'Bedlam Born' is an album that sees Steeleye Span return to the glorious resonance of their 70s heyday - the true sound of a rock band playing folk music. This is the sound of one of Britain's most famous, influential band... more »s at their very best. 2000 release. Standard jewel case.« less
'Bedlam Born' is an album that sees Steeleye Span return to the glorious resonance of their 70s heyday - the true sound of a rock band playing folk music. This is the sound of one of Britain's most famous, influential bands at their very best. 2000 release. Standard jewel case.
"Steeleye Span is back with a worthy follow-up to the excellent Horkstow Grange, in which it returned to the acoustic sounds of its early-1970s youth. In places Bedlam Bound echoes those pleasingly spare atmospherics, but for the most part this time it's electric guitars and shimmering electronica (nowhere more so than in the loving reinvention of the English patriotic anthem "White Cliffs of Dover"). Happily, what we have here is still the recognizable Steeleye sound, only updated, with the band's usual exquisite taste and restraint everywhere apparent. As always the song selection -- of traditional songs, rewritten traditional songs, and originals all but indistinguishable from traditional songs -- is a marvel. I like them all but am especially grateful for the gorgeous "Connemara Cradle Song," the unfamiliar Irish variant of the familiar American "Down in the Valley." (I heard it last on Tommy Makem's first solo album, released in the 1950s. It may have been recorded since, but if so, rarely enough for me to miss it.) As it heads into its fourth decade, Steeleye Span has become a treasured British institution. Long may it record and prosper."
Steeleye Raises the Bar
Mark Cloud | Murrieta, CA USA | 11/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With "Bedlam Born" Steeleye Span have once again raised the bar for what all of us who consider ourselves folk/rockers should aspire to. There simply is not a weak cut on this record and I expect to be listening to, and enjoying it, for years to come. Some of the finest and most emtoional performances of Steeleye Span's long carrer."
Well Done Steeleye!
Brian | London, England | 10/26/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Steeleye Span return to the fray with a superb new album. Whereas "Horkstow Grange" was a relatively gentle, semi-acoustic affair, "Bedlam Born" restores the rock element to their music. You can tell they mean business from the start, as "Well Done Liar!" blasts out with some great Bob Johnson guitar work and a driving drumbeat from guest drummer Dave Mattacks, who plays on most of the tracks here.It's a very varied album. Other rockers like "John Of Ditchford", which is the heaviest thing Steeleye have ever done, and "The Beggar", sit alongside ballads such as the beautiful "Connemara Cradle Song" and "There Was A Wealthy Merchant". There are also some experimental tracks. "Arbour" has a minimalist feel to it, while "White Cliffs Of Dover" (that's right - the Vera Lynn song) is given a slightly disturbing electronic arrangement. The instrumentation is excellent throughout (particularly Peter Knight's violin solos), and the lead vocals are shared between Peter, Tim Harries, and Gay Woods on various tracks. Gay's backing vocals are also very effective, and Tim emerges in a major role. He contributes some great songs, and also adds lead guitar to his usual bass and keyboards."Bedlam Born" shows Steeleye Span on top form. It's a powerful piece of work, and can stand alongside their best albums of the past. Not to be missed!"
Steeleye's best in years.
C. Boros | Cleveland, OH United States | 01/19/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bedlam Born is Steeleye's best album in years. After the disappointing "Horkstow Grange" album, they come back strong and powerful with this effort. In fact, this is possibly the most "rocking" of Steeleye albums-especially with the song "John of Ditchford" with is by far the heaviest song they have ever recorded. Most of the other tracks are just as strong. Bedlam Born is a very strong album indeed. To those die-hard fans, this is a record not to be missed. For the new listener of Steeleye, I'd suggest older albums first but this one is sure to add to your collection."
A collection of falling off songs
Megan L. Wiseman | Raleigh, NC | 01/03/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Rather than the "calling on" song which begins their very first album (Hark the Village Waits), these songs show a distinct falling off of Steeleye Span's talents.With Tim Hart and Maddy Prior gone, the vocalists left in the band simply don't hold up. Unlike other reviewers here, I liked the sound of "Horkstow Grange" much better. The rock elements so prominent in "Bedlam Born" were original back in the seventies when Steeleye first started recording, but now the heavy guitar on this album just sounds outdated.Horkstow Grange had a much more traditional sound, which in this modern era has a freshness all its own. Bedlam Born, on the other hand, sounds like a bunch of old hippies trying hard to relive their youth. And Gay Woods, while she has a pleasant enough voice, simply does not have the tone or the power to sustain lead vocals for an entire album.I am a huge Steeleye Span fan, and many of the albums they did after their reunion in the '80s have been as good as, or better than, the old ones. This one, however, is a very sad exception. If I keep this one, it will only be so I can do my own more traditional arrangement of the two or three decent folk songs on the album."