Burlesque is a desperately inconsistent c.d.. When it's good - the opening three tracks, Fire Marengo - it's brilliant. When it's poor -Flash Company, Courting Too Slow, Death and the Lady - it borders on the unlistenable.

Unlike Spiers & Boden albums (which are all superb) there is just not enough substance to justify a positive vote. The Barely Works did it far better a decade and a half ago. However....

A friend of mine who doesn't like folk music very much (once,when he called round and I was listening to Spiers & Boden, ironically enough, he said "You're still listening to that fucking tribal shite, then!")regards it as one of the best albums he's ever heard. So what do I know?

Guess I'll pop down to Pontardawe on Saturday and see if they're any better live!

Diolch

Wayne