Seven Seas   Click to read reviews by: Tom Nelligan Dirty Linen Magazine Kevin McCarthy Kevin's Celtic and Folk CD Reviews Trapper Graves-Lalor CD Baby Website         DIRTY LINEN Magazine William Pint & Felicia Dale Seven Seas [Waterbug WBG 0055 (2004)] A new recording from the hearty, harmonious duo of William Pint and Felicia Dale is always a treat, and this one is no exception. The music of Pint & Dale has often been heavily scented with salt air, and Seven Seas is almost completely devoted to sea songs, both traditional and recent. Their voices and harmonies are strong and their rhythms tight, but the most distinctive part of their acoustic arrangements is Dale's spine-tingling hurdy-gurdy, whether it's wailing a high-flying melodic counterpoint on their uptempo arrangement of the old pirate tale "High Barbaree" or keening softy on "The Mary Stanford of Rye," a tribute to a British coastal lifeboat crew lost in a storm. "The Prince's Royal" is a an uptempo instrumental set that combines a Turloch O'Carolan air with a pair of Northumbrian dance tunes that closes the disc with a wonderfully hypnotic spin. (Tom Nelligan) back to top         This review is written by Kevin McCarthy, 8/04   Kevin's Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews http://www.surfnetusa.com/celtic-folk/index.html " What's left to say but, yes, shiver me timbers, mate. This release is that good and deserves placement on the Best of 2004 lists. Or risk walking the plank." Okay, you scurvy-laden landlubbers, it's time to get your sea legs a-working. William Pint and Felicia Dale are back with ten new offerings that will likely induce any and all listeners to make way to the nearest harbor and peg-leg it aboard anything with a mast and sails. No, you won't find "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" or "Benny and the Jets (Skis)" here, but regret not for this is a collection of invigorating, touching and melodic selections certain to assuage even the most ardent loather of sea shanties and songs. The lyrics and music, combined with the strong, engaging voices of Pint and Dale, create a delightful aural and, yes, visual mix as the listener is treated to colorful high seas panoramas. At just over 10 minutes, "The Mary Stanford of Rye" is the cut that packs the most emotional punch. A tragic, true-life story of the beauty of nature matched by its danger, 17 men of the Royal Navy Lifeboat Institute lost their lives in a rescue attempt that turned out to be unnecessary. The rescue boat eventually washed ashore as did many, but not all, of the rescuers bodies. In this sad case, dead men do tell tales. The opening cut, "High Barbaree," is a high energy pirate tale that immediately propels the listener into the world of brine. "Billy Boy" features Pint and Dale in harmony and trading lead vocals in this rollicking call and answer cut. In other hands, "Lost," a roll call of numerous vessels lost at sea and the reasons for such, could easily become dull and mundane. Not so here as Pint and Dale turn it into most affective mariner history. "The Packet Rat" details a sailor's love of his chosen life wherever he is. Think of it as an expanded version, with multiple Shangri-Las, of  "Lost Horizon." "Heavens A Bar" is the seaside version of "Big Rock Candy Mountain," with sailors inserted for hobos. Instead of "little streams of alcohol, come trickling down the rocks," the spirits come free of charge in this one in a building down by the docks. What's left to say but, yes, shiver me timbers, mate. This release is that good and deserves placement on the Best of 2004 lists. Or risk walking the plank. Felicia Dale on hurdy-gurdy, fiddle, whistle, keyboard and vocals, and William Pint on guitar, mandolin, keyboard and vocals, are backed by Tania Opland on fiddle and vocals; and Mike Freeman on percussion and vocals. Kevin McCarthy back to top   Brilliant album! A superb recording of wonderful music! Reviewer: Trapper Graves-Lalor "Seven Seas" is the most recent album by Pint & Dale, and, in my opinion, the best. All of their albums are good, but this one has a depth and breadth of material that far outreaches anything they've done before. The emotions are so well conveyed, you may find yourself in tears before the end of "Mary Stanford of Rye", but they'll pick you right up again with "High Barbaree" and "Billy Boy". William's driving guitar and Felicia's expressive hurdy-gurdy serve to underscore the already great vocals. Their wonderful harmonies and amazing instrumentals make this a CD that you're going to want to buy two of, so you can have one in the house and one in the car. back to top