What is there to say about Steeleye Span to the unacquainted? The immediate comparison that leaps to mind is to the contemporary British folk-group, Fairport Convention, but it is unlikely that many of Fairport's fans will have managed to miss out on Steeleye altogether, and they, too, have ... Read review
Rave On Gaudete John Barleycorn Alison Gross Robbery With Violins Rogues In A Nation Cam Ye O'er Frae France Thomas The Rhymer To Know Him Is To Love Him New York ...
A review by emma-regina on Spanning The Years - Steeleye Span October 24th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Advantages:
Great variety of songs, enough tracks to keep anybody occupied for some time .
Disadvantages:
Slightly genre - specific, I suppose .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
What is there to say about Steeleye Span to the unacquainted? The immediate comparison that leaps to mind is to the contemporary British folk-group, Fairport Convention, but it is unlikely that many of Fairport's fans will have managed to miss out on Steeleye altogether, and they, too, have faded rather into obscurity, rendering the comparison quite useless. Therefore, to start from the beginning:
Steeleye Span are one of those groups who don't seem to be able to keep a static line-up for more than two albums at a time. That said, the thing about Steeleye is that it doesn't matter what incarnation of the band you are listening to, they are *always good*. My RealOne Player informs me that they fit into the category of 'folk-rock', but with the exception of a few songs - such as the techno-enhanced Thomas The Rhymer - I would say that the emphasis is a great deal more on the folk.
Over the years, Steeleye Span have recorded an incredible number of songs, many of which have been traditional English folk-tunes. Some of these they have recorded faithfully to the original accepted renderings, but many they have altered with their inimitable electric edge. Further songs are American folk-tunes, while there are also a considerable number that the band wrote for themselves. The most famous of Steeleye Span's songs, however, is probably Gaudete, a monastic chant in Latin usually associated with Christmas albums. ('Gaudete' means 'Rejoice'; the line is 'Gaudete, Gaudete! Christus est nostus...' which means, 'Rejoice, rejoice, for Christ is born!')
Gaudete is certainly a worthy song to buy the album for on its own, presided over as it is by Maddy Prior's pure, Celtic-inspired voice singing what would ordinarily be the choirboy's part. However, this album contains a further thirty-four tracks, most of which will not be familiar in this form to those of the public who do not venture into the folk-music scene. They are an eclectic mixture, of which my personal favourites are the heart-rending 'Lovely on the Water'; the gloriously mischievous 'Marrowbones'; 'Long Lankin', the band's take on the Northern folk-story; the wonderfully bouncy 'All Around My Hat'; and 'John Barleycorn', an electrified folktune whose melody established itself recently in my head and refused to decamp for a fortnight.
I cannot say whether this album would be accessible to the general public, given that I am personally a fan of folk-music. What I can say, however, is that Steeleye Span are never static in their style, and that there is enough variety on this album that even the biggest sceptic is sure to find something to like. And, besides - have you ever *tried* modern folk-music? You might just be surprised. And with Maddy singing, you really can't lose.
Album Notes: Most Steeleye Span compilations are budget-priced collections that cover only a fraction of this long-lived and prolific band's enormous output. 1995's SPANNING THE YEARS is definitely not one of these. This two-disc, 35-track collection covers all of the British folk-rock collective's studio releases from 1970's HARK! THE VILLAGE WAIT to 1989's TEMPTED AND TRIED, along with a generous sampling of previously-released live tracks. Even this expansive selection isn't enough to do more than hit the highest points--almost all of Steeleye Span's albums are classics of British folk-rock. But the well-chosen list of songs provides a balanced overview of the band's many strengths, from the angelic harmonies of Maddy Prior and Tim Hart and the sterling fiddle playing of Peter Knight to the important contributions of such occasional bandmembers as Ashley Hutchings, Martin Carthy and Gay Woods. There are no rarities or previously-unreleased tracks, but this is a near-perfect introduction these icons of folk-rock.
Titles on disc 1
1.: Blacksmith
2.: My Johnny Was A Shoemaker
3.: King
4.: Lovely On The Water
5.: Marrowbones
6.: Rave On
7.: Gaudette
8.: John Barleycorn
9.: Alison Gross
10.: Robbery With Violins
11.: Rogues In A Nation
12.: Cam Ye O'er Frae France
13.: Thomas The Rhymer
14.: To Know Him Is To Love Him
15.: New York Girls
16.: Long Lankin
17.: Black Jack David
18.: Hard Times Of Old England
19.: All Around My Hat
20.: London
21.: Fighting For Strangers
22.: Black Freighter
23.: Victory
24.: False Knight On The Road
25.: Rag Doll
26.: Let Her Go Down
27.: Sails Of Silver
28.: Gone To America
29.: My Love
30.: Lady Diamond
31.: Blackleg Miner
32.: One Misty Moisty Morning
33.: Fox
34.: Following Me
35.: Tam Lin
Titles on disc 2
1.: Fighting For Strangers
2.: Black Freighter, The
3.: Victory, The
4.: False Knight On The Road - (live), The
5.: Rag Doll
6.: Let Her Go Down
7.: Sails Of Silver
8.: Gone To America
9.: My Love
10.: Blackleg Miner
11.: Lady Diamond - (live)
12.: One Misty Moisty Morning
13.: Fox, The
14.: Following Me - (live)
15.: Tam Lin - (live)
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since : 15/03/2003
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