release date: 1988
format: cd (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]
producer: Chumbawamba
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK
3rd studio album by Chumbawamba originally released on Agit Prop is really something else. It's the band's traditional folk music ('folklore') and a cappella interpretations of traditional British workers' folk songs. Apparently, the band re-recorded the songs in 2003 and released the album as English Rebel Songs 1381-1984, an album containing the addition of two songs.
Allmusic.com hasn't reviewed the original release but the site has handed the new 2003 version 4 / 5 stars, although, claiming "Fifteen years on, they've learned a lot more about their voices, about music, and about the world." But still, I cannot grant it more than half the amount of stars. It must have been a huge turning point for any fan of this band, who up until this nearly only played anarcho punk rock and here they suddenly play traditional folk music without other instrumentation than their singing voices. The predecessor Never Mind the Ballots (1987) introduced a different approach to music with narrating style, but still it was presented with strong satire and social awareness. This has only the social awareness, and no satire, and no strong criticism.
I think, you have to be (more than) just a bit interested in ancient music to embrace this collection of songs.
Not recommendable.
