The Lark Descending

It's easy to understand why this award-winning disc was Chris Wood's big breakthrough. The songs are excellent, the arrangements considered and subtle, and Wood himself really comes of age in the mature delivery. The centerpiece is the epic "One in a Million," with its idea from a traditional story, and adapted by lyricist Hugh Lupton (who also contributed to the wonderful "Bleary Winter") to the setting of a modern fish and chip shop. Wood's own songs, though a bit shorter, are just as fine, with "Hard" a loving ode to his daughter and "Albion" a meditation on England brought about by discovering a suicide, especially noteworthy. He delves into the heart of the tradition too, and is especially stunning in his take on "Lord Bateman," so alive it seems perfectly modern, although "John Barleycorn" is a tale that's been done to death, and he adds little to other versions that are already around. It all closes with "Walk This World," coming from Wood's own pen, a near spiritual that brings a note of hope. Although it's very pared down -- all instruments and voices done by Wood -- it never feels too spare. The overdubs are beautifully placed to fill things out without seeming glossy or unwarranted. As an exercise in recording restraint, it's superb, and as a piece of art it's majestic. ~ Chris Nickson|