Fellside Records has just pulled off a major scoop with a pair of double CD reissues of Bert Lloyd and Hedy West. The Fellside blurbs can be viewed here . But here's my opinion of both of them.

BRAMBLE BRIARS & BEAMS OF THE SUN, FECD240, comprises Bert's contribution to the legendary 10 LP set, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, which he and Ewan MacColl recorded for Riverside in 1956. When I wrote the booklet for the Topic reissue of MacColl's recordings for this set, I was working from some very rough transfers and dismissed Bert's singing there as being considerably inferior to that of MacColl. Having heard this release in clean remastered sound, I am forced to amend my opinion. BTW., it comes with a large, first class booklet written by Vic Gammon.

HEDY WEST. BALLADS & SONGS FROM THE APPALACHIANS. FECD241. These are the three LPs which Hedy cut for Topic in the 1960s; Old Times and Hard Times, Pretty Saro, and Ballads. They are issued in order of release, complete with the original notes, and every single track sounds as fresh and exciting as the day it was cut. I regard all three Hedy West Topic LPs as being among the greatest unmissables in my collection. So this must surely be among the greatest unmissable reissues of recent years.