2) Banks of the Sweet Primrose
3) Unquite Grave
4) Blacksmith
5) Blacksmith (Dub Version)
6) Strange Duet
7) They Came with a Swagger
8) Press Ganged
9) Sovay
10) Bykerhill
11) Trance of the Willow
12) Cannil Cannily (Reprise)
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English Roots Music is an album that grows on with each listen. The almost rap-like drum beat that starts off Cannily Cannily folowed by a twanging and sliding bass line sends one into a world of musical ecstacy. Liz Carter's vocals are exceptional.
The mighty blend of acoustic guitar and bass on Banks of the Sweet Primrose remind you of why Wobble has tried to modernise such songs. I would guess that the original writers of these songs would be proud that someone like Wobble has taken it and not bastardised it but done it justice (and how!)
Blacksmith & Dub are expressive songs.Jah Wobble's bass line barely changes throughout the whole song making it repititious with flutes over the top to give it that 16th centuary tinje.
Some of the songs are as intuiging as entertaining. They Came with a Swagger combines tribalistic toms with Industrial style drums and Heavy Metal style (for need of a better asimile) electric guitar. Not too dis-similar to something from the Deep Space album.
Sovay is almost purely vocalistic for the first two minutes until some steady droning bag-pipes provide accompaniment. The lyrics are gripping and when eerie synths start stabbing at you there is little to be desired. The song is very chilling.
Bykerhill is an old Irish folk number that I knew so well. I was amazed and partly delighted to see its name on the sleeve and more pleased to see that it is the one we used to sing in the school choir. I didn't even speak English (or Irish - haha) so didn't know what I was singing. For this iam indebted to Wobble & The Invaders for bringing this back to my memory. As you'd expect the song isn't the piano accompanied diamond that it was in school. The banging bass and dark scary synth noises are there in their entirety.
Trance of the Willow is another daunting song with Indian guitar style playing over the top. It's instrumental and lasts only for 55 seconds, but this is enough. Quality not quantity as they say.
Cannily Cannily Reprise is somewhat of an instrumental of the albums opener with added instruments. It's a highly enjoyable "jam" and a great close for the album. It also lifts the dark mood that the final few songs gave to the album and restores a more dub like musically enthusiatic edge.
On a total, I would rate this album 8/10 loosing points only because I feel the album could do with being a little longer. I've listened to it continuously since I got it and I can swear that each listen is better than the previous. It's almost infectious.
I wait for Wobble's next offering to blow my socks off and recieve a 10/10
Dianne Faber 2003