 | | Reviews | | |  BARRY DRANSFIELD
Barry Dransfield
Spinney 003CD
Described as one of the most sought-after major label folk albums, Barry Dransfield is the artist's eponymous first solo album, recorded in 1972 after he walked away from a huge Warner Brothers deal offered to the Dransfields duo. Originally from North Yorkshire, Barry and brother Robin were the seventies folk scene's exciting young guns and released classic albums in Rout Of The Blues and Lord Of All I Behold.
This re-release is a captivating collection of contemporary and traditional songs with all instruments and vocals by Barry, including guitar, fiddle and even clogs. There's no obvious seventies feel to the album and Barry's desire for the songs to resonate with a modern audience is still apparent in 2003. Lots Of Little Soldiers is a tongue-in-cheek anti-war song that has obvious, grim relevance whilst gentle songs such as Girl Of Dances and Be My Friend are beautifully performed, sitting happily alongside the two sets of jigs and reels included here.
Always a performer of great versatility - he was an instigator and performer on the seminal Morris On album and has acted in films such as Mutiny On The Bounty and Samson And Delilah - his ability to switch from the slightly sinister opening track The Werewolf to the closing track of General Worthington (originally used as a music hall advertisement for Worthington Beer) is one of his enduring talents. Maybe if he'd taken up that Warner Bros deal he would have become rich and famous, but you suspect that the constraints of the major label system would have taken something unique away from him. Whatever his reasons, there's no doubting that he was and is a huge talent and a revival of Dransfield appreciation is well worth championing.
Kit Bailey - April 2003
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Folk & Acoustic
