MIDWINTER -STONE ANGEL

Note : I also noticed the existence of this album with a live recording from 1976

called The Holy Rood Of Bromholm

I am not sure but I think I haven't heard or found this one yet

(if I did it sounded similar to the first album but in a less good recording condition).

Info : http://thrak.cafe24.com/html/stoneangel_rood.htm

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Thank you Andrew Smith from Stone Angel for the help on this Web Page (pictures,..).

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Comments of the label about this release :

"Folk Rock/Prog Rock. Dark, sometimes sad, but always a unique and original blend of gothic, folk, mediaeval, progressive - etc!!!! For those who hear it an enchantment is cast that is deeper than the starlight reflected in peaty fen, redolent of the leaves, damp and fallen in ancient woodland, and bright as well like the lights from a pub on a cobbled market place...... A great album from this legendary band. The album features a re-record of Black Sailed Traders which reaches back further than its subject matter, invigorating deadtime in the frozen tear of a cold grey statue.Such potent imagery seeps over an intrinsic warmth, making audible ambivalence of beautiful and deadly marshes, and the strange contradiction of children playing upon the cliffs of Dunwich, amongst the bones of the dead. Also available self titled, Stone Angel."

Comments from the Bruton Town Newslist :

"I'll get around to a full review of the new Stone Angel one of these days, but let me just offer the opinion that it is pretty good, if not really similar to the original Stone Angel album in any way. Gone is the ghostly East Anglian wyrdness, as best exemplified by "The Skater". Gone is the anorexic recorded sound, which provided a perfect sonic analogy to the cord of supernatural dread woven through the first album. These days, the band Stone Angel are a older and mellower outfit trading in a pretty strong line in progressive folk-rock, and they seem pretty keen to correct the recording deficiencies of their debut, because I've heard precious few folk-rock albums recorded as spectacularly as "East of the Sun". This additional clarity allows one to hear Ken and Joan Saul's vocals in full effect for the first time, and to realise that they are actually superb singers. no doubt this is something they wanted to convey this time around. Joan's vocals on their version of "The Fowler" are worth push through the turnstiles for alone, and there are a few tracks like that to raise the hairs on the back of the neck like their work used to do. So on the plus side, vocals are a real strength, as is non-obvious selection of material (not many times here you think to yourself "not another bloody version of <insert over-exposed traditional chestnut here>). On the negative side it's all a little stylistically safe, and the lead guitarist's phrasing kept reminding me of Mark Knopfler. There is certainly enough excellent stuff going on to tip the scales in favour of picking up a copy, though, not least the bonus of a different and stunning version of the first album's "Black Sailed Traders" dating from around 1985, I think." Tony Dale

STONE ANGEL : East of the sun (2001)**°'

For this release people at first will be interested how much it sounds familiar with the release of '75 and if it is not, how much it will still be of interest for those who were so fond of that release. Let me assure you half of it still sounds like then, but without the fragility. The more professional production gives the music a more full surrounding space, an advantage from which you can ask if it does not brake the intimacy effect of the 70's music. I would say it opens up, the music echoes finer into each part of the room, and thus overrules the overall former vague but integer effect. Yes, some tracks are more Celtic Folk and does not have the sensitive experimentation youngsters can achieve to explore. So, a part of it comes from people who became more quiet trough age, have more inner comfort but are still expressing their natural interest. Truly nice are the "old" Stone Angel like folk rock tracks, with much better production as before, like "the cuckoo", or like the very nice rerecording of "Black-Sailed Traders". I like also the arrangements like with crumhorn on "The fourteenth November". "East of the Sun" is in a renewed more modern sounding folkrock style, with flute, el.guitars, bass, organ. Only the last track, a modern ballad like track is too mellow folk for me. I have to admit I almost don't like any too much folk band of these days, because I personally prefer to hear very experienced ideas as musical additions or progressions on the front lead. Unless this small remark the overall effect of this album sounds very fine to me.

More information about the band at http://www.klubkat.com/musiczone/biogs/stoneangel/stoneangel.htm

with review of this item at http://www.klubkat.com/musiczone/reviews/april01/stoneangel/stoneangel.htm

& http://thrak.cafe24.com/html/stoneangel_east.htm & more details : http://www.discogs.com/release/1068624

Label entry : http://www.kissingspell.com/main/KissCat/Cat3/StoAng

(History of Midwinter through the liner notes from the CD) :

"Midwinter came into existence almost by accident when guitarists Paul Corrick and Ken Saul initially got together to rehearse a spot for a Great Yarmouth folk club Christmas Party. All they could come up with was a guitar duet version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", so they invited singer Jill Child to join them to form a trio. Deciding to try out some original material, an interest in local folklore and legends provided the inspiration for two songs,

"Sanctuary Stone" and "The Skater", included in this first performance.

That was December 1972, but the response was such that during the next two years Midwinter performed at clubs and festivals throughout East Angelia and occasionally further afield. They also continued to play as residents at the Great Yarmouth club.

