Iona Leigh – Beside the Waves of Time (Crescent Moon Records)

Despite hailing from Sydney, Iona Leigh’s foremost years were spent in a remote Scottish fishing community. Being brought up in a household where television was discouraged and the predominant musical output was her mother’s alternative collection, she might just as well have lived two generations ago. This has molded a distinctly authentic musical output that is nevertheless accessible to all.

‘Beneath The Waves Of Time’ would make an enlightening introduction to folk. If you imagine the music to be all about cold weather, harsh scenery and dark myths retold, album opener ‘Peaches In The Summertime’ will defy all expectation. It’s a perfect beginning for the uninitiated. Part fairy tale, part love song, it has a bright and breezy feel, conjuring long lost memories of warm evenings in the countryside.

‘The Girl He Left Behind’ has a much stronger Celtic feel to it. A well-defined rhythm punctuates throughout the song and fast tempo lyrics with a violin and flute-led chorus tell an entire story in less than three minutes; "They kissed, shook hands and faltered then, he left his girl behind". It is surprising how many of the musical elements of folk have seeped so deeply into mainstream pop.

‘Must I Be Bound’ is a vivid musing on an unhappy relationship. The tone is immediately established with a low foreboding piano. Leigh’s voice comes close to breaking as she pours out the mournful lyrics, emphasising the sense of claustrophobia: "Must I love the one that doesn’t love me?".

‘Blackbird’ showcases her skills on the harp, adding an opening with an oriental feel to it. Strongly influenced by her home fishing community roots, it features the yearning of a woman whose lover has gone out to sea; "If I was a blackbird, I’d whistle and sing. I’d follow the ship that my true love sails in". The sentiments no doubt have added significance for anyone who has family working in dangerous conditions.

Don’t be put off by the genre. The album is worth savouring for Iona Leigh’s vocal talent alone. It shines like an exploding supernova.

Rating: 3/5