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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Although he's long been a mainstay of the British folk scene with the band Home Service, Unity is surprisingly John Tams' first solo album. Or perhaps it's not so surprising. This album's most striking and attractive virtue is Tams' evocative, Yorkshire-inflected voice, which he employs to good effect in singing his gritty lyrics about the plight of the working man. Musically, though, it's a bit of a mixed blessing, with upbeat folk-rock numbers cast straight from the Steeleye Span/Fairport Convention mould (like the opening "Whole New Vision") alongside plaintive ballads in which Tams is at his most vocally expressive, and even a miner's protest song, "Harry Stone", that sounds uncomfortably dated. The standout track is the medley "Somewhere the Sun is Shining/Hold Back the Tide" in which Tams duets with the wonderful Linda Thompson. He also recalls his role in the TV series Sharpe with "Spanish Bride", a song he performed on the soundtrack Over The Hills And Far Away: The Music Of Sharpe. Overall, it's an album that will delight his many fans, but is unlikely to persuade newcomers that the British folk-rock scene has anything strikingly new to offer. --Mark Walker
CD Description
NOW AT MID PRICE: UNITY and John Tams, Double Winner in the 2001 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Album and Best New Song,"Harry Stone (Hearts Of Coal)". When John Tams released UNITY in May 2001, no one could quite believe it was his first solo album. John had been a fixture on the scene for 25 years or more and yet this was his first solo work. He first came to prominence as a key member of Ashley Hutching's Albion Band, recording arguably their finest album "Rise Up Like The Sun" for EMI’s Harvest Records and then going on to form Home Service, one of the seminal English folk rock bands of the early 1980s. As well as folk music, John's other love was the theatre and through his work with the Albion Band and Home Service he became Musical Director for The Cottesloe Theatre at The National Theatre where such works as "The Mysteries" and "Larkrise to Candleford" were produced to great acclaim. He has had extensive acting work in television and films and is probably best known for his role as Daniel Hagman playing with Sean Bean in the long running Napoleonic War series "Sharpe" in which he also co-wrote the music with Dominic Muldowney and produced the album for the series "Over The Hills And Far Away" which went on to sell over 100,000 copies. When UNITY broke on the scene, it reminded people why The Albion Band and Home Service were so popular in their day: it was John Tam's voice, compositions and overall influence that made those groups. While John has gone on to release two more albums to great critical and popular acclaim, it was the solid achievement of UNITY which really put him on the map. Musicians include Barry Coope and ex-Albion Band and Home Service guitarist Graeme Taylor with a guest vocal appearance by Linda Thompson. Tracks: Whole New Vision / American Dream (Girl In Texas) / From Where I Lie, Sheepcounting / Unity (Raise Your Banners High) / Spanish Bride / Somewhere The Sun Is Shining, Hold Back The Tide / Winds of Change (Yalta Bach – Bonfire Night 1992) / Harry Stone (Hearts Of Coal) / Who Will Blow the Candle Out Tonight? On 6th February 2006 John Tams won three more awards at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, centred around his latest album THE RECKONING (TSCD551): Folk Singer Of The Year, Best Album and Best Traditional track ("Bitter Withy"). Also available: HOME (TSCD533).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
John Tams is best known among the general public as the "shaggy guy who sings" from the "Sharpe" films. This does him a serious injustice - over the years he has been a member of a number of bands (including "The Albion Band" and "Home service") and has been very involved with a large number of theatre and radio productions, both musically and as an actor.
All this has given him a phenomenal amount of experience. For this reason his first SOLO album (he has been involved in countless compilation albums or as a member of a band) is superb. Testament to this are the two awards it won at the BBC folk awards in 2001 - best album and best song ("Harry Stone").
If however, you think folk is not your thing, don't reject "Unity" out of hand. This album is immensly approachable from almost any aspect largely due to the way it tackles modern social issues that affect us all. This coupled with Tam's unique voice lends real feeling to the songs - somehow, you know this is a guy who cares.
All in all, Unity is a fantastic album, full of feeling, it can be enjoyed by people from many musical persuasions. Highly recommended...
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I found this album by chance while looking for something else, and I am very glad I did. Home Service produced superb music (their 'Alright Jack' is a classic must-have), and here John Tams has built and developed that sound. I've had the record two weeks and played nothing else in that time!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If this isn't in the mandatory "folk" album slot at the next Mercury Music Awards then there is no justice. John Tams has built on his years of involvement with the folk scene, in the excellent Home Service, and in the theatre to produce music that can not only stir up your blood to stand up for your rights as in "Unity"and "Harry Stone" but also reach your heart as in "Winds of Change" with its evocative feel. This music can cheer you up and make you think at the same time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
What makes John Tams' songs so special?
What makes John Tams' songs so special? Well, he has a genius for melody, and his words are intelligent and imaginative. Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2006 by Robert
Excellent mix of folk music
this album has a very good mix of the styles of music that John Tams is best at and includes music from the Sharpe TV series. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2001
Tams returns to brilliant form
John Tams has been around for a mysteriously long time, and has written some truly great songs about gritty issues such as mine closures, redundancy and the First World War. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2000
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