The term that comes to mind here is “quality product”. Joe Stilgoe is a songwriter of uncommon originality, a pretty amazing pianist and a singer who doesn’t need mannerisms to make an impression. Add to this a couple of dozen of the best musicians around, plus an appearance by the sublime Liane Carroll, and you have an album that you just can’t stop playing. Well I couldn’t, anyway. There’s a touch of 1950s about the orchestrations, an occasional hint of early 60s in the rhythm, but the lyrics have a cool knowingness that is spot-on today.
