TIM VAN EYKEN STIFFS LOVERS HOLYMEN THIEVES TSCD565

"One of Britain's great young hopes" (Daily Telegraph). Tim Van Eyken is one of the most outstanding members of the new folk generation who have taken the folk tradition as inspiration and brought it bang up to date. Those who saw Tim Van Eyken win the 1998 BBC Young Folk Award knew there was likely to be a glittering career ahead of this engaging young musician with a passion for English music, and indeed, he was soon snapped up by English traditional music’s best loved band, Waterson:Carthy.

Collecting together a band of like-minded musicians in Nancy Kerr, Oliver Knight, Pete Flood and Colin Fletcher, Tim has produced an astonishingly impressive debut album from the band – Van Eyken.

It's a “band album” in the best sense, with remarkable, imaginative and contemporary arrangements of electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles, accordion, bass and drums that still maintain the essential integrity and gritty reality of the traditional songs and tunes, pacing it firmly in the future, firmly from the past and ... firmly of today. This is the first Topic album by this exceptionally assured singer and musician. The production by Tim and Oliver Knight sets new standards for the presentation of contemporary/traditional folk music in England.

1. Barleycorn
2. Australia
3. The Pearl Wedding / Nancy Taylor's
4. Fisherman
5. Gypsy Maid
6. Fair Ellen Of Ratcliffe
7. Young Alvin
8. Worcester City
9. Babes In The Wood
10. Bonny Breast Knot / Barseback Polka
11. Twelve Joys Of Mary

Tim van Eyken vocals, acoustic guitar, accordeons
Oliver Knight electric & acoustic guitar
Nancy Kerr violin, viola and vocal
Colin Fletcher double bass & electric bass
Pete Flood drums and percussion

Produced by Tim van Eyken and Oliver Knight