Park Records [Release date 21.06.19]

Unlike many long established bands who only add a few songs off any new album into their set lists, Steelye Span have added nearly all of ‘EST’D 1969’ into their current set list.

Take a song like ‘Harvest’, which sounds like it has been around a lot longer than it has.  A classic Steeleye Span song anchored in English history and one of the many on this album which utilises the band’s harmony vocals to great effect (all bar drummer Liam Genockey contribute backing vocals). Ian Anderson guests adding his flute playing to ‘Old Matron’, a song that wouldn’t look out of place on an early Jethro Tull album.

Maddy Prior sings a cheeky vocal on ‘Domestic’, where the second part of the song deals with a wife and her husband’s lack of ‘courage’ in the bedroom. The song also highlights that Steeleye Span have never been afraid to push the rock side of their folk rock credentials.  The song features plenty of guitar and solos from Julian Littman and Andrew ‘Spud Sinclair.

The band’s take on ‘The January Man’, written by Dave Goulder and performed by Christy Moore and Mike Harding amongst others, harks back to the 60’s folk boom as Tim Hart used to sing this. In fact the album is a good mix of modern production and sound, giving a new sound to many traditional songs and folk ballads.

Maddy’s and former member Rick Kemp’s daughter Rose Kemp wrote the excellent album closer ‘Reclaimed’. The band debuted this one on last year’s autumn tour. Sung a cappella it sounds wonderful on the headphones and the wise words of the song show nothing is permanent -

‘Roots and time will move concrete and iron,

And ivy and water will loosen any mortar,

And all that man has built will crumble down to silt’.

Newer members (both joined in 2017), multi-instrumentalist Benji Kirkpatrick and violin player Jessie May Smart, are adding to the band’s overall sound, especially the acoustic instruments played by Kirkpatrick.

Steeleye Span are sailing with confidence into their fiftieth anniversary, backed by this very enjoyable album and the band’s seemingly endless love of getting out and performing live in order to keep their songs and traditional music alive. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 25 November 2024

KING KRAKEN Chainsaw Saviour (indie)
BEBORN BETON American Girls (Dependent Records)
SMASH INTO PIECES Maze Of Feels (indie)
WELSH WOLF When You Cry (indie)
DREAMING OF CITRA Bitter (indie)
OFF LIGHTS Love You Sober (indie)
THUNDERMOTHER Dead Or Alive (AFM Records)
SKAM Selfish Friend (indie)
SORRY X Bring Me To Life (SBG Records)

Featured Albums w/c 25 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

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