| This Week's Highlights |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
|
@ DVDfever Youtube |
|
|
|
|
May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
|
Elly Roberts reviews
Steeleye Span
|
The world’s most renowned folk – rock band, Steeleye Span,
are wizzing around the globe to promote their fabulous new CD – They Called Her Babylon. It coincides with their 35th anniversary as the leading exponents of the genre, and displays all
the qualities which elevated them to cult status. Formed in 1969, they have experienced several personnel changes, and lived to tell the tale.
With their penchant for updating trad British folk with rocky arrangements, and multi - part harmonies, their music is a relevant today as it ever was. Famed for their two Christmas hits, Gaudete (No.14, 1973) and All Around My Hat (No.5, 1975) they have remained the most enduring of their contemporaries. However, on this night there was one key element missing, as I will reveal later. Stopping off at the Phil in Liverpool, six hundred folkies gave them a heroes welcome. With only one original member in their fold, vocalist Maddy Prior, she played alongside Peter Knight on keys and fiddle, ex – husband and bassist Rick Kemp, drummer Liam Genockey and recent recruit Ken Nicol on guitar. Never afraid to challenge the folk boundaries, they immersed themselves into an eclectic two hour set of past and present material. |
|
|
Part one started off as a relatively mellow affair, with songs like Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Butcher, but the pace increased with Drink.
Instrumentally they are masters of their craft; with some spellbinding fiddle work by Peter Knight particularly on Babylon as passionately caressed every note. His vocals sounded uncertain and shaky on many occasions. Kemp was rock solid on bass, with a rich timbre on vocals which expanded the range greatly. Nicol’s guitar added the rock element and he was confident but not great in the singing department. Biggest disappointment of the night was the lack of lyrical clarity on Prior’s singing. Supple-voiced she may well be, but she, or the sound engineer need to check it out quickly as it proved very frustrating to lose the wonderful tales. Listening to the album she’s as clear as a bell, and the historical stories of despair, bravery, greed turn out to be top drawer quality. Best songs were, Lankin, the romantic She Begged Some More, Samain, first sent closer Hat, the lengthy second set opener Tamlin (which may appear on their next album), the CD title track and stunning closer Gaudete. Collectively they are one of the best groups on the live circuit. They all seemed to be enjoying every moment, with Prior indulging in regular bouts of folk dancing. |
|
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
