ALL AROUND MY HAT

Steeleye Span's eighth album, "All around my hat" was their second of 1975, and their most successful release to date. That success can be attributed in great measure to the title track, which was released as a single in the UK, peaking at number 5. This would be the only time in their entire career (to date) the band would release a top 10 single.

Such success can be a double edged sword, and in this case it led to traditionalists accusing the band of selling out. Such accusations are however rather misguided, since the album as a whole contains some familiar Steeleye Span material. Once again the line up is unchanged, and the selections are almost exclusively based on traditional folk songs.

The opening "Black Jack Davey (or "Davy")" for instance would have felt right at home on the fine "Now we are six" album. The song is based on a Frances James Child (collected) ballad alternatively known as "The gypsy laddie". The song contrasts soft verses with an excellent upbeat chorus, the version here featuring a fine instrumental arrangement. The following "Hard Times of Old England" is equally strong in the melody department, Maddy Prior harmonising superbly with the rest of the band. Prior's style of delivery here is slightly different, with an almost country twang to it. The song also contains a good instrumental break led by guitar.

"Cagwith anthem" is a joyful example of folk sung in a-cappella fashion, the brass accompaniment (apparently uncredited) making for a pleasing closing section. The instrumental "Sum waves" offers something of a departure from the usual jig track. Here, the violin playing is much looser, perhaps even distorted, the result being an interesting variant from the band norm. The male vocals on "The Wife of Usher's Well" actually sound like they were sung by producer Mike Batt. The song is based on another Child ballad, the arrangement once again being immensely satisfying. "Gamble gold" tells a good old tale of Robin Hood meeting a peddler who turns out to be a relative of his. The traditional title of the song is actually "The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood".

So now we come to the much derided title track. The main thing "All around my hat" suffers from is over familiarity. OK, so it is hardly the most challenging of songs, folk or not, but here we have Steeleye Span's "Owner of a lonely heart" or "I know what I like". This is a highly accessible but nonetheless well recorded song which is far from deserving of the snooty dismissal it seems to attract. Honest, it is OK to enjoy the song, the prog police will not come knocking at your door to destroy your collection. By the way, the 12 months and a day reference relates to the traditional period for mourning.

On "Dance With Me", Maddy sound like she has been inhaling helium, singing right at the top of her range. The song is a lighter, if rather nondescript affair. The album closes with "Bachelors Hall", a sedate song with a drunken sing-along chorus.

Much of the credit for the punchy rhythms which prevail can be placed with producer Mike Batt who, despite his association with The Wombles, has a fine pedigree when it comes to production. Because of the link with Batt and the enormous success of the title track, it is all too easy to view this album superficially and dismiss the contents en-masse. To do so though is to deprive oneself of a fine Steeleye Span album, well up to the standards set by its recent predecessors.

Incidentally, the decidedly unappealing sleeve is similar to that of Rick Wakeman's "No earthly connection" in that with the right equipment the corrected image can be viewed. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time!

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