Magpie Lane, Six For Gold (Beautiful Jo Records, 2002)

Magpie Lane is a six-piece band originating from the Oxford area in middle England. This is their 6th album. The band was originally formed as a one-off recording project in the winter of 1992-93 to record an album called The Oxford Ramble, a collection of songs and tunes from Oxfordshire. The lineup has changed over the years and to date the founder members still in the band are Ian Giles (vocals, hurdy-gurdy, side drum & bodhran), Mat Green (fiddle & vocals), and Andy Turner (vocals, & anglo-concertinas). They are joined by Marguerite Hutchinson (vocals, whistles & flute), Sophie Polhill (vocals & cello), and Benji Kirkpatrick (vocals, bouzouki & guitar).

Their choice of songs is very good; they are unmistakably middle England, sung well, although I found their delivery just a tiny bit clinical with no trace of a regional accent. All of the 16 tracks are traditional except tunes 'Stotty Cake Polka' (Andy Turner) and 'Ganivelle' (Fredric Paris). Upon hearing the song 'Juniper Gentle and Rosemary', a friend of mine remarked how much Ian Giles voice sounded like that of Pete Coe. It is not surprising that the song, a traditional Child ballad, is featured on the album and that he learnt it from Pete. Other songs sources come from the Copper Family in the form of 'The Constant Lovers', Ralph Vaughan Williams 'John Reilly', and the Shadrack Hayden (A.K.A. Shepherd Hayden) song 'Once I Was a Shepherd Boy'. Percy Grainger collected 'Bold William Taylor' from Joseph Taylor in 1908 and around about that time the song 'The Foggy Dew' was collected from Mr J. Pomery in Bridport, Dorset. All these gems are here on this album.

Although Ian takes most lead vocals, all are excellent, and nicely varied between the members of the band. Benji Kirkpatrick takes lead vocal on the Harry Cox song 'Long Peggin Awl', leaving the rest to provide a nice backing that is one of the best I have heard for this song. It is hard to pick one track and say it's the best on the album, and I suspect it will be the same for you. But if pushed I would plum for the last song 'My Old Hat That I Got On', as this is one you don't hear very often. In this version collected from Tom Newman of Clanfield, Oxfordshire it has the "All for the grog, me jolly jolly grog" chorus line and is set to a Morris dance rhythm. The arrangement incorporates three dance tunes: 'The Indian Polka', 'God Killed the Devil-o' and 'La Dansomanic'; the latter after a slight nudge to the rhythm changes it into a jig. It works very well and makes a nice finish to the album.

On early albums from Magpie Lane, I found some of the singing reminiscent of a trained cathedral choir, as opposed to a rural county sound. I am pleased to say this is not the case with this album; the band has matured well. Benji, Matt and Andy have strong roots with Morris dance sets, and this is evident in their arrangements. Reminded me very much of the early days of the Albion Country Band, I am pleased to say. Lovely stuff. Yes, this is an album well worth having.