'Still Time' is the latest work from the renowned and highly-regarded Scottish singer Karen Matheson. Karen has built a stellar catalogue and reputation over a thirty-five-year career. She is known for being the voice of the Celtic supergroup Capercaillie but also as a solo performer, working with the award-winning BBC series Transatlantic Sessions and artists including James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, and just about anyone in the Scottish and Irish Folk and Traditional world.
‘Still Time’ is her fifth solo full album. It is a collection of contemporary and traditional songs. The work is produced by her partner Donald Shaw. The genesis, like so much at the minute, is the lockdown. Karen had worked on a number of these songs as far back as ten years ago. The lockdown it seems gave her the time and space to go back and finish them.
Alongside these, we have several new works; all very nicely brought together with a top rank group of musicians – Donald Shaw on piano, James Grant on guitar, Hannah Fisher, and John Doyle being prominent. We also have guest contributions from Anna Massie, Michael McGoldrick, and American Dirk Powell. Overall, the standard of playing and production is as high as one might expect from a talented and experienced crew.
The songs are a nice mix, four from James Grant, and two by Donald Shaw. Alongside these the sources are varied including Si Kahn the highly political American songwriter, Brendan Graham, Irish author and poet, Callum and Rory McDonald, and not surprisingly, two Robert Burns songs.
Karen has one of the great voices of the Scottish Traditional and Folk scenes, actually one of the great voices of any scene. Her range is amazing, and the thing is she makes it all seem so effortless and joyful. She is wonderfully supported, accompanied but never overtaken by the musicians. Each song is treated with huge respect and complete belief and understanding. What we have here is a mature performer at the very top of the game.
My highlights are the take on ‘Aragon Mill’ – it’s great to hear this song again restored to a proper version in the hands of a proper singer. ‘The Diamond Ring’ is from the Childe Collection of Ballads set to music by producer Shaw. Naturally, the Robert Burns songs are beautiful, ‘Lassie With The Lint White Locks’ and a stunning version of ‘Ae Fond Kiss’.
If gorgeous singing, sensitive accompaniment, fine production, and top-class material are your thing I would recommend ‘Still Time’.