Bold, buxom Dana Gillespie has adopted various personas down the decades, from mid-’60s folkie to modern-day matriarch of bawdy blues. This 1994 album compiles the cream of 1973's Weren't Born A Man, an opulent set of glam/pop/soul numbers, and the following year's country-blues-tinged Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle. A gliding version of Bowie’s Andy Warhol and the other two Mick Ronson-produced tracks – Backed A Loser (propelled by a guitar riff shared with Bolan's Children Of The Revolution) and the string-adorned Mother Don't Be Frightened – are highlights from the former; from the latter, lilting ballad Really Loved The Man and the tight, Stevie Nicks-ish Don't Mind Me. (Mike Johnson)
Word Reader Pick The Chieftains & Ry Cooder San Patricio
The Chieftains do Mexican. You might think that this weird combination wouldn't work, but, more often than not, it works perfectly. There are tracks which are predominantly Irish in feel, tracks which are predominantly Mexican / Latin and (I hope you're keeping up with me so far) those which are a mix of the two. And it's the latter that works the best. The opener La Iguana is an absolute belter, as are Persecución de Villa and Canción Mixteca. There are one or two low points (I could do without the Liam Neeson narrative), but overall it's well worth a visit. (Handsome.P.Wonderful)
