Reviews

Hilary Bix: Nicola Clark – The Dagger & the Dove

As a live performer, Nicola is a must to see. I have seen her bring silence to a rowdy pub session with her beautiful voice and later have everyone in fits of laughter with a well-crafted, irreverent song. I wondered whether the strength of her performance would transfer to a recording.  

I love this CD. All the tracks on “The Dagger and the Dove”, were written by Nicola over a 17 year period and are dedicated with a - ‘thank you to those few men who have inspired these songs’. I suppose you could say they are about seeking, finding, falling and not falling in love with tenderness, heartbreak, fun and humour. 

Nicola’s clear, pure, voice rings out from the very first track, accompanied by her very accomplished, guitar playing. Unlike many singer/songwriters whose words and melodies are very similar, these songs are very varied in pace and rhythm, light and shade, and are perfectly suited to her voice. They vary from the sensitively crafted, “ I’m Falling for you,” a song that was written to be performed at a cancer charity event, to, “The Unicorn”, risqué, irreverent, and great fun. 

Nicola has, for several years written for a revue group, Kulture Brake and the tracks, “Smart Arse”, “Having a Laugh” and “The Unicorn” have a delightful touch of the Music Hall reminiscent of some of the songs of Jake Thakeray. 

Other tracks, like the slightly bluesy, “Wind will always blow” and, “Always For You”, accompanied only by a drum, are thoughtfully and poetically written. 

Nicola is a poet, songwriter and performer and the lovely, CD booklet artwork is also hers. Go to her myspace sight on the internet where you can hear 4 tracks from this CD, find out where she is performing and read the following description from west country songwriter, Mike O’Connor - "...she occupies that area between Purcell, Edith Piaf and Arthur Askey."…. and then buy the CD 

SURPRISE DELIGHT IN CHURCH HOUSE 

The December concert in Church House was both a surprise and a delight.

Nicola Clark, who had travelled from Camborne, sat and watched us, waiting to start. She wore something long and black. Her dark hair hung in two waist-length pigtails. Dark-rimmed glasses and a stud in her nose completed, for me, an uncertain mystery. But she had a confident twinkle in her eye, which belied her appearance and we were soon left in no doubt. We were treated to some 80 minutes of word and song, seemingly spontaneously telling of her move about eight years ago from London through Dorset, slowly in a camper-van, her apparent many lost loves and finally, her acceptance in a Cornish village. All told and sung in a quiet, eloquent way which was wholly delightful and indeed mesmerising.

Nicola accompanied herself on a guitar and an Indian instrument like a gigantic mandolin, which emitted what, to my untutored ear, was a drone! This, she explained, she learned to play in an ashram in India. An altogether wonderful evening.

Church House concerts are organised and chaired by Andy Frangleton. They are little gems. Long may they last.

JC 

"The town's most tuneful and humorous songwriter... also a poet and just about everything else. " St Ives Times & Echo

"...she sang for the celebration of life and, as I watched and listened, the thought came to mind - if the universe is built on love, then Nicola is one of its disciples. I was not only impressed but very moved." R. McGeorge

"...the conversation volume was rising above the bar ... until guitarist Nicola Clark began to sing, her high distinctive voice and quirky self-penned lyrics, full of humour and observations reminiscent of the late Jake Thackray, warmed the hearts of so many and even the noisiest areas of the room fell silent"  CTJ

Quotes

"She occupies that area somewhere between Purcell, Edith Piaf and Arthur Askey."  Mike O'Connor at Herga Folk 2007

"really enjoyed your set, lot of v positive feedback from the good folk there. Cert was the highlight of the bunshop gig history!" Dave Streatfield at Cambridge Acoustic Nights 2007