| Musically, "Gravity Dance" is a melange of rock, folk,
and minimalism, all held together by Judy Hyman's haunting violin
and a glove tight rhythm section. This is music that challenges
the brain without sacrificing the groove. Dan
Kening, Chicago Tribune |
| [Natalie] Merchant's current outing has been dubbed "The Folk Tour," and she indeed mixed a variety of traditional
and contemporary folk pieces into her repertoire. In addition, she
augmented her usual band with fiddler Judy Hyman and banjo player
Rich Stearns, both of another quirky New York state group, the marvelous
contemporary string band the Horseflies. Hyman provided the evening's
most stirring instrumental moments, notably when she set the traditional
"Penny's Farm" off at a ferocious pace. Michael Parris,
Chicago Tribune |
| ...The Flies are very good players, too, dedicated
to a punchy, coherent band groove. Hyman, on violin, teams with
keyboardist Peter Dodge to create woozy roller-coaster effects ...
Jon Young, Musician
Magazine |
| On "Human Fly" they mixed the rattling repetition
of Claus' frantic strummed rhythm work with Judy Hyman's rousing
fiddle work, blending folk styles with the repetition of modern
systems music. The Guardian (London) |
| "Gravity Dance" finds The Horse Flies moving in increasingly
strange directions, though their traditional sound is still evident
on songs like "Sally Ann," which has a powerful and beautiful violin
part by Judy Hyman who excels throughout the record. Peter
Brown, After Dark (Philadelphia) |
| 'Judy Hyman,' a fellow fiddler said recently,
'is a force.' And that pretty much cuts to the heart of it. For
thirty years, Judy has been playing a powerful groove, exploring
the edges of tradition ... Brendan Taaffe, Fiddler Magazine |
|
The vocal arrangements are exceptional, and I was overwhelmed
by the scope of fiddler Judy Hyman's work; she covers a lot of
ground that is too often considered uncharted territory for fiddlers
today. Steve Romanoski, Option
Magazine
|
| In the middle was fiddler Judy Hyman, who sounded
in one minute like she'd never been out of West Virginia, then like
a Hungarian gypsy the next and then an Indian Indian (as distinguished
from a Native American Indian) after that. What made her multicultur`al
fluidity so unusual -- and such a pleasure to hear -- was that it
not only all fit together without sounding forced or grafted, it
had its own vicious kind of swing. W. Patrick Hinely, News-Gazette,
Lexington, Virginia |
|
Their sound is distinguished by propulsive rhythms launched by
Stearns and Claus, embellished by Hyman and stirred by the rhythm
section. ... Part of the appeal of this oddly Gothic band is its
communal nature. They dedicate themselves to sonic weave ... Carlo
Wolff, The Beacon Journal (Akron,
Ohio)
|
| The technical prowess of fiddle player Judy Hyman
is particularly impressive and definitely worth noting. Michael
Ofjord, All Music Guide |
| The film is an evocative, painstaking period piece
enhanced stunningly by a spare, pulsating score by the Horse Flies.
[from a review of the feature film, "Where the Rivers Flow North," starring Rip Torn, Michael J. Fox, Tantoo Cardinal, and Treat Williams,
for which the Horse Flies did the music] Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles
Times |
| ... the textures are a blend of the ancient and the
ultra modern. Realism coexists with surrealism, and synthetics and
acoustics are interwoven. A record of dark brilliance. Dave Jennings,
Melody Maker, London |
| ... fluidity and impeccable intonation ... James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide |
| ... and thanks, Judy Hyman, for the breakthrough fiddle
... Bob Coltman, Record Roundup, Cambridge, MA |
| Quotes
about the Horse Flies... |
|
