Customer Reviews
"Less is more" production principles makes this album a winner ! - By: SMc, 25 Nov 2008 
One of the most difficult things to do sometimes, when you have so many albums (whether vinyl or CD) to listen to, is to decide what to put on for your listening pleasure - depending on your mood at the time. Most often, it's a snap decision that informs you that, "oh blimey, I haven't heard this for years or you might hear just one track on the radio & repeat the previous line.
I got into Kate Rusby when I used to wait outside the church hall on a Wednesday evening waiting for our daughter to come out from her dancing lessons. I'd sit & listen to Mike Harding & have a listen for 20 minutes or so.
In 1997 the most beautiful voice came through the airwaves & I ascertained that it was Kate Rusby, a young lady from Penistone, south Yorkshire.
This album, nor any other folk album is ever going to set the world on fire like a rock album. For this one tends to utilise a drum kit & there is no evidence of this on the album, merely percussion.
Nevertheless, this is such an wonderfully understated album with an excellent production by John McCusker using excellent "less is more" principles. There is not one song on this album where there is an excess of either vocals or instrumentation. Solos or breaks - if these can be determined as such, are kept to an absolute minimum & are totallyin keeping with the mood & the traditions of folk music & this is particularly evident on a number of the backing vocals from folk luminaries such as Dave Burland & Roger Wilson.
Quite surprisingly, as is the casein folk music, there is nothing new under the sun, where women are (usually) wronged (and bear illegitimate children) by men who are always a bad lot. Most surprising is the depth of Rusby's own songwriting talents & the three songsin the middle of this album "Sho Heen", "Sweet Bride" & the gorgeous "All God's Angels" are clear testimony to this. The latter being her own take of the old song "Oh soldier, soldier will you marry me ......" on which she shares vocal duties with the American Tim O'Brien, also on mandolin. She even does a wonderful take on Iris DeMent's "Our Town" & though Rusby has a lovely percussive guitar style (she also plays piano here), it is her unique voice & her willingness to get off her derriere & sell folk music to people who might be up for it & without betraying the folk tradition that has paid off for her.
This is an album that I take off the shelf every oncein a while & listen to to remind me -in a similar vein to the late, great Ronnie "Plonk" Lane that good music doesn't have to playedin volumes over 100 decibels.
Recommended!
Brilliant!! - but lose the theeing and thouing - By: Apple-eater, 21 Sep 2007 
I love the voice, the tunes, the backing vocals & instrumentation.
I REALLY love the Yorkshire accent - one of my pet hates is UK performers singing with US accents.
But I just thought the theeing & thouing was a bit overdone. I got the impression Kate probably has a mild Yorkshire accent, which she puts on overdrive when she's singing, & that, plus the overdone folksy, Victorian feel to the album can start to grate after a while.
There's been a lot said about 'mockney' media figures, & maybe Kate's the Yorkshire equivalent - Morkney?
Still, the music & the voice are great, & I look forward to hearing more, with a slightly toned down & updated accent.
Bah Gum! - By: , 08 Aug 2005 
While "Hourglass" was refreshing, this is an attempt to squeeze more out of a winning formula, & by the end of the CD the overdone Barnsley accent has become too much. Iris Dement's rendition of "Our Town" was quirky - Kate's sounds like Norma Watersonin labour!
Shes grand is our Kate! - By: , 15 Jun 2005 I had been wondering about giving Kate Rusby a try for a while when a friend gave me a copy of Sleepless - I didnt listen to anything else for two months! Kate Rusby is such a pure & honest performer that you cant help but fallin love with the songs, & that voice is spun gold!
Here on Sleepless is a great collection of folk songs with new arrangments from Kate & her collaborators, I can't tell you what a fantastic album this is - buy it, you will not be dissapointed!
Showcase voice, delightful instrumentation... - By: , 19 Nov 2002 At the risk of being misunderstood, I would say that this is not the best starting point of Kate Rusby's material. This is a very personal view, from a farirly "non-folk" person. It's just that if I'd bought this album first I'm not sure whether I'd have fully apprciated Kate's music. To me the album has a more "traditional folk" feel than the others. Before I get shot downin flames, I think it's a wonderful album. It's simply that it maybe isn't quite as accessible to those who are relatively new to the great Kate Rusby or to English folk music, & maybe "Hourglass" or "Little lights" would be a better starting point - & hopefully the beginning of an addiction!
"Cobbler's daughter" tells the tale of a young lass whose mother isin prison for accidentally killing a young man who was getting a little fresh with her daughterin her chamber. Like the other songs on the album, the instrumental breaks are a delight. "I wonder what is keeping my true love" & "Fairest of all Yarrow" showcase Kate's voice beautifully. "Wild Goose" has some gorgeously sweet violin playing between verses. "All God's angels" is another heart-render..
"Our town" is exquisite. I had never heard the song - nor even of it - before encountering this album. What a song, & what a rendition! The song is intensely moving: "but hold on to your lover, cause your heart's gonna die.." becomes "I'll hold on to my lover, cause my heart's just died.." As with many of her renditions of sad songs, Kate singsin a natural, almost matter-of-fact sort of way that somehow makes the song all the more moving. It's hard to explain, but if you listen to any of her material you'll understand what I mean. The guitar & especially the mandolin on this track are terrific - again almost understated,letting the song breathe rather than dominating it. This approach to instrumentation is fairly typical, & probably the result of John McCusker's shrewd understanding of the genre.
Yes, I think that "Sleepless" is just as good as "Hourglass" & "Little Lights." If you haven't got any of Kate's albums, consider buying one or both of the others first. If you already have one or both of the others but not this one yet, you should be ashamed of yourself!
