CD Review by Maggie Woods | Dragonsfly: Familiar Shores

Dragonsfly Familiar Shores [album]

“Sometimes you just
look at the cover of a CD
and you know you are
going to love it. That’s
what happens when you
look at the magical
artwork Richard Gonzalez
produced for Dragonsfly’s
Familiar Shores album...”

WITH A 'NEW AGE' FEEL TO BOTH THE PACKAGING AND THE ALBUM, nothing prepared me for the fantastic experience of listening to Dragonsfly's mystical work.

The Tudor/Gypsy/Celtic style music has Scottish and Irish influences — you only have to look at the list of instruments that feature and you'll know it's something completely different. It's Folksy, magical and stirring and a genuine music adventure. If you want to bring out the hippy in you or recreate the feeling of the Seventies, Familiar Shores will wash you up on a musically-inspired journey.

Dragonsfly mainly perform in venues and festivals around the South West of England, but have also developed a dedicated following in France and Sweden through playing festivals there too.

Maya Preece is the lead vocalist and also responsible for the bagpipes, guitar, recorder and melodica; Daygan Robinson for the mandolin, Bouzouki and backing vocals; Tom Simenauer on Saxophone, flute, Rauschpferge, Hurdy Gurdy, bagpipes, keyboard (harpsichord) and more backing vocals; and Stephen 'Iccy' Slade for the bass and backing vocals.

Other musicians who have contributed are Gem Quinn on drums and Archie Churchill-Moss (Melodeons).

Pure Magic!

• Familiar Shores was released on 1 October 2007.

Check out www.myspace.com/dragonsflymusic and www.dragonsfly.org/index.php.

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