and refined Tudor-scented atmosphere.<br><br>The majestic ‘In Derby Cathedral’ completes this 16th-century trilogy, drawing its inspiration from Bess of Hardwick, buried in the famous cathedral of Derbyshire. The track closes in liturgical polyphony. Beautiful!<br><br>Socially engaged, and vocally reminiscent of certain Joni Mitchell compositions, ‘The Sun Goes On Rising’ addresses, in Sarah’s own words, “the hard economic times we’ve all been going though of late.”<br><br>Cadenet, circa 1200, ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’, sung in Old Occitan and on which Gerry uses an elegant Iberian tiple against a background drone.<br><br>Back in England, John Dowland, 1597, ‘Can She Excuse My Wrongs’, a courtly love song previously recorded by Elvis Costello and Sting, is given a solo interpretation by Sarah on vocals and guitar. It is so beautiful that you have to go back to the LP <em>Tabernakel</em> released by Jan Akkerman in 1973.<br><br>Barely 60 seconds long: ‘New Oysters New’, a canon about oysters, published in 1609.<br><br>‘So Much Rain’, on folk piano with some intonations of Janis Ian, and ‘What Are We Going To Do’, once more à la Joni Mitchell, evoke the Tin Pan Alley style.<br><br>Sarah solo for the title track, ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’, which delves once again into the vein of old British (love) folk songs. Tasteful!<br><br>The six-part canon ‘In Gratitude I Sing’ closes this brilliant album in beautiful style.<br><br>Respect for the Anglo-Saxon musical heritage, subtle orchestration and an impeccable sound: that’s class!</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561062012-04-21T01:00:00+01:002020-01-13T19:47:14+00:00Rambles.net - Michael Scott Cain<p><em>21 April 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Sarah McQuaid does not make background music. She demands a careful listening. Giving her that listening will pay off.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.rambles.net/mcquaid_plum12.html" target="_blank">http://www.rambles.net/mcquaid_plum12.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree & The Rose</em><br>(Waterbug, 2012)</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid is an Irish traditional singer who, on her new album <em>The Plum Tree & The Rose</em>, is singing primarily self-composed material. She wrote nine of the 12 songs on this CD and, oddly enough, her recently composed songs sound remarkably like traditional ones. You can easily imagine most of the tunes and lyrics being passed down from generation to generation, sung by hearths while the log fire blazes in the fireplace and the company passes around glasses of dark beer and sings along.<br><br>Yet at the same time, there is a schooled artistry to McQuaid’s alto voice. Don’t get me wrong, her approach to this material is not scholarly but it is far removed from the self-taught, down home and relaxed singing we associate with with traditional Irish music. Even if she keeps the training in a hand-woven basket, McQuaid has been trained – not enough to hurt her singing, but enough to make it noticeable. It is a voice for the concert hall, not the pub. Consider this: she sings a self-composed song about the crashing economy but follows it with a Provencal troubadour song from 1200, then kicks into a 1609 advertisement for oysters, sung a cappella with two harmony voices. Then she moves on to one her new songs, written in Rogers and Hammerstein’s or Cole Porter’s verse-refrain form.<br><br>What I’m saying here is that even if her material mostly reflects and has its roots in the early traditional Irish music, Sarah McQuaid does not make background music. She demands a careful listening. Giving her that listening will pay off.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561072012-04-13T01:00:00+01:002020-01-13T19:48:06+00:00euVue - Seamus Doran<p><em>13 April 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“Every song catches your attention immediately and holds you in its spell.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://showbiz.euvue.co.uk/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-sarah-mcquaid/" target="_blank">http://showbiz.euvue.co.uk/the-plum-tree-and-the-rose-sarah-mcquaid/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em></strong><br>I first came across Sarah McQuaid last year with her wonderful album ‘I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning’.<br><br>Blessed with a voice that is both moving and subtle she put her stamp on some old standards and has dipped her toe into song writing with two songs of her own.<br><br>In a quantum leap forward in that direction Sarah has written the majority of the songs on her own and jointly with Gerry O’Beirne on this sparkling and confident album.<br><br>Historical figures and locations pop up in a contemporary awareness for a singer songwriter at one with her world.<br><br>The centrepiece of this CD are the songs “Hardwick’s Lofty Towers”, the title track and a magisterial “In Derby Cathedral”.<br><br>They are songs of questioning?<br><br>In Sarah’s words songs that deal with the big questions: “What are we here for? Do we continue to exist in any sense after we die”?<br><br>Heavy stuff but delivered with the lightest delicate touch.<br><br>This is life poetry of a high order delivered in an innovative and spellbinding manner which continues to seep deeper into one’s soul on repeat listens.<br><br>Beautifully arranged and played by Sarah’s regular collaborators every song catches your attention immediately and holds you in its spell.<br><br>Bill Blackmore’s trumpet is magnificent particularly on Sarah’s heartfelt and brilliant version of John Martyn’s Nick Drake elegy “Solid Air”.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid continues to grow as an artist of distinction and appeal.<br><br>This album invites a large and discerning audience and I look forward to catching her live show when she comes up to our part of the world and investigates the magic and mystery of our heritage.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561082012-03-31T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:45:54+00:00Johnny’s Garden - Martin Overheul<p><em>31 March 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Elk nummer op dit wonderschone album rechtvaardigt het gebruik van superlatieven.” <em>(Every song on this beautiful album justifies the use of superlatives.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://jgarden.nl/index.php/reviews-all/24-2012/290-sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose" target="_blank">http://jgarden.nl/index.php/reviews-all/24-2012/290-sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid: The Plum Tree And The Rose<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Als het concept van een almachtig opperwezen mij ook maar enigermate geloofwaardig zou voorkomen, dan zou ik die schepper dankbaar zijn voor het feit dat hij mij met een brede muzikale smaak bedeeld heeft. Het palet bestrijkt blues, jazz, pop, klassiek, rock, wereldmuziek, punk en nog wat zijstraten. Daar staat dan weer tegenover dat het hebben van enige vooringenomenheid hem evenzeer aan te wrijven zou vallen. Een van de vooroordelen waarmee ik al geruime tijd worstel is gericht tegen klassiek geschoeide folkmuziek. Te wollig naar mijn zin, te veel geneuzel ook, een zangstijl die mij huidirritatie bezorgt, om nog maar te zwijgen over de ongemakken die al die fiddles, uillean pipes en tin flutes me bezorgen.<br><br>Tot zover het vooroordeel. Want tijdens het veelvuldig luisteren naar <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>, het derde album van de Amerikaans-Engelse engel Sarah McQuaid, verdween al dat voorbehoud razendsnel, om plaats te maken voor bewondering, geestdrift en – vooral – ontroering. Voor die laatste emotie zorgt een samenspel van factoren. Zo is er in de eerste plaats McQuaids gerijpte en ietwat sensuele stem, die in de diepere registers een toonkleur heeft die wat aan June Tabor doet denken. Ze zingt soepel, relaxed en met een bijna vanzelfsprekend gemak.<br><br>Daarnaast is er het betoverende gitaarspel van McQuaid, dat nooit te nadrukkelijk is, maar steeds speels en lyrisch. Een nummer als ‘Kenilworth’ wordt daardoor een nog groter genot om naar te luisteren. Maar de liedjes waarvan ik het meest genoten heb, zijn de songs waarin op ongewoon subtiele wijze gebruikgemaakt wordt van een bugel (‘Lift You Up And Let You Fly’), een trompet (Bill Blackmore benadert Chet Baker in de prachtige John Martyn-cover ‘Solid Air’ en in het al even bloedmooie ‘In Derby Cathedral’). Stuk voor stuk nummers om bij weg te zwijmelen en heel even het gevoel te hebben dat je los bent van de wereld.<br><br>Zo staan er trouwens wel meer op <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>. ‘The Sun Goes On Rising’, een fluwelen song over de moeilijke economische tijden waarin we leven, zorgt ervoor dat de zon als het ware parelend door de kieren van de gordijnen binnenstroomt. En McQuaids bewerking van het ruim achthonderd jaar oude ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’, een lied van de Provençaalse troubadour Ellian du Cadenet, is mede dankzij het gebruik van een wonderlijk instrument als de shruti box een hypnotiserend pareltje. De bewust klein gehouden setting van het titelnummer – enkel een stem en een akoestische gitaar – zorgt ook na de tiende beluistering nog voor kippenvel. <br><br>Bewondering, betovering en ontroering. De woorden staan er en ze staan er terecht. Elk nummer op dit wonderschone album rechtvaardigt het gebruik van superlatieven. Want ze omschrijven wat hart en ziel me ingeven als ik naar deze muziek luister.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>If the concept of an almighty deity were only slightly believable to me, I would be grateful to this creator for having endowed me with broad musical tastes. The range covers blues, jazz, pop, classical, rock, world music, punk and whatnot. At the same time one could accuse him of being somewhat prepossessed. One of the prejudices I have been struggling with for quite some time is classically rooted folk music. Much too naff for my taste, too precious as well, a singing style that irritates my skin, not to mention the ailments stemming from all those fiddles, uilleann pipes and tin whistles.<br><br>So much for prejudice. For after having listened many times to <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, the third album from American-English angel Sarah McQuaid, all bias disappeared swiftly to make way for admiration, joy and – mainly – emotion. That last emotion is a sum of many parts. The first factor is McQuaid’s ripe and somewhat sensual voice, which has a tone reminding me of June Tabor’s when at its deepest register. She sings with suppleness, relaxation and with almost nonchalant ease.