Farthest Waveby Anonymous

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April 24, 2005: Cathie Ryan has often been praised for the clarity and beauty of her singing. That's in full evidence here, from the lively Dance the Baby slip jig set sung in Irish to the intimate and conversational treatment of the American folk standard Rough and Rocky. Ryan has also found some real gems of contemporary songwriting to cover, notably Karine Polwart's Follow the Heron Home and John Spillane's Wildflowers. The three songs Ryan has written herself, Closest to the Heart, The Farthest Wave and Be Like the Sea, comprise the bedrock of this set, though. and in three varied melodies and perspectives on love. loss, and healing show that she's become a thinker and a poet whose skills in those areas match her singing.