CD REVIEW : Traveling Folkways From Bluegrass Country to Ireland

Orange County isn’t exactly a beehive of traditional folk music activity--at least not activity that makes it onto disc. But two local folk bands, the bluegrass-leaning Andy Rau Band and Celtic traditionalists the Tinker’s Own, have stepped forward with new CD releases. Ratings range from * (poor) to **** (excellent); three stars denote a solid recommendation.

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** 1/2

THE ANDY RAU BAND “Different Man”

Turquoise

A “Different Man,” perhaps, but not a different band as Andy Rau and mates pretty much replicate the approach of their now-2-year-old debut CD with another collection of folk-pop tunes played in an all-acoustic, bluegrass milieu. Once more, the music is pleasant, but lacking overall in bite.

The chief flaw is Rau’s lead singing voice, which is thin, reedy and utterly unprepossessing--adequate for a living-room get-together, perhaps, but not nearly strong enough to power a full-length recording.

As a composer, Rau does have a nice way with a wistful, catchy melody. But lyrically he retails routine love-lost and love-found sentiments in a routine way. Bassist Dennis Roger Reed, one of the better folk songwriters on the local scene, offers one tune of his own, the regret-filled “Rain on the Rails,” and lyrically it has the kind of picture-painting details that Rau’s material lacks.

Beyond the hummability factor of such gently melancholic songs as the title track and “She Said She’d Love Me,” the CD’s appeal lies in the all-around strength of the Rau Band’s ensemble instrumental work.

Les Johnson’s guitar lines and Evan Anderson’s mandolin runs come with a light, flashing touch and a fast-coursing energy--these are first-rate players. Rau’s banjo adds to the rolling momentum while Reed pumps out a firm heartbeat. There’s potential here, but it won’t be realized without a singer who can bring some fire and vigor to bear.

(Available from Turquoise Records, P.O. Box 947, Highway 931, Whitesburg, KY 41858; (606) 633-0485. The Andy Rau Band will play Friday at Follows Camp in Azusa.)

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** 1/2

THE TINKER’S OWN

“Old Enough to Know Better”

Riverrun Records

So Irish-infatuated that they’ve named their custom record company after the opening word of “Finnegans Wake,” the Tinker’s Own do a credible job with a selection of lovely traditional Irish airs and energetic jigs. Singer Dan Dwyer’s Irish infatuation extends to singing with a brogue--an often questionable tactic for American acolytes of Celtic music. But his accent sounds reasonably on the mark (if a Dwyer can’t try to sound Irish, who can?) and his fervent, full-bodied baritone delivery takes care of the rest.

The playing isn’t virtuosic, but by applying a variety of instrumental colors to gorgeous, time-tested melodies, the Tinker’s Own carry on nicely. Laurel Twomey is the MVP of the seven-member band: Her recorder and penny whistle become chief melodic engines, with an appealingly rustic-sounding (if occasionally creaky) fiddle joining in. Harp, dulcimer and mandolin spice the arrangements.

The group maintains a varied flow, pairing ballads with driving tunes, dabbling in a cappella harmony for a nicely wrought sea chantey, and alternating moods with traditional selections that include a lachrymose ballad (“The Red-Haired Man’s Wife”), a playfully bawdy tune (“The Jolly Tinker”) and an energetic take on “The Star of the County Down.” Along with the oldies, the Tinker’s Own offer a smattering of originals that sound traditional, including one of the album’s highlights, the surging, romantic narrative “Ramblin’ the Moors.”

(Available from Riverrun Records, P.O. Box 8825, Fountain Valley, CA 92728.)