Ghosts, Fools and Seers is a collection of Australian art songs performed by Katja Webb and David Wickham. Good songs need good characters; here are a gallery of strange, visionary people from fine poems given voices in exciting, bold music. Australian composers Dorian Le Galliene, Larry Sitsky, Richard Peter Maddox, Geoffrey Allen and James Penberthy each have their own vivid styles and are becoming more widely-known. Australian poets are well-represented – Mary Gilmore, Bruce Dawe and Gwen Harwood stand alongside Shakespeare, Yeats and Japanese and Persian writers in this eclectic, compelling recital. Highlights are Maddox’s chilling evocation of a girl’s premonition of death, Paviour’s proud, passionate vagrant woman “Crazy Jane”, Le Gallienne’s setting of Shakespeare’s adoring “How oft, when thou, my music”, and Penberthy’s muscular response to the harsh beauty of the Australian landscape. Rising talent Katja Webb has sung principal roles in Vienna, Germany and Australia. David Wickham continues his exploration of treasures of Australian songs in this fourth disc for Stone Records.