Track Listing

1. Sir Eglamore
2. As I Roved Out
3. Jolly Ploughboys
4. Annan Waters
5. Stananivy/Jack & Jill
6. A Rose In April
7. Radio Sweethearts
8. I Am Stretched On Your Grave
9. Old Man Time
10. Drowned Lovers
11. Bold Riley

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73752 in Music
• Released on: 1998-08-18
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Folk music seems simple, and many pretenders pull into town with little more than a presentable voice and a handful of beginner guitar chords. Much more infrequently, performers come along with basically the same constituent parts but through the sheer force of their artistry and integrity are able to use these simple elements to communicate whole lifetimes of experience. Such a performer is youthful Kate Rusby, who sings with the focus and depth one usually associates with the graceful compensations of age. Her crystal-clear voice (reminiscent in turns of Linda Thompson and Sandy Denny) rings out from the first cut. Rusby's assured delivery is dappled with small, unmasked idiosyncrasies that add emotional immediacy. Meanwhile, the all-acoustic presentation is inventive but never slick or overwhelming. Hourglass announces an important new light in the traditional British folk scene. --Anthony Bonet

Customer Reviews

Wonderful debut, but she has improved!
While this is a wonderful debut album from one of the greats on the folk music scene today, I really must tip that her anniversary album "10" reprises the better half of this album with notable improvement to every track, rendering it somewhat irrelevant. "10" is really the album anyone should start with (it also reprises half of her second album, "Sleepless", as well as adding a few more indispensibles) and after that, her latest, "Under the Stars". If after those you still can't get enough, then you might want to look again at this album, whose other half is certainly worth having as well, but not as dire.

awesome musician
i must admit that i heard this on a recorded tape while i was waiting for a girl i was babysitting to fall asleep, and i may have missed the last song or two, but what i heard was amazing. this woman's music is beautiful--you lose yourself in her lyrics, her voice, and her stunning guitar riffs: especially when you expect to hear a child's lullaby tape, and you get kate rusby. someone you may never have heard of, but if you know one thing, you know that as soon as you can get to the store you're going to buy her cd.

....angelic
If I ever Needed a gentle soothing voice to lull me to sleep at nights, Kate Rusby would be right there by my side. English folk sensation has put together some very formular traditional songs with her own personal touches to them...how many more times will "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" be covered.

Although I like all three of Kate Rusby's c.d's "Hourglass" is my personal favorite and it isn't only my favorite of hers but of any folk c.d in general and I have never been deeply rooted in the folk genre before then, she just may of changed that for me.
What distiguishes the three is only one song "A Rose In April". I like all the songs but "A Rose In April" literally hits you and you can't help but feel the tragedy it holds...it tugs at the heart strings and never lets go. There are some uptempo songs and cheerful songs,"Sir Eglamore", "Jolly Ploughboys" and "Stananivy/Jack And Jill" are very good.

I don't think you really need to be a avid folk listener to appreciate this c.d, it's a great c.d to unwind to your day and not have something or someone screaming at you...you have had enough of that through out the day as is.