Post Description

Folk music of any country can be a very nebulous concept, and Britain is no exception. But over three discs and 50 tracks, this does as fair a job as anything in trying to get a grip on it. The set is bookended by tracks old and new from the Copper Family, whose deep roots and unaccompanied singing go right to the core of the tradition. In between, you get CDs covering Roots, Folk Rocks, and New Routes, with the first by far the most interesting. It's fascinating, for example, to hear Martin Carthy put a very different spin on "Heartbreak Hotel," or see how the revival gathered steam, drawing in artists as diverse as Pete Seeger and Lonnie Donegan (although Big Bill Broonzy, while understandable as a galvanizer, might be one step too far). The second disc is the weakest, redeemed only by June Tabor and Dick Gaughan; the simple fact is that most of the artists, like Steeleye Span and Lindisfarne, have been compiled to death before (which possibly proves they're essential -- you can make up your own mind). The third disc has the usual suspects old and new, but a couple of unfamiliar quirky choices, like Cassie Franklin and the combination of Beth Orton with psychedelic folk guru Devendra Banhart and veteran master Bert Jansch on an intriguing version of "Katy Cruel," work better than they should. So, does it capture the essence of Brit-folk? Yes and no. At its most wide-ranging, this does a great job, but as the focus inevitably narrows, things don't go quite as well. Still, as a starter pack for anyone interest in the genre, this will do a lot better than most. 

Met dank aan Motormuijs!!