On the strength of her work with Iona, the Classic Rock Society named Joanne Hogg the best female vocalist of 1997. During Iona's sabbatical all the members have engaged in other projects and finally Hogg's new work is reaching listeners. That work is a collection of songs based on lyrics found in old church hymnals.
In fact, a glance at the credits sheet suggests this could almost be an Iona album. Produced by Dave Bainbridge with appearances from Troy Donockley, Phil Barker, Nick Beggs, Tim Harries, Frank van Essen, Terl Bryant, and Dave Fitzgerald among others, this album is something of a reunion for Iona past and present. But it is not an Iona album. There are of course the Celtic instruments, spacious arrangements and the odd hint that the musicians have a background in progressive rock, but the overall feel has a little more of the Clannad influence about it, more ethereal than Iona.
The vocals are gorgeous. Hogg's voice is not always as spine-tingling as it has been on some past recordings, but she manages to bring together her love for these traditional words with a level of technical skill rarely seen in popular music. The interplay of Dave Fitzgerald's distinctive woodwind and Hogg's vocals on "When I Survey" is just one example of the extraordinary chemistry that exists between this group of musicians.
A special treat comes on "Brightest and Best" when Joanne is joined by her sisters Helen, Doreen, and Muriel. A natural harmony comes from the four voices and the accompaniment is kept tastefully bare, with a bozouki and some percussion providing the majority of the support for the first three minutes, and then a simple instrumental break adding in more textures.
Despite the wonderful performances, from time to time it feels as if the album is going to slip into the dangerous territory Maire Brennan's recent solo album unfortunately ended up in where it was too expansive to hold together, but this problem only rears its head briefly. The album does not have quite the same spark as some of Iona's best work, but never suffers from the tedium that collections of hymns often develop. A beautifully performed and arranged collection from one of modern music's most exquisite vocalists.
James Stewart (3/21/99)
