Press

 

Reviews

"With a voice as bold and beguiling as the songs she chooses, Straw carries the torch of traditional folk music with striking elegance and a fierce breath of originality . . . Beyond the songs, Straw’s passion for the history of the music is matched only by her seemingly limitless abilities. The charming anecdotes of the people behind the songs bridge the gap between past and present, connecting listeners to a Celtic past in order to make sense of the future."

- Spencer Brown, Triad City Beat, Jan 2018

The Fairest Flower of Womankind (2017)

"While the familiarity of these songs could lead to a feeling of déjà vu, Straw's vocals elevate this and makes it feel as fresh as if you are hearing these for the first time. She has an incredible warmth and depth to her voice that draws you in and refuses to let you go. Not that you'll want to be released. While the music is strictly traditional, the vocals are anything but."

- FATEA

"All of the traditional material here is thoughtfully arranged and skillfully sung and performed. Straw sings in a clear, soft, mid-register vocal with crystal diction and subtle modulation that pays attention to the storytelling. She has the perfect ballad-singer's voice."

- fRoots

"Hard to understand how a young woman can interpret so implicitly the rich old music of an era hundreds of years before her time. Yet, here she is - almost a reincarnation of many of the female singers who carried on this tradition."

- No Depression

"...delicate, broken balladry selected and arranged to emphasize lyrical gender empowerment."

- Cover Lay Down

"Fairest Flower is that ideal second album following a successful debut: It takes the qualities that made the first one so good and improves on them. Straw’s melodic bouzouki and guitar-playing are as fluid and graceful as ever, complementing her distinctive singing. Straw’s voice is a quiet one, but certainly not muted or subdued. She communicates the mood and tone in a song with subtle or understated yet noticeable empathy..."

- Boston Irish Reporter

"Her singing does justice to a strong theme. It is fluid, bright, beguiling, natural and relaxed. Only the fear of adjectival overload stops me there . . . her music certainly deserves to be better known."

The Living Tradition

“Along with the occasional unaccompanied number, Straw sings the songs in nicely imagined guitar arrangements, here and there augmented by fiddle, harmonica or harmonium courtesy of guest artists . . . the musicality is striking, it does not draw attention to itself. She properly draws the listener’s attention to the stories . . . It’s inspiring, moreover, that they’re done as assuredly as they are in this young artist’s voice. While the most recent date to the 19th century, Lindsay Straw carries them into the 21st in fine form.”

- Rambles.net

"If Straw’s debut album, “sounds like no one but herself,” then her second album imparts that authenticity to the voices of women whose stories speak to a new generation. The lead vocals taking on a new character for each track, cultivating a tone that is merry, sultry, dreamy, or calm as the occasion demands."

- Folk Radio UK

"Her solo work is particularly notable for her mellow vocals, stunning harmonies and intricate musicianship, bringing the songs to life with delicacy, yet energy and verve . . . While the arrangements remain strongly based on the sheer, heartfelt energy of her bare vocals and instrumental, other musicians truly add an additional dimension to her work, making for a genuine, colorful and tantalizing sound . . . 5 Stars from Celtic Radio!"

- Celtic Radio

"As before that unforgettable voice is there, once again adding depth and emphasis to this collection of narrative songs, which hold your attention from start to finish ... and that’s a tribute to Lindsay’s voice and its involving quality. Some of these songs you’ll know by different titles, some with numerous lyric changes and others with various tunes, no matter, Lindsay gives each one a freshness that’s completely involving."

- Folk Words

"The Fairest Flower of Womankind is an album of complex, interesting, and entertaining songs, delivered with conviction, care and skill from a singer who clearly loves her craft."

- Bright Young Folk

My Mind from Love Being Free (2015)

"Straw's willingness to explore older sources is significant, as she has skillfully avoided the (all-too-common) pitfalls of merely recording cover versions of the great revival performers of the 1960s and '70s (and beyond). While the listener might discern a suggestion of Bert Jansch in a particularly hypnotic guitar lick, or a hint of Andy Irvine in a bouzouki riff, she sounds like nobody but herself and her original arrangements fit the songs like gloves."

- fRoots

"A voice! By turns husky and sultry, clear and bright, controlled and dreamy; with hints of Cara Dillon and Geraldine Hollett, Lindsay Straw’s beautiful voice shines out in this delightful debut album . . . The combination of a youthful sound and 10 traditional songs - all arranged and performed by Lindsay - hearken back to more innocent times, of Greenwich Village and pure folk . . . Lindsay’s obvious competence and the marvelous versatility of her voice will lead her to tackle a wider range of material in the future. There is much more to come from Lindsay Straw."

- The Living Tradition

"Straw’s voice is gorgeous and is perfectly capable of carrying off the a cappella contributions . . . however, she is at her best when accompanied by her joyous finger­picking guitar style . . . My Mind From Love Being Free has finally announced Lindsay Straw onto the folk scene in magnificent style." ­

- Bright Young Folk

"She takes the idea of a solo project seriously; all songs feature Straw by herself, spotlighting her vocal and instrumental skills. She’s clearly a student of the British folk guitar school, with her dynamic fingerpicking taking notes from Jansch, Renbourn, Carthy and others without imitating any one of them . . . It’s difficult to pick standout tracks, as it’s an album of highlights. “Lovely Molly” is a melancholic beauty; “Yarrow” has perhaps the most subtly complex guitar arrangement; and “Lurgy Stream,” the lyrics of which provides the album title, has driving, ringing bozouki accompaniment that should get the blood pumping. This is highly recommended for anyone who appreciates great ballads in a sparse and original setting."

- Sing Out!

"And that adoration comes through loud and clear on the album, in a voice that is quiet but solidly self-assured, nestled comfortably in the alto range, and supported by her dexterous, fluid guitar and bouzouki accompaniment. Straw doesn’t go for self-consciously dramatic delivery, affected accents, or other histrionics . . . However you categorize them, the end results are nothing short of sublime..."

- Boston Irish Reporter