• "With a track
record of being leaders in the folk scene for more years than seems possible,
this CD clearly shows the empathy that develops between musicians who
work with each other over long periods. Martin’s guitar and Dave’s
fiddle are a joy to hear as these two masters of their instruments play
with, and around, the words of the songs. Deserves a place in anyone’s
collection." English Dance
and Song
• "I’d
say that this album is better than the two from the nineties. Magnificent."
The voice of folk in Wales and the Borders
• "Living proof that a comeback album can after all
be every bit as good as we remember the artists being in their glory days.
The passage of time has brought a significant and telling degree of additional
insight to their performances on this new recording. The whole album,
in fact, contains some peerless performances, electrifying and inspirational;
Martin’s ever sensitive guitar work is exemplary, always a high
benchmark for any aspiring guitarists, while the intensity of Swarb’s
fiddling ensures that sparks fly. Absolutely superb, no home should be
without this invigorating disc." NetRhythms
• "What a welcome reunion
(this) is, the old chums reigniting the musical intimacy that only comes
from such a long association." 
The Independent Review
• "The iconic master-duo
reunite and pull out a marvellous selection, by turns both warm and haunting."
BBC Radio 2 online
• "Just listen to the
sparks fly – for much of the album, fiddle and acoustic guitar seethe
and conspire, keen and howl. It’s the unaffected gravitas of Carthy’s
voice that really brings these sage, sorry tales to life." HMV
Choice
• "Martin Carthy’s
voice gets better on each new listen, the quality in depth and range never
fails to impress me, add Dave Swarbrick’s fiddle playing and this
is as good as you are likely to hear. Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick
are what they have become, two of the most respected musicians in folk
music, and with this CD they have again added another notch to their belt
in preserving the heritage of English folk music without compromise."
Acid Attack online
• "Swarbrick and Carthy
play with all the fervour and conviction of their early days and plan
to follow up this exciting album with live performances together. Not
to be missed" New Classics
• "These new recordings
find Swarbrick’s lively fiddling circling Carthy’s stately
strident guitar parts. Despite decades of experience, the duo choose to
resist unnecessarily florid embellishment, bending to the will of their
material like straws in the wind."
Sunday Times Culture Magazine
• "One of their best"
Morning Star
• "It is wonderful to
hear such a glorious return to form. Carthy has been operating at the
absolute peak of his powers for the last decade – the effect is
breathtaking – so colored with emotion that it inspires awe."
Dirty Linen
• "2005 BBC Radio 2 Folk
Awards….the highlight was Martin Carthy, just with an oboe and the
ghostly glass-finger guitar of Martin Simpson" WORD
• "This is a serious
album – the trademark Carthy vocal and guitar are absolutely dominant.
Carthy’s guitar version of The Harry Lime Theme is a superb example
of his tutored and individual picking style, reaching strings that seem
lower and more rhythmic than on any other guitar. A must for Carthy fans."
Shirefolk
• "That Martin
Carthy is in a class by himself is hardly news. That he pushes his boundaries
on this album is – he’s given some of the fullest settings
for his music that he’s ever experienced. It’s quite possibly
the best thing that he has ever laid down. Waiting For Angels is a wonderful
album and Carthy remains second to none, a man for whom the tradition
is a living, breathing animal." Time Out
• "Waiting for
Angels is one of his finest to date…the disc finds Carthy in prime
form, with his riveting guitar work and trademark vocal delivery ebbing
and flowing according to the drama of each song’s lyrics."
Frets (Guitar Player Magazine)
• "After more than forty
years, Martin Carthy’s music is becoming inseparable from his iconic
status"
"
Sunday Times
• Album of the month
"Stamped not only with Carthy’s personality but also with a
rare authority…a delivery that owes everything to the past and still
more to the present. From the title track to The Royal Lament and Young
Morgan, from his finger slides on the strings to the empathy between voice
and guitar, he drums home why he is the finest in the land.
Record Collector
• "His first solo album for six years….shows the distinctive
singer/guitarist at the peak of his creativity" New Classics
• "The spotlight is firmly
on Carthy’s virtuoso acoustic guitar style and keening vocal. His
ability as a story teller is potently demonstrated. Stick with this superb
album and Carthy’s genius will soon reveal itself." HMV
Choice
• "Quite possibly the
‘Folk Record of the Year’ – Waiting for Angels is as
good as it gets – a sublime recording. (Famous Flower of Serving
Men) stands as a spellbinding conclusion to a record that reminds us just
how vital folk music can be." MusicStuff Website
• "Dark magic from a master
of British folk. Carthy’s solo albums and collaborations are milestones
of the British folk revival. His acumen and instinct for the native English
tradition has beaten a path for a whole new generation to follow. Powerful,
stark, subtly and superbly arranged. An essential album and prime ground
from which to begin exploring Carthy’s immense contribution to music.”
Songlines
• " …limitless passion and integrity…tracks packed
with power and eloquence" The Telegraph
• "The master interpreter of traditional song returns in fine
form…boldly innovative arrangements and production…revisiting
his classic Famous Flower of Serving Men to stunning effect."
Time Out
• "Quietly passionate..sparse modern arrangements with subtle
production. A trio of instrumentals showcase Carthy’s deft playing,
highlighted by Martin Simpson’s slide guitar. Exquisite, relaxed
and belying Carthy’s virtuosity.
Uncut
• "Martin Carthy just gets better with age" Taplas
• "Though his guitar playing is as effortlessly brilliant
as ever, it’s his intimate interpretations of the songs that stand
out in this magical album." Choice
• "Folk album of the year" HMV Choice
• "Waiting for Angels reveals that Carthy is still finding
fresh ways to perform traditional ballads and songs. One of the most outstanding
tracks is his reworking of a tune he first recorded over 30 years ago,
The Famous Flower of Serving Men…The typically driving guitar accompaniment
is a real pleasure to behold and his approach to the complicated text
is nothing short of masterly…Classic stuff.” Morning Star
• "Waiting For Angels captures Martin Carthy at his best,
and it doesn’t get much better than that" Dirty Linen
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