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Written in Folk Roots issue 141, 1995

SUSANNE LUNDENG
Drag
Kirkelig Kulturverksted FXCD 140 (1994)

This is the CD that could entice a lot of people into Norwegian music - full of life, strong tunes, interesting corners and great playing.
      It comes in the well-designed Digipak which is becoming the norm for Norwegian releases and speaks volumes for the investment of care, faith and reduced profit margins the labels make in their productions.
      Susanne Lundeng, in the tradition of her north-west coastal home, uses “ordinary” fiddle, flatfele, an instrument actually more widespread in Norway than hardingfele - but whereas many albums by fine fiddlers are a packing-list this one’s the journey, in craggily beautiful country with a witty companion. Or rather four of them; Finn Sletten (percussion), Kristin Skaare (accordeon, piano, organ) and Stan Poplin (double bass) play with outstanding, innovative sensitivity - for example Poplin’s singing, springing bowed bass on Havella (which was the title, incidentally, of Lundeng’s all-solo debut album on Heilo).
      From the ringing strings, open modality and hypnotic expansions and contractions of her wonderful wild, windblown solo composition Hav (“Sea”), to three bridal marches each beautiful enough to make a pope propose, through masurkas, ril, polsdanses and a folk-rock halling, to her unexpected serene singing of a lullaby for the final track; whether she’s playing with a fine liquid tone or laying into it with gusto, Susanne Lundeng delivers.


© 1995 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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