Search - Steeleye Span :: Horkstow Grange

Get over it!

Mark Cloud | Murrieta, CA USA | 06/19/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maddy Prior has left Steeleye Span; you're sorry, I'm sorry,we're all sorry. Get over it! Now that we have that out of the way canwe bring in a little objectivity here? This is a FINE record! The interplay between Peter Knight's violin and Bob Johnson's guitar has never been better; Gay Wood's voice is terrific (can she sing like Maddy? No. And Maddy can't sing like Gay, either. This proves what, exactly?); Tim Harries is a gifted bass player with an original style; and it's always a joy to hear Dave Mattacks on drums. The songs are are among the best recordings the band has ever done. Particularly, to my ear, "The Old Turf Fire," "Horkstow Grange," Erin," "Bonny Birdy," and "The Parting Glass." And the more acoustic arrangements fit Steeleye really well; something they might have tried years ago! OK, "Lord Randall," while very well done, is lyrically rather depressing. Poisoning? Yecch. Still, it's a minor down check for this otherwise enthralling CD. I can't wait to hear more from this line up. By the way, you might want to check out Maddy Prior's "Ravenchild" and Peter Knight's "The Gemini Cadenza" (if you can find it). "Gemini" in particular is one of the more original and moving works I have ever heard."

One of the better "modern" Steeleye Span releases.

Michael Gmirkin | Beaverton, Oregon, USA | 05/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the modern releases by Steeleye Span, Horkstow Grange and Time are probably their two best albums (though I haven't had a chance to sample Winter just yet).



Horkstow Grange finally gives us the titular song Horkstow Grange, from which Steeleye Span derives their name. Of course this should have been recorded years ago!



As I look back over the song list, I recall why I like this album so muc, the songs are all quite good.



Bonny Irish Boy was a lovely piece, as was Bonny Birdy, Erin [Gra Mo Chroi], and Old Turf Fire which was a lovely earthy classic with a good rock score behind it. Lord Randall was carried off beautifully, despite being such a dark song (one of my favorite dark songs, in addition to previous songs like Seven Hundred Elves, Long Lankin, and the venerable You Will Burn, which is my favorite 'dark' song). Of course I Wish That I Never Was Wed should be played at just about any wedding (as a light hearted send-off) or divorce...



Overall Horkstow Grange is my next favorite 'modern' release behind Time. Both are 99.9% pure Steeleye Span. So many great songs. And several have become absolute favorites on par with the classics.



Absolutely recommended for anyone who loves good music, folk music, and most of all a strong showing by Steeleye Span. I'd pick this any day over Bedlam Born or They Called Her Babylon."

Title Song that Cradles the Soul

Sarvananda Bluestone | Woodstock, New York USA | 06/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes there's a song that overpowers an album. I have listened to individual songs on several albums for a long time before I realized that there were other tracks. I will only address "Horkstow Grange", the title song. I will probably listen to it until I get sick of it. But I can't imagine that. They sing this one a capella and show how human voices are an instrument. I can travel on this one into my heart and over to Nineteenth Century England. This guys are, and always have been, able to transport me to times long gone. In this one you can smell the dust on market day and see the rays of the dying sun in a town and time long before. There is no price for being touched like this."