Kenny Klein has been performing at faires for quite a number of years now and is probably best known for his rendition of "What do you do with an old dead gerbil" during his shows. Of course, beyond singing of deceased rodents, he's quite the singer/songwriter.

His latest release, the eighth by my count, contains a mixture of traditional and original music that is unfettered by historical era. Klein manages to switch from modern to "Ren" and back again that you hardly notice and it doesn't interrupt the flow one bit.

The album begins with a favorite of mine, "Epona" which was only available on the later release of "Fairie Queen". Now redone acoustically, the song is more haunting  than ever before.

It is hard to find a fiddler at faire who surpasses Kenny in his gypsy flavored fiddle playing. "Audra", the second song on the CD, is a perfect example. The feel of the music conjures images of varda wagons encircling a bonfire under a moonlit night.

Another favorite (and one worth purchasing the album for) is "The Old Woman Was A Gypsy". The song is more contemporary in lyrical content, but it strikes directly to the heart of anyone who has sat beside a bonfire at faire, watching the smoke carry their dreams skywards.

Of the two traditional tunes on the CD there was one that I wasn't familiar with, "The Game of Cards". I'm not certain what era the song is from, but it is a delightful and light song and any "new" old song is always fun to hear. Certainly it isn't like many traditional tunes that have been recorded so often that you can't escape them. Of course, one expects this sort of diversity from Kenny Klein and so it isn't so much a surprise than a nice treat.

Speaking of songs that have been recorded countless times, the other traditional tune "Tom O Bedlam" manages to escape the mold and be fresh while still faithful to the song. It would have been easy to record a simple acoustic version of the song and leave it at that, but the song is filled out with fiddle and electric guitar in a variation on the song that moves slowly and has an impact that is difficult to shake. 

Still, my favorite track on this CD has to be the "Highwayman's Song". This tune reminds me so much of faire that it almost makes me ache. Indeed, this song wouldn't be out of place as a busk-song at faire and I expect that I might hear it that way eventually. "Give us your money, we don't ask much more...." 

The CD is available from Kenny Klein's website for $17 (S&H are included in the price). The album consists of a total of 13 songs ranging from old favorites to beat-style spoken word, urban gypsy to modern goth-style ballads. So I'd certainly rate this as a fine addition to any collection.