Good times of old England
Jerome Clark | Canby, Minnesota | 07/09/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These days there's a lot of interest in American folk music, both in the authentic stuff (Ralph Stanley, Dock Boggs, Charley Patton, et al.) and in the revival, itself undergoing something of a revival. All to the good, and may it continue. Meantime, it's wise to remember that much of our own folk music came from the British Isles and that the United Kingdom has had its own very interesting revival going on over the past half-century.As the title suggests, the Acoustic Folk Box doesn't cover quite all of it. By definition seminal plugged-in bands such as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span aren't here, but that's okay. Their recordings are readily available, and besides, many of the musicians who played in those outfits (e.g., Sandy Denny, Dave Swarbrick, Maddy Prior) are here by themselves or in other groups. Anyway, that detail aside, you could hardly ask for a better introduction to the British revival. Even those who have followed it as closely as one can from this side of the water will find a whole lot that's unfamiliar here, for example the long-forgotten Julie Felix's fine reading of the antique "Geordie" or Pete Morton's anthemic original "Another Train." Good as they are, these aren't the best. Fact of the matter, the adjective "best" is hard to apply here, inasmuch as the competition is ridiculously intense. Not every piece is great, of course -- the political songs, of which there are happily a minimum, tend to be more didactic than musical -- but there is so much good stuff here that you could listen to it for years, finding something new on each hearing.I'm not even sure I can list all my favorites, or even if I've figured out yet what they are. I will say, though, that Robin and Barry Dransfield's "The Rout of the Blues" reminds me of how criminally underrecorded these North Country traditionalists were. Also missing in action, and missed sorely, are Nic Jones and Anne Briggs -- though surely the latter could be better represented than by the warhorse "She Moves Through the Fair." On the other hand, the version of Robin Williamson's "First Girl I Loved" is different from the one on the Incredible String Band's 5000 Spirits, and even more beautifully rendered. A few other highlights at random: the Etchingham Steam Band's "Hard Times of Old England"; Bill Caddick's "John O'Dreams"; the Young Tradition's "Lyke Wake Dirge"; Oak's "Scan's Polkas"; New Victory Band's "Harper's Frolick/Bonny Kate"; June Tabor's "Lay This Body Down." And more. And still more. In short: essential."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1