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A very fine album...folk/ acoustic/ jazz with Irish and country leanings. A beautifully balanced whole. Great musicianship throughout...a line, a phrase, a swirling saxophone invention keep the ear tuned and attention focussed. Arts West, Perth, May 1991. "Patterns in the Sand" is a wonderful example of how acoustic music is (and should be) going. Rosalind and Steve are not afraid to explore a mixture of musical styles - how many albums combine didgeridoo with jazz and traditional tunes? Well, they do and it really works. They've managed to meld all these things to produce a really great album. Town Crier, WA Folk Federation, July 1992. The real strength of the disc is Rosalind Barnes. She is an excellent interpreter of her husband's songs with a strong, supple voice well suited to the material. Mike McClellan, Herald-Sun, Sydney, June 1992 It is of continuing importance and relevance to have songs which invoke the country in which we live. This is brilliantly achieved in the title track. What a great song! Under four minutes listening - the lyric sheet runs to but 23 lines - the song is heartfelt in composition and interpretation, succinct but somehow achieving the same impact as a well made hour-long TV documentary. The CD's other great bonus is Ros' wonderful voice - do I hear faint echoes of Christine Collister? Mention must also be made of the solid work by all the musicians, but especially the innovative and thoughtful percussion work by Gary Ridge. Steve himself is no slouch on guitar and on a range of stringed instruments. Top marks also for the CD booklet - the design and execution are top notch. "Patterns", individual song and CD album, is a fine achievement. Cornstalk Gazette, NSW Folk Federation, August 1992 I'm tremendously impressed by the balanced and richly textured instrumentation, the scope of Steve's song and music writing, the strength and flexibility of Ros' voice and the excellence of the production. Very few local folk records, to my mind, achieve the kind of crisp, sharp, three-dimensional sound which "Patterns" displays. Folk Vine, Victoria, November 1992. "Patterns" contains the song "Green Among the Gold", winner of the Declan Affley Memorial Songwriting Award at the 1992 Australian National Folk Festival. This song has since been covered by Geraldine and Danny Doyle on their CD "Emigrant Eyes", and more recently by the brilliant Irish singer Sean Keane on his 1996 CD "Turn A Phrase". [Reviews][CDs][Songs and Lyrics][Sound Clips][Ros Barnes voice workshops][Top of Page] |
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