Living Tradition CD review of YOUNG NO MORE

YOUNG NO MORE - 'Three for A Girl'
YNM01

'Young No More'? I hear you say, 'What kind of a name is that'? Well, it's simple really. YNM are Nic Burdett, Vic Simpson & Jacky Lockley. They used to be Burdett, Simpson & Young, but Young returned to his home patch in the Northeast so they were 'Young No More'. It was suggested to them, as they searched for a name for the new line-up, that 'Young No More' seemed appropriate. This was agreed and readily adopted. Since then their name has stood for vigorous harmonised singing of a choice repertoire of songs mostly, but not exclusively, from British tradition, and for a group becoming known beyond their East Midlands home patch.

This CD opens with 'Sea Coal' from Graeme Miles, a wonderful songwriter. Other modern songs include 'Jack in the Green' (Martin Graebe), 'The Blackbird' (Dave \Webber) and their own setting of Steve Plowright's poem 'Countryman', a standout track. The band's choice of traditional songs hold some pleasant surprises, 'The Captain's Apprentice' for instance, not that this tale is pleasant, gruesome would be a better description, but little sung and so all the more welcome. The same welcome from me to 'Riding down To Portsmouth', a song I've loved since first hearing on a Topic album by the Willet family of English travellers, circa 1960. A grand selection ends with the 'Apple Tree Wassail' that includes the 'Hatfuls, Capfuls, and Hip, Hip, Hooray' call. A call echoed by me for this album of songs sung with honesty and affection.

Roy Harris

Buy this CD online from The Listening Post
The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 72 of The Living Tradition magazine.

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