Dyble, Judy - Flow And Changes

Looking at my CDs, I can see that it has been quite a while since I last heard a new album from Judy (2006’s “Spindle”), and this album has reminded me that I really need to play the ones I have more often and then go and discover her others, as the only word to describe this is “Beautiful”. Although the album is acoustic, there are multiple styles here so sometimes Judy’s clear voice is accompanied just by piano and at others there are lush strings. Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) provides drums and percussion while Julianne Regan (All About Eve) plays a supporting role on backing vocals, along with a whole host of other musicians whose names I don’t recognise, but throughout this is all about Judy. The music is always here to provide a backdrop for her vocals, and it is incredible to think that she still has the clarity and presence that she has always possessed. Just think, she joined Fairport Convention in 1967, sang on their debut album in 1968 (as well as ISB’s ‘The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter’ in the same year), yet here she is 2014 (okay, the album was released in 2013 but you know what I mean) and still producing extremely high quality work. For me this is not an album for the middle of the day, but rather either at the start to gently get the listener into the right frame of mind to face the day, or at the end when it is the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine while sitting on the deck listening to the moreporks. Wonderful from start to end.