The Iron Stone

At the age of 63, poet, songwriter, composer and visionary shows no signs of slowing down on , his third set of recordings for . The title, of course, comes from the song of the same name that and first recorded on the album in 1969. appears here with another of the 's classic tracks, from 's 1968 predecessor, . But this is no reinterpretation of tunes, nor is it a summation of 's career. If anything, is a logical next step in the direction he has relentlessly pursued with . Whereas his first disc for the label, 2001's , explored the work of and other Welsh writers in songs and improvisational poem songs that he performed solo, the second set, 2002's used as its muses, and employed the talents of , , and , as well as . return here; and play all manner of flutes, concertinas, Mohan Vina, harps, whistles, jaw harps, and drums between them. The feeling of continuity remains as and his musical collaborators set the works of to music that is equally composed and improvisational. In addition, there are originals. Is this music? Yes and no. It is organic music, played upon instruments, and much of the source material comes from the lineage British Isles tradition. The spirit of adventure is more prevalent here than it was on the two previous outings. has grown increasingly comfortable with t something approaching the free idiom and its reliance on close listening, dynamic, and the uses of space and texture -- which, in its way, derives from itself. The tenderness and gentleness of the songwriter's heart are ever present, as is his wondrous sense of humor, that comes as much from sound itself as it does centuries-old linguistic study. Whether it be in songs such as 's or the pastoral, wicked humor of by the songwriter, the sense of centering around the music's thematic idea is paramount. Adventure is nigh on with its Eastern motif and striated vocals, and with its dissonance. The two tunes are done here very differently, yet contain their original strangeness and charm. is the farthest afield of the artist's records, but also the most focused and collaborative. , who are improvisers by trade, and , who began as a " " musician, have all been stretched by their experience with . In turn he has added depth and dimension to his already staggering musical background. Together they have extended the languages of and improvisational musics. In doing so they have created a work at once immediate and timeless, full of warmth, wonder and vision. It's hard to imagine any but the most cynical of listeners not being delighted by the wide array of colors, tones and textures on offer here. is brought back to the hearthstone (perhaps it feels this way in part because it was recorded in an 18th century mill house) in order to embrace the future. ~ Thom Jurek