ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Chumbawumba
English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 MUTT RECORDS 16.06.03 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk There's a lot more to English history than kings, queens and wars. There is a rich and healthy tradition of rebellion stretching from the apparently distant past to the Poll Tax, anti-war work and anti-globalisation campaign work. What better to sustain us through the long cold watches of the picket line than song? And so, these events are recorded in songs passed down across the years, not so distant at all. Here Chumbawamba delve back to the fourteenth century to bring us the voices of Wat Tyler's Peasant's Revolution. Songs go on to celebrate the Diggers, the Luddites, the Chartists and all, right up to the miners' strike of the nineteen eighties. Back in 1988, when this record was first released it was a step out of the ordinary for Chumbawamba, better known for rabble-rousing stompy benefit concerts. When I was a youth I used to experiment with convention, for example by going to a Crass gig in a sports jacket. This record was Chumbawamba dressing up to challenge punk conventions. And, focussing more on the statement than the execution, the songs suffered. My copy only got played once. It was sometimes poorly performed, often shrill; excellent in conception, musically lacking. This is a welcome re-recording of those songs by a band that has grown in reach enough to turn in a mini album of songs to learn and sing. Songs that record our history, songs that remind us of what the rich and powerful will do to us if they can and what we can do about it. It is a lesson in the real history of English workers and I recommend it as a starting point. If you want to look further but struggle, as I do, with the tone of folk clubs here's a few places to look: Roy Bailey - singer who gathers political songs from past and present. His choice of songs serves as good pointers to interesting writers. Tours occasionally with Tony Benn. Some good records out there - mostly by post. Leon Rosselson - hard-edged, cynical yet soft songwriter. Often more pleasant to hear his songs sung by others. Wrote The World Turned Upside Down - a hit for Billy Bragg. Plenty of records and covered by lots of performers. Robb Johnson - teacher turned singer / songwriter. Plays often and has a lot of records. Si Khan - contemporary folk chronicler of social struggles and union activist. Hard to find his records. If you know others we should be listening to, e-mail us and we'll add their names.
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