<br><br>Then there is McQuaid’s enchanting guitar playing, never too emphatic but always playful and lyrical. A song like ‘Kenilworth’ becomes an even greater pleasure to listen to. But the songs that I enjoyed the most are those which make unusually subtle use of flugelhorn (‘Lift You Up And Let You Fly’) and trumpet (Bill Blackmore comes close to Chet Baker in the wonderful John Martyn cover ‘Solid Air’ and the gorgeous ‘In Derby Cathedral’). Every song is a song to daydream to and to let you forget the world for a while.<br><br>There are more songs like these on <em>The Plum Tree and the Rose</em>. ‘The Sun Goes On Rising’, a velvety song about the harsh economic times we live in, makes a pearly sun come peeping through the curtains. And McQuaid’s treatment of the 800 year old ‘S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada’, a song by the Provençal troubadour Elian du Cadenet, is – thanks to the use of a strange instrument called a shruti box – a gem. The deliberately sparse setting of the title track – just a voice and an acoustic guitar – brings forth goosebumps even on the tenth listen.<br><br>Admiration, fascination and emotion. The words are written and they are written rightly. Every song on this beautiful album justifies the use of superlatives. For they describe what my heart and soul are telling me when I listen to this music.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561092012-03-09T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T19:50:55+00:00Folkforum - Mirjam Adriaans (Mar 2012)<p><em>9 March 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Een betoverende plaat.” <em>(An enchanting record.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkforum.nl/cds/82-cd-recensies/12618-sarah-mcquaid-betovert-met-eigen-werk" target="_blank">http://www.folkforum.nl/cds/82-cd-recensies/12618-sarah-mcquaid-betovert-met-eigen-werk</a></p>
<p><strong>SARAH MCQUAID BETOVERT MET EIGEN WERK<br><em>Sarah McQuaid - The Plum Tree and The Rose - Waterbug Records<br>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>In de loop der jaren ben ik de zangeres Sarah McQuaid steeds meer gaan waarderen, zowel om haar mooie donkergekleurde stem als om haar sprankelende gitaarspel. Hoewel haar muziek zonder meer in de traditie van de folk past, zoekt ze telkens een nieuwe invalshoek. Na haar vorige albums met werk uit de Ierse traditie en die van de Appalachen hoorde ze steeds vaker de vraag om meer eigen werk op cd te zetten en aan dat verzoek heeft ze nu gehoor gegeven met <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, een betoverende plaat waarop maar liefst 9 van de 13 stukken zelfgeschreven zijn.<br><br>Bij een huiskameroptreden vertelt ze me dat het haar wel onzeker maakte, maar dat is niet nodig, zo blijkt al als diverse bezoekers daar na afloop hun bewondering uitspreken voor <em>Last Song</em> (een eigen stuk van <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, haar dochter en moeder leverden de inspiratie). De meeste stukken op <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> zijn wat minder persoonlijk van inhoud, al blijft McQuaid wel dichtbij zichzelf in de overpeinzingen die worden verweven met verhalen. Drie liedjes zijn met elkaar verbonden door een filosofische inslag: titelnummer The Plum Tree and The Rose (over vergankelijkheid), <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em> (over de 17de-eeuwse zakenvrouw(!) Bess of Hardwick, met gastrollen voor Rosie Shipley & Máire Breatnach op viool) en een magisch <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> (met de gedachten die opkomen in de kathedraal waar deze vrouw begraven ligt). Met een ‘echo’ in de techniek ontstaat bij dit laatste nummer een soort ‘koor’-zang, maar Sarah McQuaid heeft ook een paar gastzangers uitgenodigd: op <em>New Oysters New</em> zingen Niamh Parsons en Tom Barry met haar mee, en dat duo wordt nog aangevuld met Gerry O’Beirne (ook co-auteur van enkele liedjes), Frances Hutchinson en Emer Ní Bhrádaigh op de lekker folky a cappella afsluiter <em>In Gratitude I Sing</em>.<br><br>En omdat een folk-album niet compleet is zonder opmerkingen over de huidige toestand van de mens en de wereld is er de single <em>The Sun Goes On Rising</em>, die gezien mag worden als een hart onder de riem voor wie het moeilijk heeft: <em>Spring follows winter / Sun follows shower / Things will get better / If only I can hold that wolf at bay.</em><br><br>Bij het niet zelfgeschreven werk hoor ik een heel fijne 13de eeuwse Provençaalse ‘alba’ (ochtendlied), <em>S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada</em> (in oud-Occitaans), dat met sruti (een soort harmonium) en tiple (een aan de gitaar verwant instrument) een mooie nostalgisch plechtige sfeer krijgt. Het gevoelige <em>Solid Air</em> (door John Martyn geschreven voor Nick Drake), dat live al een paar keer indruk op me maakte, is een prachtig eerbetoon geworden aan deze vernieuwer in de folk van de jaren ‘70. Bill Blackmore weet op trompet een intense emotie op te roepen die me doet denken aan het verhaal dat bij Martyn zelf soms de tranen over de wangen liepen bij zijn eigen optredens.<br><br>Net als de vorige twee albums is ook deze plaat opgenomen door Trevor Hutchinson en geproduceerd door Gerry O’Beirne. Hoewel er veel gasten meedoen, klinkt het heerlijk kaal en ingetogen. Sarah McQuaid legt haar ziel in de subtiele arrangementen, prachtig warme zang en helder gitaarspel, haar eigen werk doet al uitzien naar meer en dat maakt van <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> een mooi geschenk voor de muziekliefhebber.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em><strong>SARAH MCQUAID ENCHANTS WITH HER ORIGINALS</strong><br>Through the passing years I have come to appreciate the singer Sarah McQuaid more and more, both for her wonderful deep voice and for her sparkling guitar playing. Although her music can easily be situated in the folk tradition, she seeks out a new approach every time. Following on her previous albums featuring work from the Irish tradition and that of the Appalachians, recently she was requested to put more of her own work onto CD, and she has honoured this request with <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em>, an enchanting record including no less than 9 out of 13 pieces by her own hand.<br><br>She told me at a house concert that she felt unsure about it, but that isn’t necessary, as proven by several visitors who told me afterwards of their appreciation for <em>Last Song</em> (her original song from <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>; her mother and daughter were her inspiration). Most of the pieces on <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> are somewhat less personal, although McQuaid stays true to herself in the reminiscences which are interspersed with stories. Three songs are connected by a philosophical theme: title track <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> (about transience), <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em> (about the 17th century businesswoman (!) Bess of Hardwick, with guest appearances from Rosie Shipley and Maire Breatnach on violin), and the magical <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> (about the thoughts that come forth in the cathedral where this woman lies buried). A kind of choral singing is created with an “echo” technique in this last number, but Sarah McQuaid has also invited a couple of guest singers: on <em>New Oysters New</em> Niamh Parsons and Tom Barry sing along, and this duo is completed by Gerry O’Beirne (co-author of some of the songs), Frances Hutchinson and Emer Ni Bhradaigh on the catchy, folky a cappella closing number <em>In Gratitude I Sing</em>.<br><br>And because a folk album isn’t complete without remarks about the current state of human affairs and the world, there is the single <em>The Sun Goes on Rising</em>, which can be seen as a boost for those who are having a rough time: <em>Spring follows winter / Sun follows shower / Things will get better / If only I can hold that wolf at bay.</em><br><br>Apart from self-penned work, I hear a very nice 13th century Provencal ‘alba’ (dawn song), <em>S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada</em> (in Old Occitan), which acquires a beautifully nostalgic solemn atmosphere through the use of a shruti box (a kind of harmonium) and a tiple (an instrument resembling a guitar). The sensitive <em>Solid Air</em> (written by John Martyn for Nick Drake), which had already impressed me live a couple of times, has become a wonderful tribute to this renewer of the 1970s folk. Bill Blackmore manages to create an intense emotion, which reminds me of the story that Martyn used to be in tears at his own performances of this song.<br><br>Like the last two albums, this one was recorded by Trevor Hutchinson and produced by Gerry O’Beirne. Although there are a lot of guest performers, it sounds lovely, sober and subdued. Sarah McQuaid puts her soul into the subtle arrangements, beautiful warm singing and clear guitar playing. Her own work makes one want more of the same, and makes <em>The Plum Tree and The Rose</em> a nice gift for the music lover.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561102012-03-04T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T19:52:28+00:00Altcountryforum - Johan Schoenmakers<p><em>4 March 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Dit is muziek met diepgang – voor de verfijnde liefhebber het neusje van de zalm.” <em>(This is music with depth – for the discriminating connoisseur the pick of the bunch.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.altcountryforum.nl/2012/03/04/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/" target="_blank">http://www.altcountryforum.nl/2012/03/04/sarah-mcquaid-the-plum-tree-and-the-rose/</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid – The Plum Tree And The Rose<br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original.)