Kath is a great singer and songwriter from t'other side (no, she's not dead - she's from Burnley …). You'll probably have seen or heard her before - her last album ("Songs To Be Sung") was feted hugely, nowhere more so than in Tykes' News - her press release even got our sacred apostrophe in the right place - and she's a hard worker, one of those no-job-too-big-or-too-small kind of singers. However many pundits say the folk scene is floundering, Kath Reade and her numerous ilk ensure that we are as vibrant, exciting and evolving as ever. Hurrah!

"Kingfisher Blue" has 13 of Kath's own songs, widely disparate in subject but uniformly fine in execution. It was recorded and co-produced by Rob Van Sante (another "Hurrah!” for another hard worker …), and he also adds occasional (and skilful) back-up guitar, keyboard and vocals. Tom McConville is on hand with a little of his familiar catgut magic, while Shaun Reade (some relation, surely?) and Jean Deakin provide keyboard and backing vocals respectively, as well as respectably.

But as I have said herein so often, the show stands and falls on the strength of the songs and the way the principal delivers them. Well, rest assured, there's no falling on "Kingfisher Blue". The songs stand high and proud, from Middle Earth style ringduggery and cowboy hats to barges, steam trains and birds with a large dose of upper- and lower-case politics to give the whole thing bite. "Worthy" is a word that's been hijacked by the small minded to dismiss singers and songwriters who have the guts to tackle issues of true importance as they ply their trade. I hereby take this opportunity to reclaim "worthy" as a glowing compliment to artists like Kath who has the directness and vision to write:-

"The way I see it in these late days, precious days;
We have two choices, we can close our ears or we can change our ways ..."

Hurrah!

Alan Rose