What Album Have You Just Bought?

[Villajohn]

Keep Your Courage. Natalie Merchant.

[Villajohn]

Bay Bulls Cove.Navigators.

[soulfinger]

Irish Rock N Roll - The Mary Wallopers

It's as good as I hoped it would be.

[Low D]

Irish Rock N Roll - The Mary Wallopers

It's as good as I hoped it would be.

Gutted I will not make their show in Vancouver next week!

[soulfinger]

Irish Rock N Roll - The Mary Wallopers

It's as good as I hoped it would be.

Gutted I will not make their show in Vancouver next week!

That's a real shame. They are terrific live. Looking forward to seeing them again next month in Manchester.

[Fr. McGreer]

Irish Rock N Roll - The Mary Wallopers

It's as good as I hoped it would be.

Gutted I will not make their show in Vancouver next week!

That's a real shame. They are terrific live. Looking forward to seeing them again next month in Manchester.

I saw them back in May in The Town & Country Club, Kentish Town. We were so disappointed with them. The place was rammed with tons of new fans who wanted the biggest ever craic. They seemed to just do the same type of set they would in a small folk club. The place was rocking when Spider came on to join them for The Holy Ground (Fine Girl Ye Are) but they just let the place go flat by then singing some dirge of an acapella ballad and actually told the Pogue type crowd to be quiet and if someone next to you was talking, tell them to be quiet whilst they indulged themselves. Then they talked bullshit for ages to few friends in the crowd. We'd travelled over especially to see them but left early and went to the pub. Wouldn't bother me arse again.

[soulfinger]

Irish Rock N Roll - The Mary Wallopers

It's as good as I hoped it would be.

Gutted I will not make their show in Vancouver next week!

That's a real shame. They are terrific live. Looking forward to seeing them again next month in Manchester.

I saw them back in May in The Town & Country Club, Kentish Town. We were so disappointed with them. The place was rammed with tons of new fans who wanted the biggest ever craic. They seemed to just do the same type of set they would in a small folk club. The place was rocking when Spider came on to join them for The Holy Ground (Fine Girl Ye Are) but they just let the place go flat by then singing some dirge of an acapella ballad and actually told the Pogue type crowd to be quiet and if someone next to you was talking, tell them to be quiet whilst they indulged themselves. Then they talked bullshit for ages to few friends in the crowd. We'd travelled over especially to see them but left early and went to the pub. Wouldn't bother me arse again.

Wow! I'm amazed at that. I've seen them twice and they've been a riot. I'm seeing them in Manchester and Liverpool on the upcoming tour. I hope I don't get a show like the London one!

[Low D]

The Woods Band's 1971 self-titled album
2021 remastered edition on Esoteric Recordings / Cherry Red Records.

There was a terrible CD release of this on Edsel some years ago that sounded like it was ripped from a warped master. There have also been a few bootlegs that were vinyl rips, but finally be we have a proper digital release, remastered by Paschal Byrne at The Audio Archiving Company, Heffordshire.

I've never owned a vinyl copy, so I've naught to compare with but the above, but am happy to report that this release sounds amazing. The instrumental seperation - for a 1971 folk rock album on a small label - is great. I really do feel like I'm hearing it for the first time.

More that anything, it sounds like the second Steeleye Span album we never got after Terry & Gay's departure - or maybe the third Sweeney 's Men album we never got at all. Arrangements with a fairly consistent use of a drum kit & electric bass rhythm section with electric guitars throughout give a tighter, more rock 'n roll focus than those earlier efforts, without sacrificing the folk melodies. There are some sparse quiet moments where Gay's voice shines alongside Terry's soulful concertina, and there are times where Ed Deane's slide guitar winds around Terry's electric like the best of psychedelic rock.

This album really is one of the gems of the early progressive folk rock era, and I finally hear why old vinyl copies are so expensive and sought after.

[Villajohn]

Cousin. Wilco.