There is honesty to Henriksson’s voice that resonates through each of the tracks on The Hearts Cry. When tracks get mastered or a number of takes are used to create a single, I believe that a lot of the soul gets lost. When Henriksson’s vocals begin, one cannot help but imagine themselves in an intimate venue (a coffee shop, perhaps); what issues forth during a track like My Lagan Love extends through genre and era constraints to touch listeners.
My Lagan Love has been recorded by a tremendous number of singers running back to John McCormack’s 1910 version. Sarah McLachlan, Charlotte Church, and even Sinead O’Connor have provided listeners with their version. I believe that Henriksson’s version adds to this dialogue as it interlaces her vocals with the rest of the instrumentation. Where there seemed to be separation between the instrumental and vocal sides in the past, listeners are greeted with a unified sound. The beauty provided Robert Burns’ Ae Fond Kiss is considerable. Burns penned the poem in the 1790s, but Henriksson is able to make its subject material germane for a contemporary audience. This is due in large part to the power of Henriksson’s voice, which ensnares the hearts of listeners and fails to let them go, even after The Hearts Cry finishes.
Only A Woman’s Heart, Henriksson’s cover of Eleanor McEvoy’s post-modern classic, emphatically punctuates this effort. What originally required two singers (the aforementioned McEvoy and Mary Black) is granted additional nuance due to Henriksson’s range. Celtic music has been popular on a regular basis, but I believe that The Hearts Cry may just cement the genre to the current era. Pick this disc up today.
Top Tracks: My Lagan Love, My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose
Rating: 8.3/10
Deborah Henriksson – The Hearts Cry (CD) / 2012 Self / http://www.deborahhenriksson.com
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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