Among the plethora of new folk acts available these days itıs refreshing when one in particular displays innovation and invention and delights at same time. Such is the case with Anna and the Odd Socks.

Anna is most definitely the driving force and introduces her songs with a beguiling self-consciousness, wit and intelligence. Her music draws on the folk tradition and filters it through a contemporary mindset that creates individual and quirky songs that reflect her response to situations she sees around her.

She is ably supported by the Odd Socks who, along with Anna, provide imaginative and sensitive multi-instrumental accompaniment using cello, violin, squeezebox and guitar. In particular the cellist's driving plucked bass patterns push the songs forward with an infectious underpinning that Anna can't resist moving to. Strong choruses and rousing verses engage the audience who almost joined in the night I saw them...

... In supporting as accomplished and surefooted a performer as Cara Dillon, Anna showed a pluckiness and energy that I for one hope doesn't disappear as her stagecraft and song writing develops as it surely will.

Jan Allen
Administrator
South Hill Park Arts Centre

Gentle melodies and ambient musings from charming Surrey singer/songwriter Anna, who steps across the divide from folk to angelic pop in evocative originals with fresh-faced innocence and enchanting style.

Anna Tabbush has been immersed in traditional folk music for a long time, but for her debut solo album, moves herself squarely into the singer-songwriter department. As well as playing fiddle, keyboards and flute, Anna sings with an emotive and ear-catching voice. The songs - mainly about personal relationships - sometimes veer gently in the direction of acoustic pop rather than tradition folk, as do some of the arrangements (in which Nick Sowden plays a major role). But there's a guilessness, a youthful freshness and sometimes an almost painful honesty in her singing - particularly on songs like "Last Springtime" - that makes the whole album immediately appealing, and invites further listening. One of those nice slow growers.

Taking the audience a little by surprise was Anna Tabbush. She performed a quite delightful set accompanied by cello and guitar but with no (zero) amplification. Supportively the audience, despite the Friday night flow of alcohol, were respectfully quiet and Anna's set was appreciated by all. With a grounding in traditional and folk music Anna is now carving out her own style. So good was she that I even spotted her CD 'Waiting In The Wings' being sold for £12.

Having been on 'the scene' for a little while now, you'll possibly be surprised to know that this is the debut solo album from Anna Tabbush.

The oldest of the Tabbush sisters, widely recognised for their acapela work, on here Anna demonstrates her talent for both songwriting and instrumentation, playing fiddles, keyboards and flute at various times on this record. It has given her a platform on which to express her full musical capabilities, which she, in the most part, exploits very well.

The record starts with the old shanty 'One More Day' but don't expect this album to be a traditionalists dream. It soon moves on to more contemporary ground, yet always with a very traditional underlay. The title track proves this point perfectly. The songwriting is generally strong throughout, never excelling but always at a consistent level, making the record enjoyable from start to finish. As stated, the instrumentation is another strong point, sitting perfectly as a backdrop to Tabbush's fine vocal style.

This is certainly a very solid debut record, and time will tell whether she heads in a more mainstream direction. Her continued work with the Tabbush Sisters will constantly improve her as a vocalist, and with more material in the future I'm sure, only time will tell whether Anna Tabbush can be added to the great performers of the genre. I for one certainly wouldn't bet against it.

"Waiting in the wings is Anna Tabbush's first solo CD. It is an eclectic mix of traditional and modern songs, sung by a young woman with a wonderful voice and a great folk style. Of the ten songs, two are traditional, and one is by John Dowland, the famous English lutenist of Elizabethan times ('Come again, sweet love doth now invite'). The rest are by Anna herself and vary in style from the more folk ('Fine Sailing') to the more pop ('Going through the Motions').

Anna's songs are about love and relationships and reflect her youthful experience. My favourite, 'Springtime', is a poignant and moving song of love through the seasons. Written in traditional style and simply accompanied by Nick Sowden on guitar, it tells of a woman left behind by a man gone to war. Other gems are the traditional, rollicking 'One More Day/Rockin' and Rollin' Johnny with its lively arrangement; the sweetly sung 'Come again', sweet love doth now invite'; and the only unaccompanied song on the CD, the traditional ;'The Colour of Amber'.

