Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

It’s not very often that I get sent a CD for review in Cross Rhythms, the sleevenotes of which contain testimonials from Franco Zeffirelli, Sir Richard Branson and former Beatles producer Sir George Martin, but this is one such. Marguerite Birri is based in North London, a member of the Benedictine Monastery & Parish of Christ The King, Cockfosters, and her songwriting (11 out of 14 songs on this CD are hers), reflects her Roman Catholic roots and background, with many of the pieces having a devotional, liturgical quality, especially “Ave Maria” and “Kyrie Eleison”. Marguerite’s music reminds me strongly of the work of another Catholic lady singer, Marilla Ness, but in contrast to Marilla’s impeccably produced and performed material, this album suffers from some vocal wobbles here and there, with dodgy pitching and not-quite-together harmonies, which spoils the listening experience for me. Additionally, there’s an over-reliance on synthesised production, whilst the energy level is at the same slow-medium tempo throughout. In absolute terms, there are many lady singers who sing and write better stuff than this.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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