Hedonism
Navigator Records: Navigator 042
With a sleeve cover (superbly photographed by David Angel) that looks as if it had just leapt off the canvas of a Hogarth painting Bellowhead return with more of the band’s theatrically treated ‘folk’ excursions. Tried and tested favourites such as New York Girls, Hand Weaver and The Factory Maid and the energetic A-Begging I Will Go with its riff injected melody you could hardly say the band were hiding their light under a bushel. No, let’s get one thing straight. This is a group that, were they around some years earlier would have been labelled ‘wandering minstrels’. Does anyone remember the 17th Century London restaurant Tiddydols? The music is rambunctious, in your face and pulls no punches in its presentation. I won’t be churlish in picking favourites but let’s be honest; this is the band that should have spear-headed the latest touring production of Lark Rise To Candleford. Unlike that production this album is quality stuff…nuff said!
Pete Fyfe - November 2010
