Tuesday, January 24, 2012

FINGER IN THE EAR AWARD (CD)

THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE MONTPELIER STATION AWARD FOR THE BEST NEW  RECORDING OF AN OLD SONG ARE AS FOLLOWS



on Ragged Kingdom by June Tabor and the Oysterband

I think of June Tabor as "that lady who sings the rather distant, mournful, depressing songs about Scotland and the sea, often without accompaniment", which range from "my favourite songs ever(*)" to "oh, get on with it, for goodness sake!" In case you were wondering, her new album, Ashore failed to get nominated for the Nautical award because while it was undoubtedly brilliant it was also a teensy weensy bit how can I possibly put this boring. But of course, she can also more than hold her own providing the lyrics while the Oysterband are rocking out like it's 1990. There is a productive incongruity between the traditional text and the  electric arrangement. Hardly any band can mess this song up: how can you fail with lines like "I'll raise a numerous army/ And through tremendous dangers go /And in spite of all the universe /I'll conquer the bonny Bunch of Roses, O". June Tabor sings it like she's going to personally cross the channel and give Young Napoleon a jolly good talking-to. This song would have been nominated for the BEST TRACK FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T THINK THEY WOULD LIKE FOLK MUSIC award, should such an award exist. 


(*) King of Rome, Place Called England, Unicorns, A Proper Sort of Gardener, Hughie Graham, Best Patrick Spens Ever, etc

on Wayside Courtesies by Pilgrims' Way

Pilgrims' Way are the probably the most exciting new band of 2011. ("New" is here defined as "band I first heard perform in" by which definition, admittedly, Steeleye Span would count as "new" but let's not get bogged down at this stage). They're essentially traditionalists, with the touch of electricity on some songs not nearly as distinct as the jews harp (a.k.a "that thing which goes twang?") on others. Lucy Wright's vocals are forceful but sweet sounding ever-so folkie without ever drifting into nasal cliches. 

A Pilgrim's Way is also a pome by Mr Rudyard Kipling which was set to music by Mr Peter Bellamy. If you aren't careful it can go on for ever. (Jon Boden, and indeed Mr Bellamy himself, were not careful.) Pilgrims' Way (the band) give it a light, musical feel, free of trickery or fireworks; and Lucy navigates "Amorites and Erermites and general Avergees" as if she had some idea what it meant. 

It has been mentioned before that many of us in the blogsphere could be improved by a judicious application of the precepts of verse 3.



on The Works by Spiers and Boden

I have to admit to being slightly disappointed by The Works -- much as I love Spiers and Boden, I wished they could have given us an CD of new material, rather than new takes, however high quality, on material we already know pretty well. That said, any one track on the album is great, and this one is just about my favourite. The story of how Bold Sir Rylas cut an old lady in half is a great Pythonesque yarn with a sing-a-long chorus the singing along on the album is no lessor a person than Maddy Prior. (Martin Carthy contributes to Prickley Bush, but you’d hardly know.) All together now: He split her head down to the chin! You should of heard seen her kick and grin!

WINNER:
Pilgrims Way by a country mile. (BUT NOTE: It’s really “The People, Lord, thy People” not “The people, oh, the people.")



6 comments:

Lirazel said...

Wait a minute...

I knew of and heard and had recordings of Steeleye Span before you did?

That is wrong in so many ways, I hardly know what to do.

(If I had a Tardis, now...)

Mike Taylor said...

Just to note that there is no free Spotify client for Linux -- only Windows and Mac -- which means that I and no doubt others of your readers can't listen to these songs.

You might do better to link to GrooveShark, which Just Works in any modern browser. (Or YouTube, of course.)

Andrew Rilstone said...

a: I meant that I heard them live for the first time this year. Although its debatable whether "they" are really Steeleye Span, or merely "Maddy Prior and five of her friends". Quite good, though.

b: No suitable Youtube versions of these songs, which is why I spotified, but will have a look at Grooveshark tonite, thank you.

Andrew Rilstone said...

Just had a look, and none of the songs I am hoping to link to (none of those three) are on Grooveshark.

Mike Taylor said...

Shame. But in honour of June Tabor's mention in this post, I listened to A Cut Above again this morning.

Andrew Rilstone said...

Admiral Benbo, Number Two Top Seam, Unicorns and Joe Peel are definitely performed by Good June. But that wasn't what I wanted to say. What I wanted to say was OMG DID MARTIN SIMPSON REALLY USED TO WEAR THAT MOUSTACHE WHAT WAS HE THINKING. I thank you.