Plays the Fiddle and Sings

Album Review

Darcie Deaville gets some of the cleanest, richest, fullest, and roundest sounds on a fiddle of anyone playing. There are times that you think she is right there playing for you, so clean is the production on Plays the Fiddle and Sings. She handles all of the fiddles on this disc, and accompanies herself occasionally on guitar, mandolin, octoblaster (a solid body electric octave mandolin), and octave mandolin as well. The only other person that can be heard here is Marvin Dykhuis; if his name sounds familiar it is because he regularly travels as accompanist to Tish Hinojosa. Dykhuis plays guitar on a couple of cuts, drums, and percussion. The playing throughout the disc, no matter the instrument, is stellar. Plays the Fiddle and Sings was also recorded at his studio and he did the mixing. Deaville plays a great variety of music, always changing up the tempos and styles to keep things interesting. Most all the songs are traditional, she wrote one, " Hoodoo Blues," and she may have written a verse here and there for some of them. The arrangements are hers, oftentimes she presents a familiar songs in an uncommon arrangement. Her singing is very good in a husky, high lonesome vein. These are folk and traditional tunes and though we may know the song when she introduces it her way; she does make it very much her own. The superb playing here should encourage some of you to try emulate her technique as it adds so much to the music. There is a fiery spirit to her playing that adds a layer of emotion to the songs.