Roy Bailey "Hard Times" (Fuse, 1982)
The longtime musical partner of English leftie folk legend Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey is a British sociology professor with a deep reserve of socialist political conviction, as well as a wonderfully resonant voice, applied to great use on this record. Of his solo albums, this is perhaps the best, with Bailey throwing himself wholeheartedly into such songs as Utah Phillips' famous defense of old folks, "All Used Up," and the related "When This Old Hat Was New." There's also the slightly histrionic antifascist paranoia ballad, "No Time For Love In The Morning," which, frankly, loses its appeal over the years. One the other hand, there is the chilling depth of "Roses of Eyam", a genuinely haunting ballad which depicts a Renaissance village being ravaged by the plague; equally strong is the historical ballad, "Song of The Leaders," which tells of the sad dismemberment of a 15th Century English peasant rebellion, led by Wat Tyler. On most of this album, John Kirkpatrick accompanies on accordion and concertina.

Roy Bailey "...Freedom Peacefully" (Fuse, 1985)
A typically nice sounding, traditionally-oriented, politically intense album, with songs critiquing unemployment, poverty, environmental disaster and militarism (in particular, the recently concluded British sortie over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands). Bailey draws heavily on the work of likeminded American folkies such as Charlie King, Charlie Murphy, and union organizer Si Kahn, who contributes a full three songs to this set. Lyrics that could be thematically dreary and grinding are made compelling by the sheerly musical elements -- Bailey's sonorous, heartfelt vocals, and in particular the meticulous traditionalism of Brit-folk stalwarts John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris. Nice stuff!

Roy Bailey - also see Leon Rosselson profile

Aly Bain & Ale Moller "Fully Rigged" (Northside, 2001)
Lovely fiddle music featuring Celtic bow-bender Aly Bain (of Boys Of The Lough) along with Nordic mandola whiz, Ale Moller, of the band Frifot. The two are obviously very much in synch with other, and this is a very dreamy, pleasant album. Interesting blend of the Celtic lilt and the Nordic lurch... Recommended!

Band Of Hope "Rhythm & Reds" (Musikfolk, 1994)
Just for old time's sake, a bunch of old-school leftie folkies get together and sing a few songs of hard times, repression, and the renewal of life through action and faith in the righteous cause. Although the disc is presented as a communal effort, the leading light is Roy Bailey, who reprises favorite tunes such as Jack Warshaw's "If They Come In The Morning," along with rabble rousers by Si Kahn, Leon Rosselson, and others. Adding their voices are John Kirkpatrick, Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy and Steafan Hannigan... To be honest, the performances seem a little rushed, but for those still fighting the good fight, this disc may lend some inspiration.

Les Barker - see artist profile

Battlefield Band "Happy Daze" (Temple, 2001)
Scotland's finest trad band unleashes their new secret weapon -- vocalist Karine Polwart, who emerges as one of the most striking new faces on the Celtic music scene. Warm, inviting, and capable of an easy glide between classic and contemporary forms, Polwart brings a softness to the Battlefield's normally somewhat austere sound. There seems to be a sympathetic response from her new bandmates, tempering the shrillness of their accordion-and-bagpipe led instrumentals, while accenting Alan Reid's mellower side as a singer. This is easily one of their best, most accessible albums... highly recommended!

Battlefield Band "Time & Tide" (Temple, 2002)
Although I lament the absence of vocalist Karine Polwart, this is another of Battlefield's best. The band's original guitarist, Pat Kilbride, is back after a 20-year absence (productively spent establishing his solo career), while the young multi-instrumentalist Alasdair White also comes on board, replacing longtime fiddler John McCusker (who is presumably devoting himself to his work with singer Kate Rusby..) At any rate, this is a solid album, the instrumental numbers sounding more fluid and less severe than on previous albums, and the (all male) vocals sounding similarly smooth, yet earthy. Highly recommended.

John Beag "The Winds Of Freedom" (Clo Iar-Chonnachta, 1993)
A fine album of traditional and trad-tinged folk songs, sung with a simple, earthy delivery. This is the first album that Connemara native John Beag O'Flatharta sang in English translation, rather than in Gaelic (he's done several other albums, including many recordings in sean-nos (a capella) style. It includes modern folkie material by the likes of Eric Bogle, Pete Coe and Archie Fisher; John Faulkner plays keyboards and guitar, and while this album isn't as resonant as Faulkner's best work, it's still in the same ballpark. Worth checking out; he's the real deal.

John Beag "Spirits Of Ireland" (2000)

Brendan Behan "Sings Irish Folksongs And Ballads" (Spoken Word)
Playwright and poet Brendan Behan, an early IRA loyalist and one of the great bad boys of modern Irish literature, chortles and guffaws his way through a lively set of a capella songs and spoken asides. No doubt this album was a fine recreation of his boozy performances in numerous Irish pubs; he skewers the English and sings of the bold Fenian men, free-associating his way through a thicket of wry references and nigh-incomprehensible inside jokes. Some of the songs are traditional, others are Behan's originals, and while the underlying political slant may make some uncomfortable, it's a likeable performances, with Behan's rich, mischieveous Dubliner accent holding hypnotic sway of his listeners. It may take a while to get in on the right wavelength, but this is a rewarding record. Not sure exactly when this came out -- I'm guessing the early '60s, before Behan's untimely death in '64 -- but it was briefly reissued on CD by the Outlet label, and may be locatable if you poke around a bit.

Peter Bellamy - see artist profile

Beyond The Pale "Beyond The Pale" (Self-released, 1999)
This Pennsylvania-based band mixes jaunty Celtic trad with more modern folkie influences, sort of like an American Oyster Band. Purists won't go for it, but modernists might.... They're spunky and earnest, that's for sure! (For more info, here's the band's website, www.beyondthepalemusic.com )

Beyond The Pale "Hill Of Sallow" (Self-released, 2002)
This disc continues along the path of the first, mixing emotive, spiritually inclined folkie stuff with Celtic sounds... The trad influence takes a back seat, and the rough edges (which I thought were endearing) are smoothed out in favor of a larger, more rolling sound. Sadly, they sound a bit stuffy on this one...

Celtic/Brit Folk Albums - More Letter "B"

Main Celtic/Brit Index
Main World Music Index