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martin oram Reviews martin oram
2007 Reviews of the CD "The Bridge Of Broken Dreams" - "The CD is deeply rooted in the English folk/singer-songwriter tradition. I
think Martyn Oram is at his best in the more sober ballads like 'Nothing To
Fear' or 'Wherewithal' which are very pure and honest songs....This is a nice
album with some nice songs which I really enjoy."
"All songs show a mastery of words that create
vivid pictures and believable characters ... It's all put together with skill
and passion ... Martyn's fiddle playing is excellent, but a bit too wild for me
at times ... A well produced CD with extensive sleeve notes and photographs."
"Typically thoughtful, warmly sung with
exemplary diction and featuring his skilful fiddling ... The title comes from
the track called 'The Fiddler' and very entertaining it is too ... Other
striking tracks include 'Nothing To Fear', with its lilting melancholy, and 'Bam
Bam's Last Note', a haunting setting of the last words of an 18 year old heroin
addict ... This is an album that affords a deal of enjoyable listening."
"A very adaptable writer and musician, hard to
pigeonhole .... his latest album is best exemplified in the thoughtful, punchy
acoustics of 'Good Times', the uplifting mandolin-led 'Kissing Polka' and the
carefully crafted love song 'Twenty Years'." |
HECHINGEN ZEITUNG 5/11/02 (Germany) MUSIC FOR A COSY EVENING "Exactly the right thing for a Sunday with such bad
weather: sometimes rather melancholic, sometimes really lively,
presented with a very expressive voice. |
SCHWABO 5/11/02 (Germany) MUSIC FOR THE SOUL IN A CLOUDY NOVEMBER "More than just music: an intimate atmosphere prevailed
in Martyn Oram's concert on Sunday afternoon in Café Klein,
Hechingen. Between the Folk and Rock classics, the musician
from the green island always took the time for a chat with the
audience.
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FREISINGER SZ Nov.02 (Germany) "Oram's sophisticated guitar playing was convincing .... and was a fine base for his vocals. These were in a pleasing baritone, and dictatorially clear, which was good because a lot of the lyrics were well worth thinking about. The ambivalence of rain, being a nuisance in England and a hope in Dry Zones. The sun in the steel blue sky of a winter's day and various love songs. The way he extended traditional jigs and reels was well worth listening to - using a combination of pizzicato and bow, bell sounds were created; and the reproduction of a rising thunderstorm at the Central Australian Ayer's Rock was very impressive." |
HANKASALMEN SANOMAT 25/7/02 (Finland) "Martyn Oram from Britain, who appeared at Hankasalmis Kihveli for the third time, conquered the Makasiini and raised the spirits with his composer concert on Friday night.
KESKISUOMALAINEN 21/7/02 (Finland) As an English composer, Oram has a little Celtic style
in his music. Songs like Drops In The Ocean and Rain
are like hymns that sway between sensibility and strength and
are easily connected with the green moors of Britain. |
KESKISUOMALAINEN 23/7/01 (Finland)
Martyn Oram with his violin took the atmosphere through the roof. |
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SUD DEUTSCHE ZEITUNG (24/3/99) (Germany) "with rough humour and unexpectedly brilliant folkrock, Irish-style fiddle tunes and pop ballads, ....... burned a musical firework, that not only entranced the audience but showed they needn't fear any comparison in that category ....... the atmosphere was great." |
THE STAGE & TELEVISION TODAY Nov 2001 (England) "a gifted fiddle player" ROCK 'N REEL (Spring 2000) (England) "Oram provides positive melodic contributions on violin,
mandolin and bouzouki, and there's an exuberance and real sense
of fun that seems to run throughout the album. Punchy, confident
and unpretentious folk-flavoured rock" HINTERLAND MUSIKMAGAZIN (March 2000) (Germany) "Wonderful, nostalgic folkrock. The acoustic-flavoured songs bring back the great times of Lindisfarne and McGuiness/Flint - with celtic roots blowing through "Drops In The Ocean"." ROCK 'N REEL (Autumn'93) (England) an impressive collection of stylish and memorable self compositions and ace picking and fiddle playing and other acoustic delivery. Definitely worth the price of admission. SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 4/5/90 (Australia) A great fiddle player CORNSTALK April '90 (Australia) Fine musician and songwriter writes songs that are listenable and pertinent ROCK 'N REEL Summer '88 (England) Without doubt a thoughtful and talented songwriter who deserves interest . THE STAGE & TELEVISION TODAY 16/3/89 (England) First class fiddle FOLK LONDON Nov 87 (England) "good voice ..... fine fiddle player EASTBOURNE GAZETTE (20/4/83) (England) "Martyn's programme consisted almost entirely of his own songs , and it is to his credit that he could hold an audience's attention with completely unknown material. He possesses a very good voice suited to his style of up-tempo contemporary folk and tender love songs; and an apparently vast collection of self-penned numbers to choose from. He also proved himself to be a fine fiddle player in a selection of Irish and his own tunes. His performance in Eastbourne was very enjoyable" N.W.Z. GOPPINGEN (20/5/82) (Germany) "Last Saturday in Club Sanssouci, Rechberghausen, was the English folk-singer Martyn Oram. He is one of a new, young British generation of songwriters ...... with songs of everyday life, often autobiographical; sometimes pensive, sometimes melancholic, but always carried by a very strong expressive voice. Martyn's brilliance was not only as a singer, guitarist and violinist, but also as a joking entertainer of the public between the listening pieces." ESSEX CHRONICLE (27/3/81) (England) "Martyn plays a superb guitar as well as a magnificent mandolin" MELODY MAKER (6/10/79) (England) "Oram's fiddle playing is appealing" |