Tony Wighton reviews the Steeleye album Bedlam Born

Bedlam Born.
It was waiting for me when I came home from work on Thursday evening (21/09/00). The second album since you know who left. Talking to John Dagnell (Park Records) whilst on the Maddy tour (there's another story!) I asked him whether it was like any of the previous albums? He said it was 'amoving forward, cutting new ground sort of album'. Talking to Maddy, she said it was a 'very strong album', well Rick has had to learn the songs for the upcoming tour, so she has had a sneak preview.

What do I say? I am not known for being overcritical, after all I am an unashamed fan, but I have to say that this rates high up with the best of them. If 'Horkstow Grange' was finding their feet , this is running for gold in the Olympics, and....... winning!

'A moving forward', more than half of the songs have been written, arranged, or adapted by Tim or Gay, which does give the band a new feel, but this is still Steeleye and it has an authority and deep rootedness about it, this may be a folk rock album, (or is that rock folk!) but there is no denying where those roots are, even on those songs/tunes written by the band. Also, there are plenty of quiet meditative songs on the album to complement the 'lets give it all we've got' stuff!

The album is a good tribute to Bob with 'Well done Liar', 'We poor Labouring Men' both sung on previous tours, and the new 'The Beggar' an excellent Bob rocker about the pleasures of drinking, (and begging) even if you haven't got a penny to your name, these three songs show Bob at his best, it is just a shame that we will never hear him play them, although anything is possible on the Steeleye Bus!

Tim proves himself to be just as much of a rocker with contributions like 'John of Ditchford', a mammoth song of ambush murder and revenge, adapted by Tim, this is pure rock that wouldn't seem out of place in a rock festival let alone a folk festival! Is it good? Awesome is a bit of an understatement really. Tim plays some mean Bass and guitar, and sings wicked vocals.

Also, Tim proves himself with the ballads, 'There was a Wealthy Merchant' a classic 'boy goes to sea, girl follows dressed in men's array, finds him wounded on the battle field, sends for the doctor, they get married and live happily ever after, but with a subtle twist at the end.

'Stephen' is the song by which the album gets it's name, again a Tim adapted song, a brooding folk tale about Herod's reaction to news of the birth of Christ. 'There is a child in Bedlam born', Bedlam is a by name of the Bethlem Royal Hospital, the first asylum for the insane. I assume that in this context it is just a shortening of the word Bethlehem...

On this CD Peter introduces his 'Octave electric violin' which adds a new dimension, it is menacing, moody, and very atmospheric, and talking of Peter....

'Who told the Butcher' is a Pete classic, sort of in the style of 'Harvest of the Moon' (but without the humming!) it is a 'riddle' song, and to quote Peter:

'I put down my fiddle when forming this riddle
intending to please you and tease you besides.
For the Butcher will seek every pool, every creek
till he finds the dark places where old Brownie hides'.

That tells you as much of what it is about as I can work out, but Peter and Gay do a superb job at telling the story.

Then there is 'Poor old Soldier', another Peter song, in the vein of 'Let Her go Down', a story of an ex soldier of the kind all of us know, proud to the end, reliving his experiences at every opportunity, Peter sings and plays classic keyboards.

This album sees the welcome re-introduction of the instrumental. 'Black Swan' was written and arranged by Tim, it is a wonderful layering of violin and keyboards, it could easily have been written by Handel! The only criticism I would make is that it is too short.

Gay has plenty of breathing space with 'I see his Blood upon the Rose', a haunting soaring melody, set against a steady rhythmic backdrop. There is a mystical quality about this song, as in 'Beyond the Dreaming Place'. Gay also gets her love of poetry in with 'Arbour' which is spoken over a simple and sparse keyboard and violin setting. Then there is 'The White Cliffs Of Dover' Now that is something else, forget Vera Lynn's version, (although the song is dedicated to her, plus North Yorkshire sheep farmers, anti G. M. crop activists, the homeless, and those who didn't make it to see the beautiful white cliffs of Dover!) this is sung over a wispy keyboard and violin that almost gives the impression of bubbling water..... Well you try describing it! No, I tell you what, go out and buy it and see for yourselves. Is it a good album? I have had it for 96 hours and it hasn't been off the CD player, I think that says enough don't you!

Tony Wighton. 2000