</em></strong><br>Van een enorme productiviteit kun je de folkzangeres Sarah McQuaid met een betoverend, licht hees en donker stemgeluid nauwelijks beschuldigen. Ze timmert al wat jaren aan de weg en is ook in Nederland goed bekend bij de folkliefhebbers. Wie de publicaties in de gaten heeft gehouden weet dat McQuaid vanaf zondag 4 maart onder meer een aantal optredens zal verzorgen in ons land. Alles wat ze tot dusver heeft gemaakt is zeker van een onwaarschijnlijk hoog niveau. Dat gold voor haar uit 1997 stammende debuut “When Two Lovers Meet” met hoofdzakelijk traditionale Ierse folksongs. Een album dat nog aan alles en bijna iedereen voorbij ging. Met de opvolger uit 2008 “I Won’t Go Home ‘Til Morning”, een eerbetoon aan de Appalachen folkcatalogus en opgedragen aan haar moeder kon volgens mij geen enkele geïnteresseerde in het Engelse folkgenre meer om Sarah McQuaid heen. Ik keek dan ook met grote belangstelling en heel veel ongeduld uit naar de derde plaat van de momenteel in Engeland woonachtige singer-songwriter met een dubbele Amerikaans-Ierse nationaliteit.<br><br>Het nieuwe album “The Plum Tree And The Rose”, uitgebracht via het klein onafhankelijk platenlabel Waterbug Records, is bijna onaards mooi te noemen. Gemaakt uit liefde voor de muziek zonder winstbejag. Een plaat die net als haar voorgangers veel meer te bieden heeft dan alleen haar warme alt. Voor de productie deed Sarah wederom beroep op Gerry O’Beirne, die tevens de Zuid-Amerikaanse tiple en de twaalf-snarige gitaar bespeelt. Een dergelijk productieklusje kan je Gerry wel toe vertrouwen. Naast Sarahs stemgeluid vormt haar akoestische gitaar het uitgangspunt, smaakvol en subtiel ingekleurd door gelouterde muzikanten onder wie Bill Blackmore ( flugelhoorn en trompet),Rod Mckey (toetsen), Trevor Hutchinseon (contrabas), Rosie Shipley (viool), Maire Breatnach (viool) en Noel Eccles (percussie). Ondanks deze groep mensen weten Sarah en producer Gerry het geluid op “The Plum Tree And The Rose” vrij kaal te houden, waardoor alle elementen in haar muziek slechts geaccentueerd worden.<br><br>Dit is muziek met diepgang – voor de verfijnde liefhebber het neusje van de zalm, waarop je sprakeloos ondergaat hoe alles op wonderbaarlijke wijze samenhangt. Sarah weet met haar stem precies de juiste toon te zetten en veel sfeer over te brengen.’Hoe vertel ik het je dat je me los moet laten’ vraagt McQuaid zich in een brief aan haar moeder af in het openingsnummer <em>Lift You Up and Let You Fly</em>. Een nummer waarop ze muzikaal wordt omringd door de warme klanken van de flugelhoorn. Uitzonderlijk mooi is het intiem en betoverend trompetspel van Bill Blackmore in Sarahs versie van het door John Martyn geschreven <em>Solid Air</em>. Over het doel van ons bestaan, fantasie of werkelijkheid over reïncarnatie en hoe alles om ons heen tot stand is gekomen markeert de trilogie aan liedjes <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em>, <em>In Derby Cathedral</em> en het titelnummer. Adembenemend is het in de volksmond ontstane liedje <em>Can She Excuse My Wrongs</em>, een DADGAD arrangement in <em>S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada</em> en het in canon gezongen middeleeuwse <em>New Oysters New</em>. <em>So Much Rain</em> verhaalt over de bespiegelingen van hartstocht en verloren liefdes. Het walsende <em>What Are We Going To Do</em> refereert aan de gouden tijden van Cole Porter en George Gershwin.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid is een zangeres, die eigenlijk wereldfaam verdient. Helaas geniet ze nog nauwelijks bekendheid buiten een kleine kring muziekfanaten en toegewijde critici. “The Plum Tree And The Rose” zal waarschijnlijk te intens zijn voor de argeloze luisteraar, maar een must voor de ware liefhebber. Als je er van houd is de impact direct enorm en de liefde voor deze muziek onvoorwaardelijk.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>You can hardly accuse folk singer Sarah McQuaid, who has an enchanting, slightly husky and deep voice, of an enormous productivity. She’s been around for years, and is well known to Dutch folk music lovers. Those who keep up with publications know that McQuaid shall perform a couple of times in our country from Sunday March 4th. Everything that she has produced so far has been of an unbelievable high quality. That was true for her 1997 debut “When Two Lovers Meet”, featuring mainly traditional Irish folk songs. An album that went unnoticed by all. With its successor of 2008, “I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning”, a tribute to Appalachian folk music and dedicated to her mother, it became impossible for anyone interested in the English folk genre to ignore Sarah McQuaid any longer. Therefore I waited with great interest and even greater impatience for the third record of this now England-based singer-songwriter with dual American-Irish nationality.<br><br>The new album “The Plum Tree and the Rose”, published through the small independent label Waterbug Records, could be called almost unearthly beautiful. Made out of love for music, without regard for profit. Like its predecessors, a record that has far more to offer than simply her warm alto voice. Sarah again asked Gerry O’Beirne, who also plays a South-American tiple and 12-string guitar, to produce it. You can trust Gerry with such a production job. Next to Sarah’s voice, her acoustic guitar is the starting point, tastefully and subtly coloured by accomplished musicians, amongst whom are Bill Blackmore (flugelhorn and trumpet), Rod McVey (keyboard), Trevor Hutchinson (double bass), Rosie Shipley (violin), Máire Breatnach (violin) and Noel Eccles (percussion). Despite this group of people, Sarah and producer Gerry manage to keep the sound on “The Plum Tree and the Rose” rather sparse, accentuating all the elements in her music.<br><br>This is music with depth – for the discriminating connoisseur the pick of the bunch, making you listen with bated breath to how everything comes together. Sarah knows exactly how to use her voice in order to strike the right tone and create an atmosphere. “How do I let you go,” Sarah asks in a letter to her daughter on the opening song Lift You Up and Let You Fly. In this song she is surrounded by the warm sounds of the flugelhorn. Exceptionally beautiful is the intimate and enchanting trumpet playing by Bill Blackmore in Sarah’s version of John Martyn’s Solid Air. The trilogy of Hardwick’s Lofty Towers, In Derby Cathedral and the title song all question the purpose of our existence, fantasy or reality about reincarnation and how everything around us came to be. Breathtaking are a DADGAD arrangement of the popular song Can She Excuse My Wrongs, S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada and the medieval New Oysters New, sung in canon. So Much Rain tells about reflections on passion and lost love. The waltzing What Are We Going To Do references the golden age of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Sarah McQuaid is a songstress, who truly deserves world fame. Unfortunately she is hardly known outside a small circle of music fanatics and dedicated critics. “The Plum Tree and the Rose” will probably be too intense for the casual listener, but a must for the true music lover. If you like this, the impact will be immediate and enormous: love for this music without reservation.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561112012-03-03T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T19:53:41+00:00Midwest Record - Chris Spector<p><em>3 March 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>.</strong> “Low key but glorious and incendiary, the writing and performance keep you riveted throughout.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://midwestrecord.com/MWR448.html" target="_blank">http://midwestrecord.com/MWR448.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Waterbug<br>Sarah McQuaid/The Plum Tree and The Rose</strong><br>Now living in England for quite some time, this former Chicago girl, a distant relative to Gamble Rogers, finally comes out with her third album and it gloriously sounds like something that would have come out of the Pentangle corral if they were all young people making music today. Ostensibly in the folkie/singer/songwriter bag, that’s merely a cheap way to pigeon hole her at first blush. Low key but glorious and incendiary, the writing and performance keep you riveted throughout. Setting a gold standard for a ‘pure music’ album, you didn’t have to be a habitué of 70s college coffeehouses to get what’s going on here. This is a lovely, mature work just waiting for anyone that’s ready for it. Well done throughout.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561122012-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-17T22:56:01+00:00Properganda - Simon Holland<p><em>March 2012 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose. </em></strong>“An album that is every bit as good as it is ambitious, striking and remarkable.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518245/propergandareviewplumtree.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/a74fc77883f8a757548a069b6102ffb96328e0a9/original/propergandareviewplumtree.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="PropergandaReviewPlumTree" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em><br>Waterbug Records - WBG104</strong><br>Sarah grew up in America where her musical career began early, touring with the Chicago Children’s Choir and subsequently became an active member of Dublin’s arts and music community between 94 and 2007. She’s an accomplished guitarist too with a DADGAD tutorial published, but now living in Cornwall, all of the above and more besides makes its way into <em>The Plum Tree And The Rose</em>, an album that is every bit as good as it is ambitious, striking and remarkable.<br><br>It sounds superb, recorded in Dublin by Gerry O’Beirne and Niamh Parsons is amongst the guests. Somehow, the CD manages to fit canon singing, rounds and catches (<em>In Derby Cathedral</em>, <em>New Oysters New</em> and <em>In Gratitude I Sing</em>), Elizabethan courtship and sexual frustration (<em>Kenilworth</em>, <em>Can She Excuse My Wrongs</em>), an alba or dawn song (<em>S’Anc Fuy Belha Ni Prezada</em>) and a daring version of John Martyn’s <em>Solid Air</em> into its 13 songs. The latter, presented as a duet with Bill Blackmore’s trumpet, is genuinely haunting. Best of all though is <em>Hardwick’s Lofty Towers</em>, a story song that leaves a lingering desire to find out more, it’s a great piece of writing. Oh! And she has one of those voices too. (Sigh!)</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60560812011-08-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-14T08:23:45+00:00fRoots - Geoff Wallis<p><em>August 2011 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“Brilliant musicianship, a warm and welcoming stage presence and a voice as rich, matured and knowing as the finest thrice-distilled Irish malt whiskey.”</p>
