Rating: NNN
Sing Me The Songs, a tribute to Kate McGarrigle, is an emotional listen, and not just because the great Canadian songwriter passed away in 2010. As the live double album demonstrates, McGarrigle’s sadder tunes get at the difficult heart of matters, but she was also a lively storyteller (see Matapedia, I Eat Dinner and Saratoga Summer Song).
The recordings were culled from three tribute concerts organized by Rufus and Martha Wainwright and Anna McGarrigle in London, New York and Toronto and feature eminent guests including Emmylou Harris, Peggy Seeger and Norah Jones.
I would have preferred to hear more Linda Thompson and Jenni Muldaur and less Rufus – but the impression that lingers is that McGarrigle left us with an abundance of wonderful songs. Fittingly, the closer is a demo she did called I Just Want To Make It Last.
Top track: I Don’t Know
