August 1977; Durham Folk Festival; Dunelm House; The Albion Dance Band. Maybe you were there, I know I was, my ears rang for days afterwards. Dammed loud, it was, but dammed good as well. We sang along to the songs and roared for more and had sore throats for days afterwards too.
"The Prospect Before Us" was recorded in 1976 and I won my copy in a club raffle. There was a choice but this was the one for me. Not just because I liked folk-rock and had heard of Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, John Tams and Simon Nicol; but that front cover (with Britannia holding a stratocaster) just looked great (ok, so the figure is too centralised and would be better moved maybe a fraction over to the left.) and still does. The music sounded great too; and still does. At that time the nuances, subtleties and under currents of folk-rock were lost on me, and to be honest they still are, I just liked the sound and let the music sweep me along.
Listen to this twenty-four year old classic recording and enjoy the enthusiasm and inventive playing of the polkas, estampies, wassails, carols and songs from the tradition and be sweped along too.
Peter Fairbairn
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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 40 of The Living Tradition magazine. |