Swaddling Songs - MELLOW CANDLE***

Heaven Heath/Sheep Season/Silversong/The Poet & The Witch/Messenger Birds/Dan The Wing/ Reverend Sisters/Break Your Token/Buy Or Beware/Vile Excesses/Lonely Man/Boulders On My Grave

Swaddling Songs was the sole album release from the Irish progressive folk band Mellow Candle. They are best remembered for the duets of the two female vocalists.

“The female vocals are quite gorgeous, but despite many arresting moments, some songs sound nondescript.”

“It is easy to understand why Swaddling Songs is considered as one of the cornerstones of the genre. Although there are some tracks on here that I consider to be minor fillers, fortunately most of the songs are enjoyable and so is the record as a totality. A bit overrated but still pretty good.”

“A slightly heavier approach to folk-rock than most. Well written tunes with great female vocals and nice guitar. If there were a genre called heavy folk, this would fit comfortably in it.”

“It's amazing, progressive folk rock, with beautiful female vocal duets. There is a mix of soft and harder, with some Celtic rhythms in the mix, and fantastic song writing.”

“A touchstone for early 70s British folk rock, comparable to Fairport Convention in musical prowess, but with a more classical feel, relying more on female vocal chorus and piano. The girls are the main focus here and they are incredible together.”

“Varied instrumentation, lovely singing and memorable melodies make this the kind of record for everyone who considers themselves a fan of the acid-folk genre.”

“With its medieval-like pop style and magical harmonies, those who hear Swaddling Songs will surely find it delightful. The opener Allison Williams' quirky, harpsichord driven Heaven Heath announced the beautiful vocal harmonies of the two women that dominate the album.”

"Swaddling Songs is quite an impressive album, which has some of the most lovely and beautiful songs I've heard, and the two female vocalists just have wonderful and beautiful voices. There's some outstanding piano playing as well as good guitar work, but it's the great songs that really make this special. There's not one bad song on this album, and I can see why it's considered a classic.”