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Product Description
Review
In 1990 June Tabor surprised everyone who had her pegged as the archetypal traditional song interpreter by linking up with the feisty Oysterband for the rocky Freedom and Rain album and promotional tour. It worked spectacularly well, enhancing the reputation and, perhaps, broadening the horizons of both parties, yet the experiment was never repeated. Until now, 21 years later, with Ragged Kingdom.
Most reunions or visitations to the past are doomed to failure and - invariably tackled for the wrong reasons - run the risk of tarnishing the reputation of the original. No such cynicism surfaces here as the relish, joy and mutual understanding clearly invested by all concerned contribute to an immaculate performance and presentation that surely surpasses even its celebrated predecessor.
On her second album of 2011 (her solo album, Ashore, is a tour de force in its own right) Tabor sings better than ever, responding to the simmering power of the band behind her to bring real depth and intensity to familiar traditional songs like Bonny Bunch of Roses, Son David and (a particularly fine version of) Fountains Flowing. These appear along with more leftfield choices like PJ Harvey's wonderful That Was My Veil, Shel Silverstein's The Hills of Shiloh and Bob Dylan's Seven Curses.
Tabor's anguished duet with John Jones on Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart has been a showstopper on the rare occasions they've performed it in the past, and it is no less moving here - the Oysterband singer's own empathetic vocal interplay with Tabor throughout the album is another key reason why it works so well. It feels like a genuine union which takes both Tabor and the Oysters beyond their normal realms, with stimulating results for them and us. Later, there's almost a Byrds-like quality to the jangling rhythms driving The Leaves of Life.
From Ray Cooper's raging cello on Seven Curses, to the majestic, ceremonial arrangement of The Dark End of the Street and the eerily humming backing vocals on the otherwise unaccompanied (When I Was No But) Sweet Sixteen, this is an album that constantly scores on almost every level.
--Colin Irwin
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Product Description
Bold 2011 collaboration from the British folk lynchpins ... their first in 21 years! Includes covers of songs by Joy Division and PJ Harvey.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a great album by accomplished musicians. It is majestic and moving, a tremendous achievement.The band creates all that is best in folk-rock. June Tabor sings the best she ever has. The choice of songs is impeccable, from Scots ballads (complete with glossary of words translated), to modern popular hits, given a glorious arrangement e.g. "Love will tear us apart" and "At the dark end of the street". The traditional ballads are sung with reverence but also with powerful energy, my favourites being, "Son David", and " The Leaves of Life".But all the tracks are there on merit, not a filler to be heard. There's a well designed leaflet, giving all the words of traditional ballads with credits as to where collected and from which singer.The whole CD cover is beautifully designed too.Go out and get it, make it a massive hit. Very highly recommended.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having seen June Tabor and Oysterband in concert most recently, where they were playing several songs, which they said they were playing for the first time live (bet they said that to all their fans in recent concerts!) and which were previews from what would be on this album, I've been impatiently counting the days down till the release. And it's been well worth that wait!
I went to that concert because of Tabor, but have now been seduced by Oysterband as well. Tabor's dark, brooding voice still reaches most deeply and soulfully I think on the very simply accompanied The Hills Of Shiloh, and/but she is equally at home as chanteuse with the driving rhythms of Oysterband, and a more folk rock fusion. From the exciting opening track Bonny Bunch Of Roses the listener is taken unstoppably through Tabor and Oysterband's John Jones duetting on Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart and Son David.
It's probably wrong to expect a studio album to quite reach the excitement of a live concert, but Jones' voice seems a touch more exposed, on piano high notes in the studio, against Tabor's powerful, but never straining vocals, specifically on Love Will Tear Us Apart. Notes which seemed to be pushed through only through felt emotion from Jones in that live performance here seems almost to be the result of technical strain on Love Will Tear Us Apart, though in the tight duetting on Dylan's Seven Curses Jones soars freely, and he is beautifully tender with Tabor on the closing track The Dark End Of The Street
Highlights for me are the excitement of the opening track, the aforementioned The Hills of Shiloh, the dynamism and vibrant excitement of If My Love Loves Me - particularly Ian Telfer's violin, the folk/religious ballad The Leaves Of Life, contrasting again, the driving, punchy beat and some beautiful acapella from Tabor and Oysterband.
But, hey, on subsequent plays, I find myself adding more tracks as highlights!
Oysterband and Tabor seem to spur each other enjoyably on. My big regret on this album is the non-inclusion of a couple of numbers from the live show last week - an electrifying performance of Jefferson's Airplane's White Rabbit and Velvet Underground's All Tomorrow's Parties (admittedly the latter one featured on the previous album 21 years ago) both proving Tabor can out Nico Nico and out Slick Slick. Her voice is truly amazing, and Oysterband have just the energy to match it. Rock's loss has been Folk's gain, with Tabor. She could I think sing almost anything .
