Anna Ryder
Pockets On Fire
WOODWORM
MARCH 1999

Confident and varied singer-songwriter album with Fairport support.

Over the last six years Anna Ryder has paid her dues an the summer folk festival circuit, doing a healthy trade in past-gig cassettes along the way.

Aided discretely here by members of Fairport Convention, her songs demonstrate a rare originality, ranging in tone from the gentle lyricism of Maybe Tomorrow to the Bjork-like phrasing of Not Safe. Just as her voice can be chameleonic, her arrangements provide surprises throughout. Muted trumpets appear to converse with trombone in delightful addition to the main themes on several tracks, and Gerry Conway's percussive work is rich and varied.

Ultimately, though, it's the quality of the songs that carry the album. The simple beauty of Let Me Go and commerciality of Tried And Tested show that Anna can write songs that demand your attention. An album with depth and integrity, deserving a wide audience.
Kingsley Abbott