Whales & Nightingales
Judy Collins had a hit with the spiritual “Amazing Grace,” further proving the woman could sing any type of song and receive notice. Her ear for a song was unerring and here she pulls from a variety of sources. Joan Baez’s “Song for David” is perfect in either’s hands, with Collins finding a gentler touch. Jacques Brel haunts the album with “Sons Of” and “Marieke,” songs that trend towards Collins’ love for the art song and towards loftier arrangements. The strings are gaining ground and Collins works with arranger Joshua Rifkin on the overwhelming classical feel of “Nightingale, No. II.” Pete Seeger’s “Oh, Had I a Golden Thread” is brought into the living room with a beautiful piano arrangement. Bob Dylan’s minor masterpiece, “Time Passes Slowly,” has its nuances explored in ways that he never searched. “Farewell to Tarwathie” is the most stunning and adventurous piece here. Collins, draped in a thick wash of reverb, sings over the accompaniment of humpback whales.