"Collister's voice could hardly be richer. Her melancholy is balanced with a healthy sense of fun and a dash of rock and roll."

Truly remarkable records come along once in a blue moon, though there are plenty of record companies prepared to swear that nearly every release is one such. Christine Collister's mesmerising 'The Dark Gift Of Time' is a beautifully dark collection of songs. Collister brings a rich emotional and rhythmic maturity to songs drawn from the writing of Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Bruce Cockburn, Robert Wyatt and Billie Holiday. Guest musicians include Richard Thompson, B J Cole, Danny Thompson and John Surman.