<p><a contents="Read more" data-link-label="frootsaugsept2011.pdf" data-link-type="file" href="/files/518234/frootsaugsept2011.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="frootsaugsept2011.pdf" data-link-type="file" href="/files/518234/frootsaugsept2011.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/81d5291c7bf7497b7bae2a0b5946345f858f1a38/original/frootsaugsept2011.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561132011-04-01T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:57:11+00:00Songwriter’s Monthly - Allen Foster<p><em>April 2011 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile. </strong>“Her voice floats within the air like a beautiful fragrance.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/54068188/Songwriter-s-Monthly-April-11-135-Sarah-McQuaid" target="_blank"> <strong>Read more</strong></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/66970952011-01-01T13:00:00+00:002021-07-24T13:21:58+01:00R2/RnR (Jan 2011)<p><em>January/February 2011</em></p>
<p><strong>Q&A: On The Road Again.</strong> “I spend about six months of the year on the road, which is pretty tough as I’ve two kids aged five and seven.”</p>
<p><a contents="http://www.rock-n-reel.co.uk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rock-n-reel.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.rock-n-reel.co.uk</a></p>
<p><strong>On the road again ... Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><em>You seem to be on tour permanently. How do you manage it?</em><br>I spend about six months of the year on the road, which is pretty tough as I’ve two kids aged five and seven. Luckily my wonderful husband is able to look after them while I’m away, and we talk on Skype every day – I wouldn’t be able to cope without Skype! I also try to be home when the kids have their school holidays. I’ve a great manager who does all the driving and looks after all the logistics, so I’m free to concentrate on staying healthy and giving the best performance I can.</p>
<p><em>Novelist, journalist, songwriter and musician: where are you most at home? </em><br>To be honest I haven’t done any novel writing or journalism in the past four years, although I would like to get back to that novel someday. I’m really happy at the moment just focusing on writing songs and on touring. I do find that songs evolve and change when I play them live. During the nine-week tour I’ve just finished, one of my new songs acquired an additional verse and another was laid to one side as I’ve decided it needs a complete revision.</p>
<p><em>You were born in Spain, raised in Chicago, have dual Irish and American citizenship and now live in Cornwall. Where are you really at home?</em> <br>I’ve only been in Cornwall for three-and-a-half years, but the depth of the roots I’ve put down here in that short time astonishes me. I love the landscape and the general ‘ethos’ of the place, if it’s okay to use that term. I’ve made some really, really close friends here and found some wonderful people to work with – including the aforementioned manager, Martin Stansbury, and also my friend Zoë, with whom I co-wrote the ten songs that we released under the band name Mama as the album <em>Crow Coyote Buffalo</em>.</p>
<p><em>You’ve a new album planned. What’s the focus: Irish or American? What makes the decision for you? </em><br>I’ve been doing a lot more songwriting in recent months, both on my own and in co-writing sessions with Gerry O’Beirne among others. I think these new original songs are going to be the main focus this time round, as I’ve been playing them in my live set and they’ve been getting a really strong response. Unfortunately, because of all my touring I’m not going to get a chance to go into the studio and record them until June. I wish it could be sooner, but maybe I’ll write a few more in the meantime!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/89005767f6ac0439b6c729973f0589fd5a3ab2d3/original/r2-jan-2011.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561142010-06-18T01:00:00+01:002020-01-17T22:57:51+00:00Surrey Comet - Will Gore<p><em>18 June 2010 </em></p>
<p><strong>Interview and profile.</strong> “Sarah McQuaid is an artist who is unafraid of traversing genres in search of musical inspiration.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="/files/518246/surreycomet100618.pdf" target="_blank"> <strong>Read more</strong></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561152009-12-02T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T20:18:38+00:00WVIA-FM: The Graham Weekly Album Review - George Graham<p><em>2 December 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “A delightful set that shows some of the transatlantic connections that have always existed.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://georgegraham.com/reviews/mcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://georgegraham.com/reviews/mcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em></strong><br>When you mention traditional folk music to audiences on this side of the Atlantic, people naturally think of American folk music. But there is, of course, a healthy folk music scene in the British Isles. Back in the 1960s, there was the rise of the English folk scene with groups like Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and the Pentangle which found audiences in the US. In recent decades, Celtic music from Ireland and Scotland has been enjoying considerable popularity. But there has not been a whole lot of mixing of folk from the America and the British Isles. This week’s album is all about combining American and Celtic folk music from an artist whose life has embodied that transatlantic fusion. It’s Sarah McQuaid, whose second CD is called <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em><br><br>The mixing of traditions comes naturally to the peripatetic, 43-year-old Ms. McQuaid, who was born in Madrid, Spain, grew up in Chicago, holds dual American and Irish citizenship, and is currently residing in the West of England. At age 11, she was touring nationally with the Chicago Children’s Choir. At age 18, she spent a year in France studying philosophy at the University of Strasbourg, where she also did some performing.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid learned folk music from her mother, to whom she dedicates her CD, who sang her traditional Appalachian folk songs. Ms. McQuaid’s mother was a Chicago native, who volunteered with the Quakers in poverty projects in Kentucky and other parts of Appalachia, and there learned of the music of Jean Ritchie, Peggy Seeger and others who helped to popularize the music of the region back in the traditional folk music boom of the late 1950s and 1960s. Later, Sarah became enchanted with Irish music, and lived and performed in Ireland from the mid 1990s until 2007. There she also served as a newspaper columnist on music and also wrote a tutorial book on Irish guitar technique.<br><br>But when her mother passed away in 2004, Ms. McQuaid began to revisit the songs her mother introduced her to, and the result is <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, a collection of well-annotated mostly-traditional American folk songs recorded in Ireland with Irish musicians. It’s a delightful set that shows some of the transatlantic connections that have always existed, with many of the old American folk songs having their genesis in very old songs that came over from England and Ireland.<br><br>Ms. McQuaid is a fine guitarist, and her vocals evoke the classic English folk alto of people like Sandy Denny or June Tabor. The accompaniment on the CD is quite spare, mainly with Ms. McQuaid’s guitar and a little bass or percussion. There are also some a cappella tracks and one instrumental. Joining her on the CD are Gerry O’Beirne on various string instruments, Trevor Hutchinson on bass, fiddle player Maire Breatnach, and vocalist and percussionist Liam Bradley, though rarely do more than one or two appear at the same time.<br><br>The CD leads off with an excellent example of Ms. McQuaid’s transatlantic folk fusion, <em>The Chickens They Are Crowing</em>. The musical setting is very British Isles, with Ms. McQuaid’s vocals evoking the style of June Tabor or Sandy Denny, in this decidedly American folk song, from which the CD’s title comes.<br><br>One of the more distinctive tracks is <em>West Virginia Boys</em>, whose sole accompaniment is percussion that hints more at jazz or blues than traditional folk. Ms. McQuaid’s liner notes talk about the different forms and variations the lyrics have taken.<br><br>Ms. McQuaid said that in college, she heard Rory Block, the folk and blues musician, play a concert and Ms. McQuaid said she was taken by Ms. Block’s guitar style. One of the songs Ms. McQuaid remembered from that concert is <em>Uncloudy Day</em>, which she performs on the album, and then includes the results of her research into the song in her CD booklet.<br><br>There are a couple of original songs. One of them is <em>Only an Emotion</em>, a song inspired by the sadness of brought on by events in her life, and her realization that people are trying to cure the sadness, rather than letting it run its course. It doesn’t make an attempt to sound like a traditional song.<br><br>In thinking about the Appalachian roots of the songs on this CD, Ms. McQuaid was inspired to take up a somewhat more contemporary song, Bobby Gentry’s classic Southern musical tale, <em>Ode to Billie Joe</em>. It’s a kind of odd man out on the CD, but it works well, in a kind of laid-back acoustic version of the song that is not too far from the original.<br><br>On the other hand, <em>In the Pines</em> is a classic traditional Appalachian song that dates back to the 1870s or so, in various versions. Ms. McQuaid’s treatment here sounds more American than Celtic.<br><br>The more striking of the a cappella tracks is <em>The Wagoner's Lad</em>, another classic traditional piece – one of the songs that Ms. McQuaid’s late mother taught her.<br><br>The CD ends with an original composition, a kind of elegy to her mother, <em>Last Song</em>, in which she reminisces on being sung to sleep by the traditional songs.<br><br>Sarah McQuaid's second CD, <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> – her first one appeared back in 1997 – was actually released late in 2008 in the UK, but apparently there is now an effort to bring her music to audiences here in the country where she grew up. It’s an all-around fine album, that mixes good elements from American and British Isles folk. The musicianship is outstanding, Ms. McQuaid’s vocals are impressive, and the CD is annotated like an old Folkways album of old – a 24 page booklet with explanations of the sources of the songs, and sets of alternate lyrics from the different variations she has found.