One track which I enjoyed on a Cooking Vinyl compilation was all I'd heard of Barely Works when I saw this compilation for a couple of quid, so took a punt.
And it's sat upstairs in the drawer since, apart from the obligatory quick spin when I first got it.
Initial impressions are of an interesting mix of genres, with traditional folk, cajun and a ska feel being very high in the mix, and it generally works, probably far better live than recorded. I'm listening now, and thinking that this music would be fantastic coming from an outdoor stage, in the summer sun with a few pints inside me. Why, it might even get me dancing.
And, as an album there's a few bits to like, even if there isn't much that gets me dancing round the office.
Opening with the folk standard Byker Hill, the tuba and ska opening beat suggest an interesting version, which sadly doesn't develop. As A Thoiseach is a traditional Celtic tune, well done, but indistinguishable from thousands of others. It's back to ska type brass for This Fire, a really nice, bouncy little song, followed by tedious jig / reel medley. My highpoint is the fantastic Big River, another one with a ska feel, and a rocking feel. Bread And Water sounds limp and far too long after this, while Maybe I'm A Fool is shorter, and listenable. But I'm struggling with the rest of the album, and to be fair, the folk genre isn't really one which delights me unless it's exceptional. Pull Me Up is a bright and enjoyable song, but there's not much else.
2* - I bet they're fantastic live, but it doesn't really translate to record.
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