The Road to Santiago

The Road to Santiago
Heather Dale
Amphisbaena Music
CD#: 76868 14152

The rich and unusual themes explored in Heather Dale's latest musical effort make it a worthwhile listening experience. At once reinforcing while undermining the ageold traditions of Celtic and medieval music, Dale's distinctive voice brings a unique sound to the songs, adding a singular, subversive feminine twist, especially as her subject matter in many tunes have largely been the domain of male performers and composers, from sea chanties to ballads celebrating civil disobedience.

On the song "Hero," the spare arrangement featuring fiddle and drum emphasizes Dale's message of Robin Hood-esque activism, where violating unjust laws becomes not only a heroic gesture but one's duty as a citizen.

"The Greyhound" tells the tale of a doomed ship as her crew tries their utmost to save her and themselves. But what sets this song apart is the inconclusiveness of the song itself. Unlike most sea songs, the fates of the sailors remain unknown, leaving an unusual ambiguity that few chanties of this kind share, but also lending hope where most end in failure and despair.

Not so in the song "Flowers of Bermuda," where the sad fate of the vessel's captain is known from the outset. Another nautically themed song introduces listeners to a different and rarely heard group of seagoing peoples-the Inuit; in "Sedna," the drums and native American throat singers give this song an otherworldly feel that is befitting of the legend that is retold in its lyrics.

The more courtly and gentle side of her work emerges in on "Holly, Ivy, and Yew," a medieval ballad that presents a cunning solution to a love triangle. Reminiscent of Chaucer and Bocaccio's often amusing solutions to problems of the heart, "Up into the Pear Tree" resolves a similar situation in riotous fashion.

One of Dale's great talents is her uncanny ability to match her lyrics to music that amplifies the emotions, from love to grief and rage. This is demonstrated to great effect in the song "Medusa," which infuses Celtic folk music with a rowdy rock-n'-roll twist, that is perfectly suited to its lyrics.

Clapping, tambourines, and drums accompany Dale's songs, much as medieval pilgrims may have once entertained themselves on the long journey to the famous medieval pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela. The CD's title track sums up the CD in many ways, with its emphasis on the unity of our common experiences and emotions while still maintaining our diversity.

By sharing her message with her audience, Dale has created an intense and forthright, but sometimes haunting collection that only improves with repeated listening.

--Richard Mackenzie