<br><br>We’l give the CD a grade A for audio quality. The recording has a warm intimate sound, there are minimal studio effects, and the dynamic range is much better than is typical for pop albums these days.<br><br>If you like both American and British Isles folk, but realized that it was hard to find something that effectively and tastefully mixes both, then Sarah McQuaid’s <em>I Won't Go Home 'til Morning</em> may be just the ticket.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561162009-11-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-13T20:19:39+00:00Leicester Bangs - Rob Forbes<p><em>November 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“Central heating for grown-ups.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/nov09-2.html" target="_blank">http://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/nov09-2.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br><strong><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em></strong><br>Cornish singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid (born in Madrid, raised in Chicago, studied in France, lived in Ireland) taps effortlessly into the spirit of Sandy Denny and Shirley Collins on her second solo album, the near faultless <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>. Fully aware of (and informed by) the folk music traditions of N. America and the Celts, there’s nothing pure about McQuaid’s method, but let’s not concern ourselves with minor stylistic details when we can steep ourselves in her warm vocals and engaging songs – a blend of self-penned material, traditional pieces and well chosen covers. To describe it as central heating for grown-ups might seem a little offhand, but have a listen to a couple of tracks on her MySpace page and you’ll understand.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561172009-08-18T01:00:00+01:002020-01-13T20:20:51+00:00Moors Magazine - Holly Moors (Aug 2009)<p><em>18 August 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Mooi album.” <em>(Beautiful album.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.moorsmagazine.com/muziekspecials/sarah/mcquaid.html" target="_blank">http://www.moorsmagazine.com/muziekspecials/sarah/mcquaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid:<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original)</em></strong><br>De Amerikaanse Sarah McQuaid doet in haar zang nog het meest denken aan de bijna vergeten Britse folkzangeres Bridget St John. Zelfde licht hese warme stem, zelfde ontspannen manier van zingen, zelfde repertoire van mooie, gevoelige liedjes, en vergelijkbare fraaie, ingetogen arrangementen. We laten hier twee fragmenten horen, van de enige liedjes op haar cd die ze zelf geschreven heeft. Verder zingt ze hier vooral traditionals, ook Amerikaanse als In The Pines, en een paar covers als Uncloudy Day en Bobbie Gentrys Ode to Billie Joe. Dat worden allemaal haar eigen intieme liedjes. Een bescheiden album, dat wat tijd nodig heeft om te kunnen groeien, maar dat is zeker de moeite waard. Het album werd overigens in Dublin opgenomen in de studio van Trevor Hutchinson, die ook meespeelt op dit album, dat daardoor ook een beetje een Ierse sfeer uitstraalt. Mooi album.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>American Sarah McQuaid reminds you most through her songs of the almost forgotten British folk singer Bridget St. John. The same slightly hoarse warm voice, the same relaxed way of singing, the same repertoire of pretty, sensitive songs, and comparable pleasing, unpretentious arrangements. We share two fragments, from the only songs on her CD written by herself. Apart from these she mostly sings traditional numbers, also American, like In The Pines, and a few covers, like Uncloudy Day and Bobbie Gentry’s Ode to Billy Joe. They all become her own intimate songs. A modest album, which needs some time to grow on you, but this is certainly worth the trouble. The album was recorded in Dublin in the studio of Trevor Hutchinson, who participates on this album, which acquires a bit of an Irish mood because of this. Beautiful album.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561182009-06-15T01:00:00+01:002020-01-13T20:21:57+00:00Johnny’s Garden - Rein van den Berg<p><em>15 June 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Verademend dus.”<em> (A breath of fresh air.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.johnnysgarden.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=274:sarah-mcquaid-i-wont-go-home-til-morning&catid=1:nieuwe-releases&Itemid=12" target="_blank">http://www.johnnysgarden.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=274:sarah-mcquaid-i-wont-go-home-til-morning&catid=1:nieuwe-releases&Itemid=12</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid:<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original. This review also appears on <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.rootsville.be" target="_blank">http://www.rootsville.be</a> and <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.luckydice.nl" target="_blank">http://www.luckydice.nl</a>)</em></strong><br>“You can’t have the one without the other” bezingt Sarah in haar eigen geschreven ‘Only An Emotion’. Sarah McQuaid is meesterlijk wanneer het gaat om iets wonderschoons neer te zetten, ook al komt dat voort uit verdriet. Haar 2de CD handelt zich om dit soort balansen. De balans die iedereen voor zichzelf tracht te vinden. ‘Last Song’ is eveneens door haar zelf geschreven, terwijl de overige nummers arrangementen van traditionals betreft. ‘Ode to Billie Joe’ van Bobbie Gentry behoort ook al bijna tot die classificatie. Sarah McQuaid hoort thuis tussen al die Britse singers & songwriters die kwalitatief mooi en nostalgische muziek maken. Muziek om bij weg te dromen, of om op een rustige ontspannen wijze van te genieten. Als dochter van een Spaanse vader, en Amerikaanse moeder is ze daarom een markante eend in de bijt, maar luisterend naar haar muziek niet een onwelkome verrassing.<br><br>Opgegroeid in Chicago, en woont na een aantal jaren in Ierland sinds kort op de plaats waar ze voegt met haar muzikale bagage. Het spirituele land van Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, maar ook Matha Tilston. Sarah heeft dit album opgedragen aan haar moeder Jane, die begin 2004 overleed. De keuze van de muziek op <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> is direct afgeleid van de liedjes die ze als kind samen met haar moeder zong. Geen wonder dus dat de verbinding tussen haar moeder, en de muziek duidelijk doorresoneert in de werkelijk adembenemende uitvoeringen. Uitzonderlijk mooi is het instrumentloos gezongen ‘Wondrous Love’. Aan dit album is veel zorg besteedt, en de liefde voor de rijke geschiedenis van de ten gehore gebrachte traditionals straalt van dit album. Deze muziek is bijna onaards te noemen. Ze maakt je onverbiddelijk los van de dagelijkse vulgariteiten zoals: concurrentie, reclame, winst en geldbejag. Verademend dus!<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>“You can’t have the one without the other”, sings Sarah in her self-penned ‘Only An Emotion’. Sarah McQuaid is a master of evoking something achingly lovely, even if it evolves from sorrow. Her second CD is all about these kind of balancing acts. The balance all of us are trying to find for ourselves. She wrote ‘Last Song’ herself as well, whilst the rest of the songs are newly arranged traditionals. ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ by Bobbie Gentry is one of the latter. Sarah McQuaid is one of all those British singers and songwriters who produce beautiful and nostalgic quality music. Music to dream away to, or to enjoy whilst relaxing. As the daughter of a Spanish father and an American mother, she stands out in the herd and listening to her music is a very welcome surprise.<br><br>She grew up in Chicago, and now lives, after a couple of years in Ireland, in the place where she merges with her musical inheritance. The spiritual country of Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, but of Matha Tilston as well. Sarah has dedicated this album to her mother Jane, who died at the beginning of 2004. The musical choice of <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> has come directly from the songs she sang with her mother when she was a child. So it’s no surprise that the connection between her mother and the music resonates in the truly breathtaking renditions. Exceptionally beautiful is the a capella sung ‘Wondrous Love’. A lot of care has been taken with this album, and the love for the rich history of the chosen traditional tracks shines through. This music could almost be called unearthly. It remorselessly tears you loose from daily vulgarities like competition, commercials, profit and gain. A breath of fresh air!</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561252009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-17T23:09:15+00:00fRoots (Mar 2009)<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “An album that further defines McQuaid as an artist of restraint and subtlety.”</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid:<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning (SMQCD002) </em></strong><br>In this follow-up to her quietly sublime debut, McQuaid mines her American folk background for inspiration. Subtlety and poise rank among the hallmarks – a quiet, elegant reading of Bobbie Gentry’s <em>Ode To Billie Joe</em>, the subdued authority of <em>Only An Emotion</em>. An album that further defines McQuaid as an artist of restraint and subtlety.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561242009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-17T23:10:50+00:00Living Tradition - Clive Pownceby (Mar 2009)<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“Sarah McQuaid has poured her heart into this record – but it’s also firmly attached to her sleeve and this is Folk music in every sense. It’s that good.</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br>SMQCD002</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid’s might be a new name to a fair few but when next you’re at your computer, tap into YouTube, and there are some of the loveliest songs you’ll hear all year. Her press release for ‘Won’t Go Home’ contains the strapline “Appalachian album takes Cornwall-based Sarah back to her roots” but that doesn’t even begin to describe the sense of just-rightness, the yearning, alluring quality to her voice nailing the subtle sharpness of these 11 songs. At a time when people are buying fewer CDs, new converts needn’t fear credit card misery acquiring an avalanche of back catalogue either – this surprisingly, is just McQuaid’s second offering in 10 years.