Steeleye Span – Below The Salt (1972)

A few weeks ago I picked up a Jethro Tull album series, for under a fiver, and having listened to one, I'm not relishing the rest. It was with similar misgivings that I bought a Steeleye Span series, from the same set, for a similar price, although perhaps a little more hopefully, since this does seem to contain albums from the most successful part of their career.

While I'm partial to a bit of folk-rock on occasion, it's generally those where the rock side dominates the sound, even if the compositions are traditional or in that style. Steeleye Span, however, always felt too folky for me, and I've bought it knowing my wife will happily take it off my hands, being much more folk-inclined than me.

This starts with Spotted Cow, a very folk guitar intro and Maddy Prior singing about going out one morning, and my heart sinks. The Jigs in the middle of the first half are pleasant and lively, and Royal Forester probably the most compelling folk tune so far.

The second half opens with the epic King Henry, a rambling traditional song where the electric accompaniment works well. Hit single, yes really, Gaudete, an acapella carol sung in Latin, which is more than can be said for the limp version of English folk classic John Barleycorn. The album ends with Saucy Sailor, not as I'd hoped a rollicking sea shanty, but a mournful ballad, well delivered by Maddy Prior.

To be honest, this really isn't my thing - it's far too folk club hand over one ear type music. But they do occasionally get the foot tapping.

Link to full album

2* - Far too folky for my tastes, and there's another four to go!