Anna demonstrates her skill as a singer and songwriter, and also as an instrumentalist. She plays an impressive number of instruments including fiddle, flute, melodeon and piano. Nick Sowden's guitar playing is a delight and the arrangements are interesting and varied. Anna's lyrics do tend to cliché on occasion and are sometimes a little on the sweet side for my taste but even so, the CD makes for pleasurable and relaxed listening. I found myself drawn back to listen again and again. This is an enjoyable first CD from a young woman with considerable talent."

"A pleasing and promising solo debut from Anna, fiddler with Meridian and the eldest of The Tabbush Sisters, the a cappella trio. This singer-songwriter bares her sole in simple naivety and a painful honesty that touches you right there and draws you in, with its subtle, delicate seductiveness.

The album opens with the shanty One More Day, with Anna doing a makeover with her fiddle, some rewritten verses, revamped jigs, breathy words and her own Rockin' and Rollin' Johnny weaving in and out. Ah, says I, pompously and a bit patronisingly, how very girly. But I played the track again and again and it just grew on me like an old friend - it's beautifully layered and textured and producer Nick Sowden works wonders. I love it to bits.

But One More Day is surprisingly the odd one out, seeing as how it's the scene-setter. Anna's traditional roots are obvious in her songs, including Going Through the Motions, Come Again, Last Springtime (beautiful song!) and the title track.

My partner says that listening to Anna reminds her of Suzanne Vega. I am reminded of Mary Chapin Carpenter, not so much the songs but the structured content and the hook lines that won't let you go."

"Anna Tabbush is already something of a veteran but Waiting In The Wings is her solo debut. It opens with the shanty 'One More Day' interspersed with Anna's own tune 'Rockin' And Rollin' Johnny' and with her fiddle at the forefront you'd be forgiven for thinking of Anna as a dedicated follower of Eliza Carthy.

But hold on. Anna's true direction is as a singer-songwriter although her traditional roots show through in the structure of her songs. 'One More Day' is not really representative - more typical are 'Going Through The Motions', 'Carry Me Back To The Ocean' and the title track. There is a naivety and a painful honesty in her writing that masks the songwriting craft - many of the songs were written when Anna lived in Brighton and the sea features repeatedly.

The best track is the moving 'Last Springtime' and if Anna never writes another line she should have ensured her immortality with these seven verses. Her supporting musicians: principally Adam Chetwood, Tom Bailey and producer Nick Sowden are always interesting but never overpowering and Anna plays flute and various keyboards as well as fiddle so there's a lot of variety between the folk-rock of 'One More Day' and the unaccompanied 'The Colour Of Amber'"

"Anna Tabbush's debut solo album is a very promising beginning for this young folk singer. Having written most of the songs on the album, as well as playing flute, fiddle, piano and melodeon, she certainly aims to make her mark. She has a great voice with plenty of emotion in it, an essential for a good folk singer and she carries the lead easily.

Tabbush has an odd mix of modern and traditional elements in her music and occasionally it doesn't sit very well. Her songs deal primarily with relationships and she tends to use pop song clichés rather a lot for someone singing in the folk genre, which can be slightly jarring. However, having said that, her songs do stick with you and I find myself humming them throughout the day. I have also found myself returning to her album again and again. Her music is infectious and has a youthfulness to it that makes the album very enjoyable, despite its periodic forays into the land of cliché.

Particularly good tracks include the traditional, "One More Day/ Rockin' and Rollin' Johnny", "Going Through the Motions" and "Carry Me Back to the Ocean". "Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite", would not sound out of place in a movie adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, but with a bit more edge to it. Nick Sowden provides backing vocals on several tracks and the two voices harmonise well together, adding depth to the songs.

Tabbush shows a lot of potential on Waiting in the Wings and one can only hope that her music continues to mature as she does. Tabbush is definitely an artist to watch and her debut album, although trite at times, is full of youthfulness and one can not help but enjoy listening to it."

The debut album from Anna, the eldest of the acclaimed a cappella trio The Tabbush Sisters. Mostly self-penned songs written with warm and quirky wit and imaginative accompaniment.

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