<br><br>Born in Madrid, the daughter of a Spanish father and American mother, raised in Chicago she spent many years in Ireland before bedding down in Penzance last year with her family. The album is dedicated to the memory of her mother, (“she had a lovely natural style of singing and playing guitar”) who, though she never performed professionally, was obviously a formative influence, acquainting Sarah with the music of Jean Ritchie, Peggy Seeger and other singers and collectors. Whilst describing herself as a singer-writer, there is enough Trad.arr. material here to engage the most ardent devotees of careworn women, relationship betrayal, and heavenly homes and if you’ve a penchant for exhaustive and scholarly booklet notes, you’ve got them – 24 pages in all!<br><br>From rolling-sky soundtracks (East Virginia) to the snow-soft poignancy of Last Song for her late mother, McQuaid displays an elegant inventiveness, complemented by the precision of her eloquent backing musicians. With voice and arrangement not unlike Judee Sill’s on J.K. Alwood’s Uncloudy Day alongside a cover of Ode To Billy Joe that rivals Bobbie Gentry’s sun-dappled, yet menacing ambience, there’s no doubting the breadth of vision in these performances. Her lyrical world may be vulnerable and bittersweet imbued with an ache of loneliness and candid personal reflections, but it’s accessible without being slight. Revealing an honest and undisguised emotion, the effect is of a natural, unselfconscious feel. Sarah McQuaid has poured her heart into this record – but it’s also firmly attached to her sleeve and this is Folk music in every sense. It’s that good.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561232009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:40:10+00:00Rootstime - Eddie Janssens<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Een rustige, sfeervolle folkplaat van een artieste die vooral maturiteit en waardigheid uitstraalt. Zo moesten er meer zijn.”<em> (A tranquil, atmospheric folk recording by an artist who projects, above all, maturity and dignity. There should be more like this.)</em></p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEWS/2009/2009-MAART9.htm#84" target="_blank">http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEWS/2009/2009-MAART9.htm#84</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original)</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid werd geboren in Spanje, groeide op in Chicago met een dubbele Amerikaans-Ierse nationaliteit. Ze woonde in Ierland van 1994 tot 2007 en verhuisde onlangs naar het zuiden van Engeland, waar ze haar intrek nam in het huis waar haar ouders ooit woonden. Een paar maanden geleden was deze artieste nog te bewonderen in Toogenblik in Haren en verder maakte ze ook recent een tournee door Nederland. Haar debuutalbum <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> verscheen in 1997 en bevatte vooral traditionele Ierse folksongs. Haar nieuwe plaat is volledig opgedragen aan haar Amerikaanse moeder, die enkele jaren geleden overleed. Muzikaal zoemt McQuaid vooral in op de ‘Appalachian Folk’, die haar wortels kent in de muziek die door de Schotse, Engelse en Ierse immigranten werd meegebracht naar het oosten van de Verenigde Staten. De traditionele songs op dit album leerde McQuaid van haar moeder, die net als zijzelf ook zong en gitaar speelde. Zo treffen we hier mooie versies aan van onder andere ‘In The Pines’ en ‘East Virginia’. McQuaid’s heldere, warme stem brengt de traditionals met een grote waardigheid. Soms klinkt er een zekere droefheid of melancholie in haar stem, maar ze laat zich nooit door haar emoties overmannen. Een paar keer zingt McQuaid volledig a capella, zoals in ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’ en ook dat is zondermeer indrukwekkend. Hier worden we echt stil van. De enige cover waarvan de auteur bekend is, is ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ van Bobby Gentry waarvan Sarah een slepende versie neerzet, die onder meer opgefleurd wordt door spaarzaam werk op de slide gitaar van Gerry O’Beirne. Twee nummers werden door McQuaid zelf geschreven. ‘Only An Emotion’ gaat over ‘droefenis’ en hoe deze door dokters als een ziekte wordt beschouwd die kost wat kost met pillen moet genezen worden. En in ‘Last Song’ verwijst Sarah een laatste keer naar haar moeder die toen ze nog kind was songs voor haar speelde, net voor het slapengaan. Nu McQuaid zelf jonge kinderen heeft, zet ze deze traditie voort als een liefdevolle nagedachtenis voor haar overleden moeder. <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> is een rustige, sfeervolle folkplaat van een artieste die vooral maturiteit en waardigheid uitstraalt. Zo moesten er meer zijn.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Sarah McQuaid was born in Spain and grew up in Chicago with a double American-Irish nationality. She lived in Ireland from 1994 to 2007 and moved recently to the south of England, where she moved into the house where her parents had lived in the past. A few months ago this artist could be enjoyed in Toogenblik in Haren and she toured the Netherlands recently. Her debut album When Two Lovers Meet was released in 1997 and contained mostly traditional Irish folk songs. Her new recording is dedicated completely to her American mother, who passed away a few years ago. In her music McQuaid focuses on ‘Appalachian Folk’, which has its roots in the music brought to the east of The United States by Scottish, English and Irish immigrants. McQuaid was taught the traditional songs on this album by her mother, who – just like her – sang and played the guitar. Here we find beautiful versions of, amongst others, ‘In The Pines’ and ‘East Virginia’. McQuaid’s clear, warm voice conveys these traditional songs with a great dignity. Sometimes there is a certain sadness or melancholy in her voice, but she never lets the emotions run away with her. A few times McQuaid sings a cappella, as in ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’, which is absolutely awe-inspiring. This really stopped us in our tracks. The only well-known cover from a well-known author is ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ by Bobby Gentry, which Sarah turns into a slowly spun out version highlighted by a sparse slide guitar from Gerry O’Beirne. Sarah has written two songs herself. ‘Only An Emotion’ is about ‘Sadness’ and about how doctors consider this to be an illness to be cured at all cost by taking pills. And in ‘Last Song’ Sarah points for a last time to her mother, who played her bedtime songs when she was a child. Now that McQuaid is a mother of young children herself, she honours this tradition as a loving memorial to her late mother. I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning is a tranquil, atmospheric folk recording by an artist who projects, above all, maturity and dignity. There should be more like this.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561222009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-24T19:01:01+00:00FATEA - Allan Wilkinson<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“A rare beauty of an album, which I imagine will be revisited on this reviewer’s iPod, time and again.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/Sarah%20McQuaid.html" target="_blank">http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/Sarah%20McQuaid.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em></strong><br>It’s been a long while since I got up extremely early on a Sunday morning, before light even, curled up on the sofa with the old iPod, rested my head on a cushion and read through all the sleeve notes from start to finish including the lyrics, the comments, the personnel list and production credits, even where the artist might buy his or in this case her strings from. With Sarah McQuaid’s new album <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, so portentous are the sleeve notes, printed in a handsomely packaged booklet, that it takes roughly the same time to read through the booklet as it does to listen to the songs included within, if you run ahead with the lyrics that is.<br><br>Such an intimate hour with Sarah McQuaid is a rewarding experience before breakfast on a Sunday morning. Reading accounts of where she first encountered these songs, from old recordings of Jean Richie and Joan Baez, or from books published by Cecil Sharpe or Alan Lomax, sidetracks me into thinking about where I might have first heard these songs myself. In all honesty, I don’t go that far back and I admit that my first encounters with many of these songs, would no doubt have been via Bert Jansch and Doc Watson vinyls; the focal point of my mis-spent youth.<br><br>Dedicated to Sarah’s late mother, the songs on the album were recorded partly for cathartic purposes, to exorcise the ghosts of grief that goes with coming to terms with a parent’s death – most of the songs they sang together when Sarah was young – and partly because since Sarah now lives in her mother’s house with her own family, the songs are probably as much a part of the fabric of the place as the walls and the floorboards.<br><br>The album’s title is taken from a line in the opening song ‘The Chicken’s They Are Crowing’, a song learned from a Peggy Seeger album entitled <em>Folk Songs and Ballads</em>, which a very young Sarah heard via her Mickey Mouse record player. These songs were learned at a very young age it would seem. Reminiscent of Nick Drake’s ‘Cello Song’, but with some ethereal vocal humming instead of the big violin, the song immediately invites us into Sarah McQuaid’s enchanting world.<br><br>The unexpected surprise on the album is a pretty faithful version of the old Bobbie Gentry classic ‘Ode To Billie Joe’, which maintains all that Southern back porch swamp ballad feel as well as once again conveying an air of mystery and ambiguity that we loved in the original.<br><br>‘In The Pines’ has weaved its way up through the history of folksong from the days of Cecil Sharpe’s travels through the Appalachians in the late 1800s, to Huddie Ledbetter fresh from the penitentiary, claiming the song as his own, and then even turning up unexpectedly as Kurt Cobain’s swansong under the guise of ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’ in the last days of Nirvana. Sarah McQuaid manages to roll all these facets into one and provides a spellbinding reading, which sends “shivers”, especially when the cold winds blow.