Here's what I thought, from a post on Friendface:

Got this album yesterday - first 'new' folk purchase in a long time. The band is basically the Decembrists plus Olivia Chaney on (most) lead vocals; the material's trad. plus a song each by Ewan MacColl and Lal Waterson. It's all good - apart from a couple of rocked-up accordion tunes which sound exactly like mid-70s Albion Band* - but the plainer, less 'arranged' songs work best for me (a minimalist Willie o' Winsbury is the highlight). Olivia Chaney's song notes are interesting, and give full credit to the singers she got the songs from; most of the names are a bit obvious**, but I guess it'll get some less experienced listeners making discoveries.

Also, for the first half of the album I kept being reminded of unaccompanied renditions of the same songs I'd heard at the Gas Lamp and thinking I'd rather be there...! Live music is killing home taping, or something.

*The CD booklet makes it clear that this was precisely what they were aiming for on that track, so fair enough - I just really dislike that sound.

**Says man who got into folk way back in 2005...


To expand that point about sources, Olivia Chaney does credit Phoebe Smith and Almeda Riddle for a couple of songs, but otherwise the sources she cites are all a bit A-list - Martin Carthy, June Tabor, Maddy Prior, Norma Waterson, Ashley Hutchings. Wot no Tony Rose, Peter Bellamy, Tony Capstick, Shirley Collins, Ray Fisher...? No Brian Peters, Steve Turner, Jo Freya...?