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A L LLOYD - Bramble Briars & Beams Of The Sun

A L LLOYD - Bramble Briars & Beams Of The Sun
Fellside  FECD240

I must declare an interest here.  Like many others I knew Bert Lloyd both as a friend and mentor.  To quote Vic Gammon from his highly detailed, erudite and illuminating introduction and liner notes (a booklet of 60 pages), “his influence as a performer was tremendous, he was extremely supportive of and generous to younger performers with both material and encouragement.”  Martin Carthy, Anne Briggs and Frankie Armstrong immediately come to mind.  In addition, singer-scholar Vic Gammon adds, “many singers performing today are unaware that they sing versions of songs that were at least collated if not refashioned by Lloyd.”

This double CD consists of 33 skilfully re-mastered tracks of classic story-songs, which demonstrate Bert’s mastery of the narrative, where the words are paramount; calibrated in perfect diction and delivered in his characteristic and unique style.  My particular favourites on CD1 are his Lord Bateman, a chilling Long Lankin and a quite superb Dives And Lazarus. On CD2 we have such gems as The Daemon Lover, Lover’s Ghost, Henry Martyn, the macabre Bramble Briar (Bruton Town) and a fine The Shooting Of His Dear (Molly Bawn). Young singers in particular would do well to acquire this production – Bert’s beacon still shines!

Fellside are fully justified in describing this handsome, keenly priced package as a
“benchmark production”.

Geordie McIntyre

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This album was reviewed in Issue 90 of The Living Tradition magazine.