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- Released: Out now
- Rating: 10/10
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Folk icons get a dusting down. Over 70 minutes worth.
The Albion Band, also known as The Albion Country Band formed in 1972by ex-Fairporter and Steeleye Spanner Ashley Hutchings, was a home for many awandering musician, including some of Folks greatest.
Richard and Linda Thompson, Marin Carthy, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks,Chris Leslie and Ric Sanders have all passed through their ranks over the years.They were active initially from 72 to 73. Four years later, the 1977 versionwas put together essentially to play dance music, and what a fine job they doof all the covers.
Uncle Bernards is a right old knees-up with Ric Sanders doing his mercurialstuff with style. Bouree could easily be played at some Maypole dance with thefluttering woodwind adding to the delight. Breaking the romp, they do anempathetic tribute to the Gresford mining disaster. The former coal mine isbarely two miles from my home, and is still very much remembered as acatastrophe waiting to happen, with 226 fatalities on 22 September 1934, dueto a gas explosion underground.
Hopping Down In Kent (traditional) is a jaunty ditty about, hop picking,in Kent, and was recorded as a single in 1976, and featured on 77s TheProspect Before Us album.
By 1981, there were further line-up changes, (with Ric Sanders gone) but stillremained an 8 piece, with Hutchings very much in charge. The close harmony onthe ethereal Jacobs Well, a hymn, is spectacular and a major highlight of thecollection. Graham Taylors Gallard/Bransle is medieval throwback, fullof pomp, and pomp as the brass section have a ball. Again, by 82 there aremore changes, with Hutchings the only surviving original member, and theyrenow a six-piece.
Their playful and theatrical Greatest Show On Earth is a sort of tribute,or mickey-take (depending on your point of view) to football. Closing a superbfinal set, Cathy Lesurf, one time lead singer with Fiddlers Dram (Day Trip To Bangor 1979)proves to be a class act on the jolly London Dance Song Medley.
For a full track listing, check the Amazon link above.
File under: Brilliant folk music.
Weblinks:talkingelephant.com /folkicons.co.uk/ashley.htm
The full list of tracks included are :
1. All In Your Head
2. Devils Flame
3. No Different Now
4. Island
5. Fortuneteller
6. Clear The Way
7. Youre My Kite
8. Stop And Start
9. Lean To The Glass
10. One Little Step Away
11. Pennsylvania
12. White Walls
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.