Album Notes

What's being written about the 'Early Birds' album:

"That our folk scene can quietly turn out such understated beauty, in the absence of vacuous media hype, gives hope to genuine lovers of music that the true beauty of art will ultimately prevail; that the cream of our music scene will always rise quietly and effortlessly to the top. Early Birds undoubtedly deserves to be jostling politely amongst the upper echelons of more commercial releases, and could certainly teach many of these pretenders a thing or two about
integrity and humility. You really should buy Early Birds: bask in its quiet splendour, luxuriate in its shimmering allure… simply enjoy it, because it is simply enjoyable."
Mike Wilson, folking.com
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"an admirably diverse, keenly chosen and carefully-sequenced collection of (mostly infrequently-covered) songs, very well sung, which are blessed with imaginative settings that display a genuinely creative yet refreshingly non-gimmicky approach to multitracking – and steering clear of today's ubiquitous guitar-dominated folk-template in the process. It helps that Chris is a highly skilled musician (fiddle, viola, tenor guitar, mandolin etc.) and producer; he also (selectively) contributes sensitively understated vocal lines that harmonise satisfyingly with Siobhan's crystal-pure yet highly expressive tones... Siobhan's voice radiates a gentle, movingly tender quality that's deceptive, in that attentive listening reveals a considerable latent reserve of power within... Arguably, Chris and Siobhan's greatest achievement is an unobtrusive demonstration of their expertise and artistry which also manages to convey that all-important sense of true commitment to their chosen material."
David Kidman, October 2010

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Joining Chris and Siobhan on the album are Roger Gardiner (bass), Bill Hackney (harmonica), and very special guest Abbie Lathe (Harmony Vocal on 'Play the Hand')

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'EARLY BIRDS' TRACK CREDITS

Ratcliffe Highway ; The Loyal Lover ; New York Trader - all traditional arranged Chris and Siobhan Nelson.
The Early Birds - Geoff Parry/Chris Nelson.
The Wife of the Soldier - Bertholt Brecht/Johnny Scott
Four Hours' Work ; Play the Hand - Barry Wake
Katherine of Oregon - Al Stewart
The Bone Lace Weaver - Leonard Wheatcroft/Roy Harris
Scarecrow - John Tams
Stars Fall - Jennie Benford
Not Lie Down - Dougie MacLean
This Stage of the Game - Geoff Parry/Siobhan Nelson/Chris Nelson
That's All - Steve Wold

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Chris and Siobhan's earlier album, 'Day Has Dawned', is also available through CD Baby, as is the album 'Ebb and Flow' by Nelsons Wake (Chris and Siobhan with songwriter Barry Wake).

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There is lots more information about Chris and Siobhan on their website.

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