English Folk Anthology: And We’ll All Have Tea, Ed. Proper / Retro, 2000

Given the diversity of talent here, covering several decades’ worth of English folk, from A.L. Lloyd to Nic Jones and Richard Thompson, the quality of this double-CD set is astonishingly consistent, and all at a high level. Most of what is here is acoustic-textured music, whether it is original or traditional, but there are exceptions; most notably Richard Thompson, whose “Time to Ring Some Changes” includes drums and amplification.

In these surroundings, the latter sticks out a bit, especially appearing as it does juxtaposed to Tarras‘ “The Happy Salmon“, dominated as the latter is by Emma Hancock‘s violin playing, and Maddy Prior‘s “Somewhere Along the Road“, which follows, only heightens the contrast of the Thompson track. But the beauty of this collection lies in its sheer range of sounds and talent, grouping artists like Thompson, Prior, and Jones with older figures who aren’t well or widely represented on CD reissues, including A.L. Lloyd et al.

The annotation is minimal, as one would expected on a budget-priced collection, but the sound quality is excellent throughout.

Here’s the tracklist:

• CD 1
  1. Brass Monkey: The Foxhunt (3.55)  from See How It Runs, 1986
  2. Nic Jones: The Drowned Lover (6.25)  from Penguin Eggs, 1980
  3. Eliza Carthy & The Kings of Calicutt: Whirly Whorl (2.46) from Eliza Carthy & The Kings of Calicutt, 1994
  4. Mike Waterson: Swansea Town (4.18) from Mike Waterson, 1977
  5. Richard Thompson: Time to Ring Some Changes (3.44) from Hard Cash, 1990
  6. Tarras: The Happy Salmon (2.19) from Rising, 1999
  7. Maddy Prior: Somewhere Along the Road (3.20) from No More to the Dance, 1988
  8. The Watersons: The Good Old Way (Roud 23864) (3.26) from For Pence and Spicy Ale, 1975
  9. Cyril Tawney: The Bold Benjamin (1.58) from Farewell Nancy, 1964
  10. Robin Dransfield: Spencer the Rover (4.30) from Tidewave, 1980
  11. Louis Killen: The Flying Cloud (7.03) from Ballads & Broadsides, 1965
  12. Oak: Shepherds Arise (3.04) from Welcome to Our Fair, 1971
  13. Shirley Collins: Brigg Fair (2.15) from The Sweet Primeroses, 1967
  14. Martin Carthy: Sovay (3.35) from Life and Limb, 1991
  15. John Kirkpatrick: Brighton Camp / The March Past (3.41) from Plain Capers, 1976
  16. Lal and Norma Waterson: Bonnie Light Horseman (2.59) from A True Hearted Girl, 1977
  17. Martin Simpson: The Keel Row (2.36) from True Dare or Promise, 1987
  18. Lal Waterson & Oliver Knight: Flight of the Pelican (3.44) from Once in a Blue Moon, 1996
• CD 2
  1. The Albion Band: Striking for Another Land (5.50) from Give Me a Saddle, I’ll Trade You a Car, 1989
  2. Andrew Cronshaw: The Blacksmith (3.02) from The Andrew Cronshaw CD
  3. June Tabor: I Will Put My Ship in Order (6.08) from A Quiet Eye
  4. Martin Carthy: The Wife of Usher’s Well (4.04) from Signs of Life, 1998
  5. Clive Gregson & Christine Collister: I Specialise (4.48) from Mischief, 1987
  6. Eliza Carthy: Adieu, Adieu (Roud 30101) (4.34) from Red, 1998
  7. Anne Briggs: Martinmas Time (4.50) from The Bird in the Bush, 1966
  8. A.L. Lloyd: The Drunken Maidens (1.47) from English Drinking Songs, 1998
  9. Ewan MacColl: The Four Loom Weaver (2.51) from Shuttle and Cage, 1957
  10. The High Level Ranters: Shews the Way to Wallington / The Peacock Followed the Hen (2.18) from Northumberland For Ever, 1968
  11. Mike Harding: Ale Is Physic for Me (2.03) from Deep Lancashire, 1968
  12. The Oldham Tinkers: A Mon Like Thee (1.59) from Best o’ t’ Bunch, 1974
  13. John Kirkpatrick & Sue Harris: A Cheshire Hornpipe / Black Mary’s Hornpipe (4.09) from Facing the Music, 1988
  14. Silly Sisters: The Old Miner (6.11) from No More to the Dance, 1988
  15. Waterson:Carthy: Rambleaway / Valentine Waltz (4.35) from Common Tongue, 1996
  16. Roy Harris: The Royal Oak (2.03) from The Bitter and the Sweet, 1972
  17. Eliza Carthy: Jackie Tar (4.39) from Heat, Light & Sound, 1996
  18. John Tams: Who Will Blow the Candle Out (4.25) from Unity, 2000

Pubblicazione inglese del 2000 in 2 CD contenuti in una custodia in plastica apribile multidisco, protetta da un cofanetto editoriale in cartoncino lucido fotografico, inclusiva di leaflet con l’elenco dei brani.

Come Nuovo [non si notano danni, scritte, segni, urti o usure particolari che vadano evidenziate; dischi puliti e senza segni; booklet e cofanetto in condizioni più che eccellenti].