THE VERY BEST OF STEELEYE SPAN - PRESENT
A Review by Mark Edward Askren
At first glance, one might easily dismiss the new Steeleye
Span album, The Very Best of Steeleye Span--Present.
Consisting of nineteen classic tracks drawn from the band’s most successful
years, the album appears to resemble one of the many compilation albums often
released without the band’s consent. But it is important to realize that
this album is more than just another random collection of Steeleye hits.
The songs represented here are reworkings of those tunes; nearly all of them
have been rearranged, in some cases radically. The album thus gives
Steeleye followers something new, while paying homage to its much heralded past.
It is in the newness of the album that one finds a number of
special treats. First, it marks the return of a much loved line-up of band
members. Not only has Maddy Prior returned after a long absence, but
Present sees the return of nearly all the band members that have made Steeleye
great over the years: Liam Genockey on drums, Rick Kemp on bass, violin virtuoso
Peter Knight, and lead guitarist Bob Johnson, in what may well be Bob’s
swansong recording. Coaxed back to the recording studio after the band’s
last album, Bedlam Born, Bob’s guitar-playing truly shines here.
Adding further to the list of surprises is Peter Knight’s welcome return to
the mandolin.
As mentioned, most of the songs are reworked to more or less
degree. In many cases, the tempo of the tunes is slower, lending a easy
gracefulness and maturity to each melody. Elsewhere, particularly on the
accapella numbers, the band captures the medieval flavour that characterised its
early work. The album opens with “Sir James the Rose,” a strong
showing from Bob that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The
arrangement is similar to the original on Rocket Cottage, but
Peter’s playing on his now-famous ‘Octave’ violin adds new warmth to a
much-loved tune.
The song is followed by “Hard Times of Old England,”
which receives a vastly different arrangement than before. Much slower
than the original, the song boasts some beautiful acoustic guitar work from Bob,
backed by an organ accompaniment and the lyrical playing of Peter’s fiddle.
“Cam Ye O’er Frae France” is next, featuring Peter’s mandolin and some
rhythmical drumming by Liam before closing with violin.
“Thomas the Rhymer” follows, played much as it has in
concert over the years. American fans of the band should note that this
version is the full version of the song, not the shorter studio one that graced
the American version of Now We Are Six. Steeleye’s famous
harmonies are then demonstrated in the “Lyke Wake Dirge,” a song never
appearing on a Steeleye album before, though apparently it has been performed in
concert. The tune is sung accapella and is one of the more distinctive
tunes on the album.
“Black Jack Davey” follows, with an arrangement similar
to the original recording, again sporting Peter’s majestic violin. The
buoyant “Two Magicians” is next, as Peter plays his electric violin through
an envelope filter, creating an eerie, almost “wah-wah”- like sound at one
point.
“Blackleg Miner” receives a new treatment, sounding more
like later renditions of the song than the version on Hark! The Village
Wait. The song is punctuated by Rick’s superb bass-playing and
excellent guitar work from Bob. Disc one ends with “All Around My
Hat,” sporting the characteristically tight harmonies that helped forge
Steeleye’s success.
Disc two opens with arguably one of the strongest tracks on
the album, the vastly rearranged “When I Was on Horseback.” The song
is played at a slow tempo and possesses some very haunting violin-playing from
Peter and brisk guitar from Bob. The exuberant “John Barleycorn”
follows, a positively joyful rendition sung by Rick in a manner that makes one
forget that it was Tim Hart who originally sung this melody. Peter’s
mandolin also gets a good workout here
“Long Lankin” is next, revealing Bob in strong voice and
Peter at his lyrical best, particularly in the closing fadeout. “One
Misty Moisty Morning” has Peter again on mandolin, until the end where the
famous tune moves into the extended instrumental melody that Peter has used in
the song’s live performances.
Peter’s song about trouble on the high seas, “Let Her Go
Down,” is performed here in a new arrangement, this one sporting the lyrics
Peter originally intended instead of the version that appears on Sails of
Silver. “Gaudete” follows, this time in a much more austere
form than has been heard in recent versions, providing a medieval tinge that has
been missing from Steeleye’s recent music and harking back to the band’s
traditionalist roots.
“The Weaver and the Factory Maid” presents some good
fiddle-playing from Peter and strong harmonies. This is followed by
“Drink Down the Moon” in a new version, highlighting Peter’s
‘Octave’ violin. Rick keeps the momentum going, while Bob provides
some nice electric touches, and Liam’s drumming is consistent, as usual.
A fitting ending to the album is “King Henry,” revealing
some absolutely brilliant guitar-playing from Bob and some superb violin
interplay from Peter. Then, some 17:19 minutes after this track, is a
surprise bonus from Maddy, as she sings an accapella version of “Rosebud in
June” with echoing resonance.
The album’s liner notes to the songs are shared by Maddy
and Bob, with a single contribution from Peter. The title of album, Present,
as Maddy recently indicated on the band’s current tour, is a three-way pun:
present, as in a gift; present, as in now; present, as in here.
This a touching way to look at the album, one given greater
poignancy by the revelation that Bob Johnson has a heart condition. Fans
of Bob should therefore appreciate the album more than usual, as it may well be
the last time he records with the band. That said, Present
is a worthy accomplishment by a band that has seen its share of ups and downs,
and which continues to find innovative ways to bring good music to its fans.
Mark Edward Askren 2002
