Yes, the Critics Group did make some interesting themed albums with lots of fascinating material that you couldn't hear elsewhere at the time.

Unfortunately, I recall that these albums almost immediately fell victim to the vicious anti-MacColl prejudice which this thread proves is still active. A lot of third-raters and thwarted rock-stars (who were often using the folk world as a stepping-stone for their own tawdry careers) accused the Critics of being 'MacColl clones' (as opposed to being 'Dylan clones', or whatever, I suppose) and that was that. It's a very sad world!