I love the dark and painful reflective melancholy of Tabor's vocals, but the drive imposed by Oysterband's more urgent music works as a brilliant accelerator to Tabor, and she imposes a discipline and restraint well on them, so the balance point between the two is wonderful, electrifying.
I went to that concert because of Tabor, but have now been seduced by Oysterband as well. Tabor's dark, brooding voice still reaches most deeply and soulfully I think on the very simply accompanied The Hills Of Shiloh, and/but she is equally at home as chanteuse with the driving rhythms of Oysterband, and a more folk rock fusion. From the exciting opening track Bonny Bunch Of Roses the listener is taken unstoppably through Tabor and Oysterband's John Jones duetting on Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart and Son David.
It's probably wrong to expect a studio album to quite reach the excitement of a live concert, but Jones' voice seems a touch more exposed, on piano high notes in the studio, against Tabor's powerful, but never straining vocals, specifically on Love Will Tear Us Apart. Notes which seemed to be pushed through only through felt emotion from Jones in that live performance here seems almost to be the result of technical strain on Love Will Tear Us Apart, though in the tight duetting on Dylan's Seven Curses Jones soars freely, and he is beautifully tender with Tabor on the closing track The Dark End Of The Street
Highlights for me are the excitement of the opening track, the aforementioned The Hills of Shiloh, the dynamism and vibrant excitement of If My Love Loves Me - particularly Ian Telfer's violin, the folk/religious ballad The Leaves Of Life, contrasting again, the driving, punchy beat and some beautiful acapella from Tabor and Oysterband.
But, hey, on subsequent plays, I find myself adding more tracks as highlights!
Oysterband and Tabor seem to spur each other enjoyably on. My big regret on this album is the non-inclusion of a couple of numbers from the live show last week - an electrifying performance of Jefferson's Airplane's White Rabbit and Velvet Underground's All Tomorrow's Parties (admittedly the latter one featured on the previous album 21 years ago) both proving Tabor can out Nico Nico and out Slick Slick. Her voice is truly amazing, and Oysterband have just the energy to match it. Rock's loss has been Folk's gain, with Tabor. She could I think sing almost anything .
I love the dark and painful reflective melancholy of Tabor's vocals, but the drive imposed by Oysterband's more urgent music works as a brilliant accelerator to Tabor, and she imposes a discipline and restraint well on them, so the balance point between the two is wonderful, electrifying.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of he best albums I have ever bought. I can't stop listening to it. It has some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I can't believe it's taken me this long to discover their music.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Worthy Winner
It is no accident that this album picked up a clutch of awards at the BBC Folk Awards this year. June Tabor is still one of the finest interpreters of traditional songs and the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mary
Not a Ragged sound!
Hope these troubadours aren't offended but I got distinct echoes of Fairport at their melodic and lilting best - lovely album.
Published 1 month ago by C. G. Elly
Not Ragged at all ?
I'm not a hard core folk fan but I do listen to several folk artists and Show of Hands is a particular favourite. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Westie
I wanted to like it more
Having played Freedom and Rain so many times over the years I was expecting equally great things from this CD, but was disappointed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Paula Arthur
Knockout!
This album brings together Britain's foremost female interpreter of traditional songs and a band who are basically journeymen of the folk/rock genre for a second album 21 years... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Doctor Pint
JUNE TABOR & OYSTERBAND - Ragged Kingdom
No one could ever accuse the `oysters' of not opening up and here, fitting tighter than a pair of latex gloves on a surgeon's hands June Tabor and Oysterband come together for a... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Pete Fyfe
Oyster Band & June Tabor - Ragged Kingdom
This album is very good and reminds me very much of Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention. I have to say this is the first album I have of this band and would like to see them give... Read more
Published 4 months ago by lynfordlady
Hugely disappointing
The song selection's above reproach, but the arrangements are pedestrian beyond belief. Their first collaboration ("Freedom and Rain") is immortal for Suzie Clelland and Dark Eyed... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ben Koerner
A superb reunion
I did not know what to expect after 20 years since the last album with Oyster Band, but June Tabor is magnificent. Read more
Published 6 months ago by M. C. Prestage
Yes - it is (mostly) folk
The line between folk and rock has long been blurred. With a lot of the tradtional material done so often, new and established artists have increasingly turned to composing or... Read more
Published 6 months ago by T. J. Lloyd
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