<br><br>With a couple of personal self-penned songs thrown into the brew, the touching ‘Only An Emotion’ and the aptly titled ‘Last Song’, which brings the album to a close with its familiar coda of “Froggy went a courtin’”, Sarah McQuaid provides us with a rare beauty of an album, which I imagine will be revisited on this reviewer’s iPod, time and again.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561212009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:46:17+00:00Revolver Magazine - Harry de Jong<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> (English translation follows Nederlands original). </strong>“Straalt zoveel warmte vanaf dat je er even stil van wordt.” <em>(Projects so much warmth that it makes you go quiet for a spell.)</em></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/51ae4014f2b18449932f6d043d92b628da133363/original/hugesarahrevolverreview.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Sarah_McQuaid_Revolver" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original)</em><br>(3 stars)</strong><br>Het lijkt wel of oorsponkelijke folk uit het Amerikaanse Appalachen-gebergte helemaal ‘hot’ is, want na Diana Jones en onze eigen Inlaw Sisters laat ook Sarah McQuaid zich op haar nieuwe album door deze streek inspireren. Daar heeft ze trouwens een goede reden voor: ze groeide op in deze kale heuvels <em>[sorry, I’m afraid it was actually Chicago –S.McQ.]</em> en leerde als jong meisje van haar moeder de lokale volksdeuntjes. Ma overleed enkele jaren geleden en McQuaid houdt met traditionals als Shady Grove, Wondrous Love en In The Pines de nagedachtenis aan haar in ere. En dat doet ze op gepast ingetogen wijze, met spaarzame begleiding van bas, viool en haar eigen akoestische gitaar. Overigens gaat het hier niet alleen om in de volksmond ontstane liedjes, met Only An Emotion brengt de al jaren in Ierland <em>[England! –S.McQ.]</em> wonende McQuaid halverwege de plaat een zelfgeschreven groet aan haar moeder. En daar straalt zoveel warmte vanaf dat je er even stil van wordt.<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!</em></strong><br><em>Original folk from the Appalachian region seems to be completely “hot”. After Diana Jones and our own Inlaw Sisters, now Sarah McQuaid too gets her inspiration from this region. She happens to have a very good reason for that: she grew up in these remote hills</em> [sorry, I’m afraid it was actually Chicago –S.McQ.]<em> and learned the local folk songs as a young girl from her mother. Ma died a few years ago, and McQuaid keeps her memory alive with traditional songs like ‘Shady Grove’, ‘Wondrous Love’ and ‘In The Pines’. She does this in a fittingly understated manner, with sparse accompaniment of bass, violin and her own acoustic guitar. There is more than just the traditional songs; with ‘Only An Emotion’, the Ireland </em>[England! –S.McQ.]<em> based McQuaid sends a greeting to her mother halfway through the recording. And this song projects so much warmth that it makes you go quiet for a spell.</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561202009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:47:29+00:00FolkWorld - Adolf Goriup<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “For me this singer with both Irish and American citizenship is certainly a revelation and I’m sure her album will be a great success.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.folkworld.eu/38/e/cds1.html" target="_blank">http://www.folkworld.eu/38/e/cds1.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br>Own label, 2008</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid was born in Spain, raised in Chicago and came back to Europe as an adult young woman. She spent 13 years in Ireland where she recorded her debut album with Irish traditional songs. 2007 she crossed the Irish Sea to live in her mother’s house in Cornwall. Her new album is dedicated to her departed mother and features eight Appalachian songs and tunes she used to sing with her mother Jane when she was a child, a jazzy Bobbie Gentry cover version and two self-crafted songs. Sarah sings and plays the guitar and has recorded the CD with a bunch of excellent guest musicians in Trevor Hutchinson’s studio in Dublin. Hutchinson (Lunasa) also plays double and electric bass. Irish songwriter Gerry O’Beirne (guitars, ukulele and producer), Liam Bradley from Beoga (percussion, vocals), Máire Breatnach (fiddle, viola) and Rosie Shipley (fiddle) complete the line-up.<br><br>The CD opens with the traditional soft ballad ‘The Chickens They Are Crowing’ and Sarah’s warm and mature voice. Her gifted singing is accompanied by the gentle sound of O’Beirne’s 12-string guitar, the Ebow and Shipley’s soft fiddle playing. ‘West Virginia Boys’, another traditional song, stands out with brilliant percussion playing and Sarah’s jazziest singing. ‘Shady Grove/Cluck Old Hen’ has been interpreted by McQuaid and O’Beirne as an instrumental set. Sarah learned ‘Wondrous Love’ from Jean Ritchie and sings it a capella together with Bradley and she brings forward the traditional ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’ solo with just some guitar chords. Finally ‘The Last Song’ is one of her two own songs, beautifully accompanied by Breatnach on viola and Hutchinson on double bass.<br><br>McQuaid is a brilliant singer and chose some beautiful songs for her album. The arrangements are simple but striking and the musicians accompany her singing perfectly. The style changes from a capella singing to guitar songs, from folk to jazz and from rhythmic to melancholic. For me this singer with both Irish and American citizenship is certainly a revelation and I’m sure her album will be a great success.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561192009-03-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:50:25+00:00Sing Out! - Tom Druckenmiller<p><em>March 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“A gentle and magical recording that I will return to time and again.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/392114/2012e2bcbfbfe068bdf7ec9a0d4ff26dd7ff99b8/original/hugesingoutclip.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em></strong><br>Sarah McQuaid is certainly a cosmopolitan woman. She was born in Madrid, raised in Chicago, studied in Strasbourg, and lived for many years in Ireland before relocating to Cornwall in 2007. She is a master of the DADGAD guitar, and has written an acclaimed tutorial on the style. Her first CD, released 11 years ago, is a collection of traditional Irish music. <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em>, the long awaited follow-up, is a return to her Appalachian roots. The recording, which features Sarah’s sparkling guitar and compelling alto voice, is reminiscent of Pentangle’s best efforts.<br><br>Producer Gerry O’Beirne joins in on guitar, tiple and ukulele, along with Rosie Shipley and Máire Breatnach, fiddle; Liam Bradley, percussion and vocals; and Trevor Hutchinson on double bass.<br><br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> opens with the tune that lends the title to the CD. ‘The Chickens They Are Crowing’ was learned from the singing of Peggy Seeger. It’s important to note that the liner notes are quite well researched, and crammed with wonderful stories of her first exposure to this special music. Up next is ‘West Virginia Boys’, all done up with swing percussion from Liam, which accompanies Sarah’s smoky vocals. Quite a different rendition, but it works. The listener is treated to Sarah’s distinctive guitar style with ‘Shady Grove/Cluck Old Hen.’ Gerry offers harp-like accompaniment on the 12-string guitar and tiple.<br><br>Most of the recording is comprised of traditional tunes, but Sarah offers two fine original songs. Both ‘Only An Emotion’ and ‘Last Song’ are dedicated to her mother, Jane Addams Guthrie, who introduced the young Sarah to the beauty of folk music and died in 2004. We can all feel fortunate that Sarah McQuaid took these early songs to heart, for she has produced a gentle and magical recording that I will return to time and again.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561262009-02-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:52:15+00:00Heaven Magazine - Koos Gijsman (Feb 2009)<p><em>February 2009 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning </em>(English translation follows Nederlands original).</strong> “Een streling voor het gehoor.” <em>(A caress to the ear.)</em></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br><em>(English translation appears below Nederlands original)</em><br>In de schaduw van de Appalachen<br>(4 stars)</strong><br>Sarah McQuaids derde <em>[second, actually! –S.McQ.]</em> CD <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> is een eerbetoon aan de Appalachen folkcatalogus. Met producer Gerry O’Beirne, die tevens talrijke snaarinstrumenten bespeelt (o.a. 6- en 12-snarige akoustische gitaar, ukelele, National Steel slidegitaar) heeft dat een aantal prachtige folkliedjes opgeleverd. Sarahs mooie, volle stem in combinatie met haar ingetogen gitaarbegeleiding (ze is de auteur van het lesboek <em>Irish DADGAD Guitar Book</em>) is alleen al een streling voor het gehoor. Voeg daar elf van de mooiste folkliedjes uit de Appalachen aan toe, O’Beirne’s snarenpracht en een hier en daar opduikende vioolpartij en je hebt een formule die van de eerste tot de laatste minuut imponeert. Liedjes als opener ‘The Chickens They Are Crowing’, de Bobbie Gentry hit ‘Ode To Billie Joe’, de hymne ‘Wondrous Love’ en het a cappella gezongen ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’ rechtvaardigen alleen al de aanschaf van deze cd. U krijgt daar nog een flinke bonus bij in de vorm van de overige, prachtige liedjes. Standaardwerk!<br><br><strong><em>Thanks to Renee Koopman for the translation below!<br>In the shadow of the Appalachians<br>(4 stars)</em></strong><br><em>Sarah McQuaid’s third [second, actually! –S.McQ.] CD I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning is a tribute to the Appalachian folk catalogue. In co-operation with Gerry O’Beirne, who also plays numerous string instruments (amongst others 6- and 12-string acoustic guitar, ukulele, National Steel slide guitar), this has produced a few beautiful folk songs. Sarah’s wonderful, full voice in combination with her subdued guitar playing (she’s the author of the Irish DADGAD Guitar Book) alone, is a caress to the ear. Add eleven of the most wonderful folk songs of the Appalachians, O’Beirne’s string-beauty and the occasional emerging violin and you have a combination that impresses from the first to the last minute. Such songs as opening song ‘The Chickens They Are Crowing’, the Bobby Gentry hit ‘Ode to Billie Joe’, the hymn ‘Wondrous Love’ and the a cappella sung ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’ alone justify the purchase of this CD. You get a large bonus in the form of the other, beautiful, songs. A signature work!</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561272008-12-16T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:53:31+00:00Spiral Earth - David Kushar (Dec 2008)<p><em>16 December 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“<em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> illustrates the cyclical nature of life with piercing clarity.”</p>
