Search - Steeleye Span :: Individually & Collectively

Listen carefully--*best* early Steeleye

C. H Smith | Bowling Green, Kentucky United States | 12/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If asked to recommend an early Steeleye Span album, I would not hesitate to go with this one first. Yes, both "Please to See the King" and "Hark The Village Wait" are wonderful works, but this early collection draws several of the best cuts from each of these and combines them with material from Tim Hart and Maddy Prior's albums (from before they joined Steeleye)--including the touching 'Dancing at Whitsun'--and the long and superb 'Famous Flower of Serving Men' by Martin Carthy, featuring one of the era's greatest and most rousing folk vocal and guitar performances. Who had the happy idea of re-issuing this fine (and often overlooked) album? I bought the lp version of it soon after it came out originally in 1972, and it was this that eventually led me to pick up the earlier Steeleye records, and continue buying their subsequent ones. This one is worth getting even if you own, as I do, all the individual works involved, since it makes possible a review all at one listening of much of what was going on at that time and place."

One of the Flawless Few

mattgb1 | New York City | 06/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I absolutely adore Steeleye Span, but I admit that most of their albums are, well, punctuated with some duds. But not this one! Along with a small number of their albums, this one is flawless from beginning to end, and even the order of the songs is ideal for its overall effect. Several gems on this album still blow me away, especially the breath-taking "Famous Flower of Serving Men," the chilling "I Was a Young Man," the valiant "Female Drummer" and the delightfully infuriating "Four Nights Drunk." Along with "Hark the Village Wait," "Parcel of Rogues" and "Ten Man Mop" this album truly captures the spirit of this amazing ensemble!"