Carol Kidd - Dreamsville - The Scotsman

Carol Kidd's first album in eight years (and her eighth in total in a 34-year relationship with the Glasgow-based Linn label) marks a welcome resumption of recording activity.

The singer reduced both her live and studio commitments for a time after the death of her partner in 2003, but is back on top form in this familiar set of standards, augmented by two songs co-written with guitarist Nigel Clark, Do You Believe? and There Goes My Heart. Clark also supplies the guitar accompaniment on a remake of her most famous song, When I Dream.

Happiness is a Thing Called Joe is dedicated to the late Humphrey Lyttelton, who requested she record it. The singer is in excellent voice throughout, caressing her way through the mostly slow-tempo material in highly expressive fashion.

Her timing and phrasing are as impeccable as ever, and she is accompanied in equally assured and refined style by the aforementioned Nigel Clark, pianist Paul Harrison, bassist Mario Caribe and drummer Alyn Cosker in a fine addition to her recorded repertoire.

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