Sunday, March 1, 2015

Album Review: Beatles on Hammered Dulcimer



Artist: Joemy Wilson
Title: Beatles on Hammered Dulcimer
Label: Dargason Music
Year: 1989
Genre: Classical, Folk
Condition: Cassette and insert in very good condition


Cassette found at the Goodwill Outlet Center in Hampton, Virginia. Beatle songs performed masterfully on the hammered dulcimer with accompaniment from guitar, harp, flute, and violin. This sounds like music that would be playing softly at an Irish tea party in the year 1790 or it could be coming from an ol' fashioned Appalachian barn squabble sometime in the early 1930s. Crisp and classical, but refreshingly rollicking at times. Her dulcimer is anything but dull. It's shiny and interesting.

All of the songs are from the outer, powdered sugar layer of The Beatles catalog - songs that were big hits or very popular album tracks known by most pop music fans. The only songs that could be considered somewhat rare or deep cut material are "And Your Bird Can Sing", "For No One", and possibly "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". Joemy isn't trying to impress Beatle nerds with super unknown songs. She's presenting the best songs for her instrument on an album for everyone's enjoyment.

No George Harrison songs unfortunately. "Here Comes The Sun" would have been the obvious choice, but "Long Long Long" would have been a welcome, weird bonus track. Or this one.


Side One - Eleanor Rigby, For No One, When I'm Sixty-Four, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, She's Leaving Home, Norwegian Wood

Side Two - And Your Bird Can Sing, In My Life, Eight Days A Week, Across The Universe, Yellow Submarine, She Loves You

Sadly, there is no footage of Joemy playing her dulcimer on youtube. Please watch this clip to see the precision required to play one correctly.