Taking their name from a title of a John Buchan novel that happened to coincide with the season of the band's inception, they added more material based upon East Angelian stories and legends. In the summer of 1973 some

of the songs were recorded for a demo tape and at this session Midwinter were joined by Dick Cadbury

(of Decameron fame) and Mick Burroughs who was later to be part of Stoneangel with Paul and Ken. Until now these recordings remained unreleased and would probably have continued as such but for a chance "rediscovery"

of the master tapes in a box in Ken's attic ! Although none of the later songs were recorded, this present collection gives a fair cross-section of the material performed by the band at this time.

Midwinter came to an end when Gill left with a farewell concert on September 11th 1974. Some of the songs lived

on however as a few months later Ken and Paul formed a new band called Stoneangel."

Review of Midwinter and some extra info : http://www.soybomb.com/BorderlineBooks/uk6070s/m9.html#Midwinter

Korean release (from http://www.siwan.co.kr/) at http://www.siwan.co.kr/2/6_35.html

STONE ANGEL : Lonely Waters (2004)**°'

In the meanwhile some years have passed since the reunion of Stone Angel. Their style didn’t change too much since the reunion, but there is a certain higher consistency in their folk and folkrock style. I’ve made some comparisson with the different sounds over the years, and I think the style has no real or not too many highlights or surprises, but has a reached a degree of consistency, which makes the complete album sound similar as the better moments of the previous album. Just forget the old sound. This is pleasant and descent folkrock, with the necessary traditional elements and some modern ideas. Joan’s voice sound as rich and beautiful as it ever was, but also the male vocals are fine, like on “Pretty Nancy of Yarmouth”. Unfortunately Stone Angel is going to miss in future the beautiful oboe, cor anglais, some tenor recorder and crumhorn arrangements of Richard Danby because he tragically died when this recording was nearly finished. “The Yarmouth Hornpipe” for instance couldn’t have been here without his contributions. Originally this dance is played on different instruments like how Stone Angel arranged them well. -The theme is taken over by whistle instruments, keyboards and electric guitar.- I guess there’s also a better use of the keyboards, like on the melancholic “St.Benet’s”, perhaps one of my favourite tracks, and especially on “Lonely Waters “, where flute and keyboards create a kind of moody and spherical Celtic aerie bed (with some humidity) for the rich voice of Joan, with some additional oboe and electric guitar solo. “P.A. Olsen’s Halling” I might like a bit less because there hasn’t been real drumming used , which I think in folk is especially not preferable because of the difficult to overcome mechanical aspect of this which gives always a too restricted feeling, even with the best arrangements like here, and can’t be undone. “Lyke Wake Dirge” I think might have a few small mistakes in its vocal harmonies, which disturbed me a bit too, but never the less is a good vocal version, especially with the arrangements of second part, and a minimum of bodhrun or drum.

Presentation : http://www.northnorfolk.org/littletheatre/default_828.asp

Other review (with audiofragment) : http://www.theunbrokencircle.co.uk/album_reviews_11.htm#Bookmark%2013

STONE ANGEL : Circle Of Leaves (2007)***°

From the liner notes : “The music on this album is based on material that was written or arranged for Broadland’s Theatre Group’s production of their community-based project, Green Man. This pageant of ancient mysteries utilized drama and the spoken word alongside projected images, songs and dances, with Stone Angel performing the music live within the context of the play. Ranging through age-old myths to contemporary challenges, the play followed the cycle of seasons, drawing on various green man legends and characters including Puck, Jack-In-The-Green, Robin Hood, John Barleycorn, Morrigan, and the Green Knight.” It was performed first in October, 2005.

The album hangs well together and starts with a surprisingly different intro compared to previous releases, a well arranged and produced intro with singing bowl, chorus arrangements and spoken word, definitely a strong beginning for a folk theatre play. The music varies quite a bit, but with a constant and repeated change, of more modern and produced arrangements with a few more keyboard ideas (so somewhat how The Morrigan’s keyboard player could have done this), of more angelic singing (Janes’ voice manages pretty well and with beautiful expressiveness) with a folk or medieval music folk song context, traditional dance elements which remain a bit in the background for the play, some family-kind of vocal arranged songs, with mostly singing only. Now and then a small spoken word passage is added. The album pretty much gives a feeling that it is music for the Green Men related play, and convinces in a similar way to how the Shide & Acorn releases are strong and convincing, even when these Stone Angel interpretations are slightly more modern because of the use of some keyboards and a few other arrangements and recording techniques. I think this is the most successful Stone Angel release since its début.

Audio links hopefully will be added soon

Homepage Stone Angel : http://www.stoneangel.freeserve.co.uk/

Info : on http://www.theunbrokencircle.co.uk/...

& http://www.clear-spot.nl/catalog/view.php?item_id=286782

Other review (on bottom of) : http://www.frootsmag.com/content/issue/reviews/