The Albion Dance Band

One thing is certain in this uncertain world – you can trust Ashley Hutchings to do interesting things with various areas of British folk and rock music. In the case of the Albion Dance Band, under its various names, the focus was on mutating traditional English dance and folk music, which led to escapades involving traditional tunes, Morris dancers, double drummers, dance callers, Philip Pickett's entire collection of medieval instruments, and serious rock guitar front lines that tend to leap onto the hay cart and start blazing away. The Prospect Before Us is particularly unusual, even for Hutchings and the Albions – a number of the tracks were recorded live in the studio, complete with dancing by the Albion Morris Men, an effort that resulted in some especially raucous moments: the bonus version of "Merry Sherwood Rangers" is far more staid than the live rendition that made it to the original version of this album. An essential purchase, we think.

Battle of the Field was recorded by the Albion Country Band in 1973, but it wasn't released until 1976. The delay didn't really matter, since the group's music – traditional English folk played on electric instruments – is essentially timeless. The group wasn't quite as skilled as Fairport Convention, but they were nevertheless extraordinarily talented, and this arguably remains their finest moment.

The Albion Christmas Band evolved from special seasonal shows by the last incarnation of The Albion Band. On a suggestion from Simon Care, a previous Albion band member himself, the band's original founder Ashley 'The Guv'nor' Hutchings brought together two other previous Albion Band members to create an autonomous band to present a guided tour through the Christmas customs of Britain. These popular concerts feature a mixture of seasonal carols, spoken word, humorous readings and dance. But they add a modern twist with some newly written songs. The combined talents of Simon Nicol (Fairport Convention), Kellie While (Albion Band), Simon Care (Edward 11), and 'The Guv'nor' himself, Ashley Hutchings, founder of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band.

Shirley & Dolly Collins - The Harvest Years (1969-1977) {2CD EMI 50999 2 28404 2 4 rel 2008}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 843 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 339 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 46 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969-1977, 2008 Harvest / EMI Records | 50999 2 28404 2 4
Folk / Celtic / Acoustic / Early Music / Medieval / Renaissance

This is a fabulous release with two albums from Shirley and Dolly Collins recorded on Harvest records and collected together. CD one brings us the album Anthems in Eden. Anthems in Eden is perhaps the most famous album and the most creative one from Shirley and Dolly Collins. This sixth album from Shirley is from 1969 and it is an incredible project. The album has been released and re released a few times. Here on this fabulous album Shirley provides her unique vocals along with Sister Dolly on portative organ. But this time there are a whole host of other musicians involved.

Harvest Festival is a genuinely comprehensive and thorough look at the one British major label venture into psychedelia and progressive rock that actually worked, commercially and artistically; it's a panoramic journey though a major part of British rock as it developed over a period of just under a decade. Over the five CDs and 119 songs, more than two dozen acts are featured, ranging from purely English phenomena like Michael Chapman, Quatermass, and Pete Brown to mega-arena acts like Pink Floyd, and the set comes complete with a built-in 120-page book that would be worth 35 dollars by itself.