We’ve had this memorable CD for a long time, and listen to it frequently. Although we once had a brief review of this on GMR (done by Jack Merry), the file appears to have slipped sideways in time, so Cat asked me to write up another one. I’m happy to oblige!
Band of Hope represents a collaboration of five splendid UK musicians aimed at preserving, disseminating, and celebrating songs that challenge the political status quo. Roy Bailey convened the group and provides the primary vocals in a passionate, distinctive style. Martin Carthy plays guitar and provides supporting vocals on some of the tracks. John Kirkpatrick contributes his unforgettable button accordion sound and also offers occasional vocals. Dave Swarbrick (of Fairport Convention fame) plays fiddle and mandolin. Steafan Hannigan adds both percussion and pipes to the mix. The overall effect is one of liveliness and rich texture, with a nice rough edge that works well with the musical themes.
Rhythm & Reds (I hope you get the great pun!) offers some of the catchiest music you’ll ever hear. The CD is fifty-seven minutes long and features eleven tracks. Most include vocals, although track 1 opens with a wonderful medley including one of my very favorite tunes, ‘Nonesuch,’ and track 7 is a snappy instrumental written by Swarb. The lyrics are savage and biting, reflecting an English working class sensibility, with a political perspective that reminds me of the Levellers, the Oysterband, McDermott’s 2 Hours or Billy Bragg. Here’s an example from the first vocal track, ‘Boxing Day:’
There’s a fence around the common land put there by the law It’s called hunting if you’re gentry but it’s poaching if you’re poor And the law forgives your trespass like the hounds forgive the fox You must number all your blessings with the ha’pence in your box And it feels like winter, spit to eat and hell to pay It feels like Reynardine on Boxing Day!
The vocals are mixed forward on each track, making the lyrics quite easy to hear and understand. In the unlikely event you can’t, they are also printed in the liner notes, although you may have to adjust your glasses to read them! The liner notes also include a nice essay from Roy explaining the genesis of the idea that led to the CD and noting that the entire recording took just two days to complete! You’d never guess that from the high production quality-that’s a testament to the talent and dedication of the participating musicians.
Despite the reference in the CD’s title, the songs are not particularly related to Communism in any of its guises. The CD doesn’t include a rendition of the Internationale–although that would have been an interesting addition! I would characterize the politics in evidence here as progressive populist. The instrumental medley in the first track and the final song, ‘Hard Times of Old England,’ are traditional. With the further exception of Swarb’s instrumental composition, ‘Carthy’s March and The Lemon Tree,’ the rest of the tracks are covers, authored by such notables folkies as Si Kahn, ‘Send Me Back to Georgia’; Robb Johnson, ‘Boxing Day’ and ‘Ballad of Vic Williams’; John Pole, ‘See It Come Down’; and Leon Rosselson, ‘Who Reaps the Profit? Who Pays the Price?’
Given that the CD is over fifteen years old, how likely is it that you’ll find a copy? Well, it’s still listed (albeit in cassette format only) on the Musikfolk Web site along with a number of other CDs featuring Roy Bailey with various collaborators, including John Kirkpatrick and Robb Johnson. Alas, that’s the only trace of it I found on a web prowl!
(Musikfolk, 1994)
Editors note: Musikfolk is now defunct but the CD is occasionally to had on Amazon UK and the like.
