After the Brawl is the second album from Stocai, the first being Champagne Brawl (1998). The members are from various parts of southern England and the Midlands, and similarly After the Brawl is a charming and diffuse array of European dance music.

Not every band has a bassoon, but Stocai does, played by Sheena Masson, and it adds quite a bit of spice. This tubular and musically flexible tuba surrogate gives the tunes a snaking ambience, as if the musicians were cheerfully sneaking around. The band plays a number of other instrument as well, but not hurdy gurdy; perhaps the bassoon and smallpipes makes up for it, for instance on "Dune," a Frenchlike composition by Chris Walshaw, where the pipes take the gurdy's role.

A few of of the tunes come from other Blowzabella inspired "Eurofolk" bands. "Felix Aus Der Asche" is another faux gurdy tune, originally from Germany's Holderlin Express. "Muineira de Cabana" is an original jig from Spain's Milladoiro...sounding Spanish, but at the same time French! Other are Celtic, including a gentle, dreamy accordion-guitar waltz called "Inisheer," from the Irish group Buttons and Bows. "Auld Donald" is an old style Scottish dance band song in strict tempo, with fiddle, box, and rhythm piano. "Engelska" is another gentle dance tune, this time taken from the Swedish group, Bask and played on flute and fiddle.

Stocai often appends one of their own compositions (or rather compositions by one of their own) onto these pieces; sometimes the original tunes append to each other. Like the borrowed tunes, these are pleasant, as well as skillfully composed and played. None of the tunes are striking enough to take over the album, but they are diverse and danceable. Two I like are "Redstart" by frettist Kevin Adams, for its reggae rhythm, and "Chocolate Dog" by keyboardist Heather Horsely, for the quality the bassoon lends to the song.

[Judith Gennett]