“I’m going for a smoke”, a colleague of mine informed me during a run-through of one of Bellowhead‘s albums, “there are only so many sea shanties and shilly-shallies I can take in one sitting”.
Therein lies the problem – sitting.
For me, still the best way to experience Bellowhead is live, wantonly swilling your beer, dancing – or swaying – perhaps outside at a music festival on a glorious summer evening. You’ll need to be quick to catch them though; earlier this year, frontman Jon Boden announced his decision to quit, with the band opting to bow out on a high with a farewell tour, rather than carry on without him. Luckily, for those who have hitherto missed out, this tour is an extensive one, taking in more than 30 different locations. You simply MUST see them.
Anyway, what of the new compilation? Well, personally, I’ve always thought of Bellowhead as a far less belligerent version of The Men They Couldn’t Hang, due to their authentic traditional sound. True, you could argue that the REASON they sound authentic is because, in general, they only perform traditional folk songs, but where many others have tried and failed, Bellowhead are absolute naturals. You’d be hard pressed to find a more exuberant, exhilarating and downright entertaining set of arrangements than these tales of thieving madams, philanderers, wayward women and unrequited love.
What kind of curmudgeonly crank, after all, could resist the urge to dance to the rapturous euphoria of ‘New York Girls’ or ‘Gosport Nancy’? And when Boden sings the pretty, aesthetically pleasing ‘Prickle-Eye Bush’, who but a complete psychopath would NOT root for our condemned maiden to be emancipated from her impending doom?
The arrangements here range from winsome to wanton, exalted to extravagant, with dramatic harmonies on the likes of ‘Roll The Woodpile Down‘ and ‘Let Her Run’ bringing to mind those of Carl Orff‘s ‘Carmina Burana’, seventies era Queen or perhaps even ELO. Not that Bellowhead sound remotely like any of these acts otherwise, of course, but if you’re a fan of traditional folk given a modern twist, you’ll be doing exceptionally well if you can find a better thirteen track compilation album this year.
Invigorating stuff.
[Rating:4]