<p><strong><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em><br>Sarah McQuaid</strong><br>Sarah McQuaid has led a peripatetic life, having been born in Spain and raised in Chicago. Subsequently, after a thirteen year spell in Ireland, she now lives with her husband and two children in the home formerly occupied by her parents, near Penzance, Cornwall. How has this affected her music? Well, her previous release, <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em>, was an exploration of all things Irish, whereas this new album has found most of its inspiration from the Appalachian region of America, her mother’s favourite music.<br><br>Sarah has previously explained that it was her mother who introduced her to folk music and all the songs on this album have a particular emotional connection to her and their relationship. Of course, purely musically this is a perfectly logical move in one sense, as these songs and instrumentals are mostly based upon anglo-celtic folk origins.<br><br>Having run workshops for the guitar and written a tuition book on the subject Sarah certainly isn’t a slouch on six strings. And when coupled with a voice that has been described as ‘matured cognac’ she has all the fundamentals for performance firmly in place.<br><br>This material is usually treated to a rustic approach, sort of sparse and dusty, however, Sarah’s angle is different, teasing out the warmly embracing hymn-like qualities of the music, which are in line with her original motivation to record these songs. Her singing has shades of Baez minus the operatic warble and Gillian Welch without so much Nashville twang. It’s perfect for the reading of Bobbie Gentry’s ‘Ode To Billie Joe’, ‘In The Pines’ and ‘West Virginia Boys’. Whereas ‘Shady Grove’ is just fine as an instrumental.<br><br>Sarah has included two self-penned numbers. The first, ‘Only An Emotion’, she describes as ‘a song in defence of sadness’ and the flippancy of comments to ‘cheer up’. The second, ‘Last Song’, is a deeply personal ode to her mother and daughter who never had the chance to meet each other.<br><br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> illustrates the cyclical nature of life with piercing clarity. It’s highly appropriate that these songs are full of detail regarding two of the mainstays of our existence – food and love. It makes for a moving tribute to her mother and a unique evocation of the great Appalachian songbook.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561282008-12-01T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:54:23+00:00Taplas - Roy Harris<p><em>December 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “There’s no need to be an Appalachian song lover to enjoy McQuaid’s velvet voice and all around musicality, it speaks for itself.”</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</strong><br>One look at the track listing and I started to feel happy. The bulk of the songs are of the kind that got me into this music in the first place and which I still love half a century later. Songs like ‘Wagoner’s Lad’, ‘Wondrous Love’, ‘In The Pines’ and ‘The Chickens They Are Crowing’ are a few of the delights to be heard here.<br><br>The titles may be familiar but the songs get a personal treatment from Ms McQuaid, which is as it should be. ‘Chickens’ for instance gets a lovely, wistful treatment backed by a gently supportive guitar, joined later by fiddle, 12-string and percussion to take the tune out as an instrumental. ‘Shady Grove’ and ‘Cluck Old Hen’, two tunes that exemplify Appalachian music, are led by Sarah’s guitar, along with Gerry O’Beirne’s guitars and tiple, after which the changes are rung once again with a performance of ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ that would gain praise from Bobbie Gentry herself.<br><br>There’s no need to be an Appalachian song lover to enjoy McQuaid’s velvet voice and all around musicality, it speaks for itself.</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561302008-11-21T00:00:00+00:002020-01-24T19:05:11+00:00Concerts-Review - Michel Preumont (Nov 2008)<p><em>21 November 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Live review – Toogenblik.</strong> “Une voix de velours et une technique guitaristique limpide!”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://concerts-review.over-blog.com/article-25048719.html"><strong>Read more</strong></a></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561292008-11-21T00:00:00+00:002020-01-24T19:06:09+00:00The Irish Times Ticket Magazine - Siobhán Long<p><em>21 November 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning. </em></strong>“Beautifully spare ... a melancholy but somehow celebratory collection.”</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2008/1121/1227137497017.html" target="_blank">http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2008/1121/1227137497017.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning<br>EMD ***</strong><br>The benefits of reflection are evident on Sarah McQuaid’s second album. Here she shifts her focus from Irish traditional to the Appalachian music beloved of her late mother. McQuaid’s voice has evolved in texture as well, and she inhabits Loretta Lynn’s <em>In the Pines</em> with an ease that reflects her lifelong acquaintance with the songs of the high country. Her cover of Bobbie Gentry’s <em>Ode to Billie Joe</em> is particularly elegiac, the spare arrangements revealing the full impact of the winding storyline. Her own songwriting is beautifully spare, and <em>Only an Emotion</em> casts a weary eye on the embarrassment with which society deals with grief these days. Producer Trevor Hutchinson and guitarist Gerry O’Beirne bring a muted, perfectly pitched presence to what is a melancholy but somehow celebratory collection.<br><br><strong>Download tracks:</strong> <em>The Wagoner’s Lad, In the Pines</em></p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561312008-11-12T00:00:00+00:002020-01-18T19:59:24+00:00Americana UK - Steve Wills<p><em>12 November 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review –<em> I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “A very lovely personal album but also an incredibly good introduction to Appalachian folk music. Highly Recommended.”</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</strong><br><em>Beautiful Collection of Appalachian Folk Songs</em><br>Sarah McQuaid makes a return eleven years after the original release of her debut album "When Two Lovers Meet". While this debut was steeped in traditional Irish music, her follow up "I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning" sees her revisit some of the Southern Appalachian folk songs that she learned during her childhood. The album is lovingly dedicated to the memory of her mother who taught some of these songs to McQuaid but sadly passed away in 2004.<br><br>There is plenty of evidence of Sarah McQuaid’s exceptional guitar playing throughout the album, especially on the instrumental “Shady Grove/Cluck Old Hen”. Elsewhere on the album it is McQuaid’s rich warm voice that comes to the fore, namely on the two acapella tracks “Wondrous Love” and “The Wagoner’s Lad”. There are also very good versions of Leadbelly’s “In The Pines”, Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billie Joe” and the wondrously cheeky “West Virginia Boys”.<br><br>The CD comes with a wonderfully presented 24-page booklet which delves into the detailed histories and the backgrounds of the songs and is a fascinating read in itself.<br><br>There are two original tracks on the album which sit very nicely among the traditional songs. “Only An Emotion” is a lovely song about dealing with grief while realising that it is a natural way to feel and “Last Song” which is about the singing of songs before bedtime by mother to daughter, a tradition that has been passed on through the generations.<br><br>“I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning” is one of those rare things, a very lovely personal album but also an incredibly good introduction to Appalachian folk music. Highly Recommended.<br><br>Reviewer’s Rating: 9 out of 10</p>Sarah McQuaidtag:sarahmcquaid.com,2005:Post/60561342008-10-22T01:00:00+01:002020-01-18T20:00:22+00:00Hot Press - Jackie Hayden (Oct 2008)<p><em>22 October 2008 </em></p>
<p><strong>Album review – <em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning.</em></strong> “Truly spine-tingling.”</p>
<p><strong>Sarah McQuaid<br>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning<br>****</strong><br>Irish-American songwriter Sarah McQuaid’s follow-up to her much-vaunted debut album <em>When Two Lovers Meet</em> brings a sharp shift in focus with an intriguing collection of old-time Appalachian songs, a couple of originals, plus a stirring version of Bobbie Gentry’s ‘Ode To Billie Joe’.<br><br><em>I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning</em> was inspired by the death of McQuaid’s mother, prompting her to re-explore her childhood roots via such works as the title track, ‘East Virginia’ and the minstrel song ‘West Virginia Boys’. The instrumental ‘Shady Grove’ showcases her subtle guitar skills, and her enchanting take on ‘In The Pines’ will surprise those who might only know the song from Nirvana’s version. But the depth and warmth of McQuaid’s voice is best sampled on the a cappella ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’, while the hymn ‘Wondrous Love’ is truly spine-tingling. She’s written ‘Only An Emotion’ to say it’s ok to feel down, and ‘Last Song’ is a touching tribute to both her mother and her own daughter.<br><br>The package includes a generous illustrated booklet giving background info on the songs. So you get a touching album from a genuine artist, and history lessons to boot.</p>Sarah McQuaid