Another masterful performance by the latter-day Watersons. Again, an original album by the full group has been supplemented with solo tracks by Mike and solo and duet tracks by Norma and Lal. In keeping with its title, the album focuses on songs [...]
Perhaps only Martin Carthy would open a folk album with a Bee Gees songs, let alone continue with pieces from Elvis Presley, Hoagy Carmichael and Bob Dylan, mixed in with such timeless traditional songs as Sir Patrick Spens and The Wife of [...]
Anne Briggs, a free spirit of the 1960s, was also one of the most distinctive and influential singers on the folk scene. 'If I hadn't heard her,' says June Tabor, 'I'd have probably done something entirely different.' "She was," writes Colin Harper [...]
A Bed Of Roses was the second album from Lal Waterson and Oliver Knight. Another collection of luminous songs and riveting performances. Sadly, this was to be Lal Waterson's last recording, completed just before before her death in 1998. Mojo magazine has [...]
In 1977 Lal and Norma Waterson, as a side project, recorded A True Hearted Girl - an album of solos, duos and trios (with Lal's daughter Maria). Lal and Norma varied the tried and true vision of The Watersons on this outing, [...]
John Tams' debut Topic album, Unity is a collection of great beauty and emotional depth. Collaboration has always been central to his work and although a solo record, this release is no exception. Keith Angel, Andy Seward and Barry Coope, (of Coope, [...]
The great family tradition returns to record their third album, this time as a four piece, with Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy joined by Saul Rose on melodeons and voice. The extended line-up results in a jewel of an album. [...]
A Quiet Eye features June Tabor backed by members of the Creative Jazz Orchestra. Not a jazz album this, however, but June in her finest voice with a selection of predominantly English material from both traditional and contemporary sources in settings ranging [...]
Sam Larner was born in 1878 in the village of Winterton in Norfolk. For most of his life he was a fisherman and developed his repertoire and style from the locality and his workmates. Now Is The Time For Fishing was originally [...]
Harry Cox is, simply, the most important and the finest among the great English traditional singers. This release brings together 54 tracks from recordings made between 1945 and 1970 to produce a 2 CD set. Combined with a 60 page booklet containing [...]
Arguably the finest finger style acoustic guitarist on the planet, Martin Simpson returns to Topic Records after a break of almost fifteen years. Surprisingly, this is his first recording of exclusively English material - predominately traditional, completely English and totally outstanding. Martin [...]
Walter Pardon was one of England's great traditional singers. He lived all his life in the cottage where he was born in 1914 in the village of Knapton, Norfolk and spent all his working life as a carpenter. In 1974, a tape [...]