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Adrian Legg's third Relativity album features more of his inimitable steel-string guitar. He gets off to a good start with "Kinvarra's Child," one of the most beautiful and evocative compositions in his catalog. In his liner notes, Legg writes that the song was inspired by the memory of a brief visit to a quiet Irish town just before sunset many years ago, and he paints an almost perfect musical picture of this nostalgic scene. The guitarist indulges a bit in overdubs and alternative instrumentation on this record, such as the bass and choir-assisted "Norah Handley's Waltz." At first, the slap bass of virtuoso Stu Hamm (Hamm? Legg?) seems woefully out of place with Legg's sweet country-tinged acoustic guitar; however, the results are surprisingly effective after the surprise wears off. Legg seems to be utilizing less of his "trick techniques" that he was known for in the past -- such as twisting his tuning pegs mid-performance to create ethereal glissandos -- but, when he does use them (as at the end of the aforementioned "Norah Handley's Waltz"), they are just as effective as they have always been. Although there are a couple of clinkers on Mrs. Crowe's Blue Waltz, such as the pseudo-classical "Gebrauchmusik II," the album overall is full of very singable melodies. Now that the shock of Legg's ability and sound has worn off some, what is revealed is a talented musician and songwriter with an uncanny ability to play the acoustic guitar. A strong entry in Legg's discography. ~ Daniel Gioffre, All Music Guide
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