Album: Awkward Annie
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Awkward Annie is Kate Rusby’s seventh solo album. To say making the album has been difficult for her would be a huge understatement. In Kate’s own words the album was “immensely tough to make. There has been heartbreak and loss and grief beyond words, all things to make us stronger apparently, not true, I ground to a halt more than once and gave up.”

Kate lost two relatives during the making of the album and also split with her husband John McCusker. John had previously been Kate’s producer. So, Kate, with the help of her brother, Joe, produced the album herself, no easy task by anyone’s standards and for which she deserves a lot of praise.

This has got to be, in my opinion, her best album to date and many of the faithful may be surprised by some of the fresh new sounds on the album. Guests appearing on the album include Chris Thile, Eddi Reader, Michael McGoldrick, Leon Hunt, John Doyle and Kris Drever. Brother Joe also makes an appearance as does John McCusker.

There is still the unmistakeable style and sound of Kate throughout the album but it has a spring in its step and a greater depth of soul and maturity compared to her previous albums. This has all been helped by her choice of musicians from the banjo wizardry of Leon Hunt to the bluegrass influence of Chris Thile.

A pleasant surprise is the bonus track cover of The Kinks’ “The Village Green Preservation Society”, what a fun way to end a fantastic album! Not one track lets this album down which is why I’ve added every track to the playlist, something I’ve not done before.

A great refreshing album and a definite must buy!

Tracks:

1 Awkward Annie (K. Rusby)
Guitar – Ian Carr
Cittern – John McCusker
Double Bass – Andy Seward
Banjo – Leon Hunt

2 Bitter Boy  (K. Rusby)
Guitar – Kate Rusby
Tenor Guitar – John McCusker
Double Bass – Andy Seward
Harmonium – Donald Shaw

3 John Barbury (Tras/arr K. Rusby)
Piano – Donald Shaw
Flute – Michael McGoldrick
1st Violin – Donald Grant
2nd Violin – Helena Smart
Viola – Martin Saving
Cello – Lucy Payne

4 High on a Hill (K. Rusby)
Banjo – Andy Seward
Guitar – Ian Carr
Double Bass – Ewen Vernal
Harmonium – Donald Shaw
Vocals – Chris Thile
Cornet – Ian Shires
Cornet – Greg Timmins
Tenor Horn – Jim Fletcher
Euphonium – Michael Dodd
Tuba – Andy Duncan

5 Farewell (Words trad/tune K. Rusby)
Guitar – Kate Rusby
Tenor Guitar – Kris Drever
Accordion – Andy Cutting
Double Bass –Andy Seward
Ukelele – Ian Carr
Vocals – Joe Rusby

6 Planets (K. Rusby)
Guitar – Kate Rusby
Banjo – Leon Hunt
Double Bass – Andy Seward
Cello – Lucy Payne

7 The Old Man (Words trad/tune K. Rusby)
Guitar – John Doyle
Mandolin – Chris Thile
Tenor guitar – Kris Drever

8 Andrew Lammie (Trad/arr K. Rusby)
Guitar – Ian Carr
Double Bass – Ewen Vernal
1st Violin – Greg Lawson
2nd Violin – Fiona Stephen
Viola – Jacobus Frick
Cello – Christof Fourie
 
9 Steams of Nancy (Words trad/tune K. Rusby)
Guitar - Kate Rusby
Tenor Guitar – Ian Carr
Accordion – Andy Cutting
Cornet – Greg Timmons
Euphonium – Michael Dodd
Banjo – Andy Seward
Double bass – Ewen Vernal
Cornet – Ian Shires
Tenor Horn – Jim Fletcher
Tuba – Andrew Duncan

10 Daughter of Heaven (K. Rusby)
Guitar - Kate Rusby
Tenor Guitar – John McCusker
Double Bass- Andy Seward
Vocals – Eddi Reader

11 Blooming Heather (Trad/arr K. Rusby)
Electric Guitar – Ian Carr
Fiddle – John McCusker
Vocals – John Hudson
1st Violin – Greg Lawson
Viola – Jacobus Frick
Double Bass – Andy Seward
Accordion – Andy Cutting
Vocals – Eddi Reader
2nd Violin – Fiona Stephen
Cello – Chritof Fourie

12 The Village Green Preservation Society (Ray Davies)
Guitar – Kate Rusby
Bass – Andy Seward
Tenor guitar – John McCusker
Bass – Andy Seward
Drums – Mattie Foulds

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