Customer Reviews

No Roses

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4 star:		(2)
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I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this CD at first. I was hoping for something more like Liege and Lief, what with so many alums of that best folk rock record ever present (on one track or another, everybody but Sandy Denny and Dave Swarbrick). But this is very much an Ashley Hutchings project, and Hutchings left Fairport Convention because he thought their sound wasn't folky enough. Another way to look at this is that it's an electric Shirley Collins record. The point is it doesn't rock all that hard-its still electric, still kinda folk rock, but it has a much more gentle, rural vibe. The only song that strongly calls Liege and Lief to mind is The Murder of Maria Marten, which is a minor masterpiece. It alternates verses describing the murder that sound like a cross between Matty Groves and The Deserter with verses where the condemned man addresses his listeners from the gallows sung by Shirley, her voice bathed in echo, accompanied by a single hurdy gurdy. If only the whole CD was as good as this song!

But if you take the rest of the CD on it's own terms, it's pretty interesting. Hutchings and Collins were trying to revitalize traditional English music, which they saw as moribund and endangered by the spread of American and Celtic music. The result is so unrepentantly unabashedly English it's almost exotic, like a kind of world music, as foreign-sounding in it's whiter-than-white way as the latest disc out of Mali or Tuva. They're not afraid of concertinas or fol-a-diddle fol-a-day choruses here. But, for my money, they make them work. It doesn't sound corny, it sounds rootsy--English roots, mate (although, to be honest, The Little Gypsy Girl and Hal-An-Tow do kinda push the corniness threshold). We're not talkin' uptight repressed top hat and umbrella British English, we're talkin' earthy peasant English, singing for pints in the pub dancing round the May Pole bringing in the sheep screwing in the hay English. And some of the melodies are really beautiful, particularly The Banks of the Bann (with Shirley's sister Dolly on piano) and Just as the Tide Was Flowing (given a more rocked-out treatment twenty years later by 10,000 Maniacs).

Shirley is in fine voice (she describes her voice in the accompanying notes as "moldy and strange, but at least it's my own", which is a very fair assessment), although she does get buried a bit on the louder songs-she's no Sandy Denny. Her voice is more fragile, but that fragility can make it very affecting. It has a salt of the earth quality that I find very appealing, and it is of course quite, quite English.

The arrangements are excellent-varied and very evocative, with interesting mixes of instruments (electric guitar, medieval instruments, accordion, even the sound of a horse-drawn cart on one song) but they're a little tight-not a lot of soloing, which is, again, a bit of a disappointment given the fact that Richard Thompson is aboard. But I think the idea was to keep the focus on the songs rather than on soloists.

This album has been with me since first released in or about 1971. It still holds fascination and the best songs resound with the inevitability of the great folk songs.
The opening song "Claudy Banks" which is one of those "will my love be faithful to me while I am at sea?" ballads and "I think I will test her!" has turned circles in my mind for years as I try to take in its simple but fascinating lyrics. It has a mesmerising tune, memorably introduced by a round of drums and Shirley's voice, before the full band launches into mid tempo electric guitar band, with an outro of crumhorns or the like.
The "Banks of the Bann" is a sad lament by a poor man not allowed by her cruel parents to marry his beloved. He goes down and his end is sad but there may not be a more beautiful melody in song.
"Just as the tide was a flowing" is like the folk song equivalent of "Wasn't born to follow" and is just as striking - complete with phasing in the break, of course!
"Hal an Tow" takes the coming of summer seriously (as one should), and sets out the old practices from a Cornwall town. It makes me want to go there.
"The poor murdered woman" takes an unsolved murder and a found body and clangs and builds inexorably through the process of discovery and sounding about, culminating in a promise of judgment to come at the last trumpet, even for those who have done these deeds and have been undetected in this life. Grim, perhaps, but also done with style and with a fine melody and singing.
I could go on, but each track holds luminous joy, and you should discover them for yourself. If you like the ballad tradition, be it English, Irish, Scots, or Appalachian, this album is for you. It also is one of the great "electric" folk and folk-style albums, the equal of "Unhalfbricking", Liege and Lief", "Henry the human Fly" and "I want to see..."

One of the two or three* best records I have ever heard. I return to it again and again. Uplifting and sad and liltingly happy in equal measures. Shirley Collins' outstanding voice is strong and true. Listen to the melodic beauty that underpins the tragic sadness of the words on Banks of the Bann or Van Dieman's Land. History. You'll understand the fundamental English connection with traditional Irish and traditional American ballads. Such quality. Such depth and musicianship. And variety, and inspired innovation for it's time. Perfection.

* and . .
Stormcock - Roy Harper (beyond belief)

Looking for the perfect English folk-rock album? Listening to this, how could it not be? Fans of Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention (the traditional folk of) will find the expectations exceeded (emphasis) on this one-off wonder debuting Tyger Hutchings' Albion Country Band as a back-up to then wife Shirley Collins, a very gifted interpreter of song. Any stray 10,000 Maniacs fans by chance reading here may also be charmed to blush by "Just As The Tide As The Tide Was Flowing", in original folk-rock form here, too. Exquisite, beautiful, haunting, delightful, moving, by turns - what the heck, haul out all the good adjectives, and still no excess praise for this remarkable, fully-realized experiment with unforeseen stunning results (This is no hype! - the proof is in the listening, and I rest my case on it)!

While browsing through the morass of electroncia, rave, Euro-disco, and trance material in the imported CD discount bin at Tower Records in 2006, I stumbled upon this gem of a record and what a find it is! English folk rock has intrigued and delighted me since the early 1970's when I turned on to Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, The Pentangle and Lindisfarne. I knew of Ashley Hutchings from his Fairport and Steeleye connections, but I had no idea who Shirley Collins was. Although Sandy Denny, Maddy Prior and Linda Thompson became the more famous ladies in English folk-rock, Shirley Collins could rightfully be dubbed the grand dame of English folk as she had been recording with her sister Dolly Collins since the early 60's. Only later did she lend her uniquely breathy and earthy English voice to the British folk-rock movement and never more beautifully than on 1971's "No Roses"; a record now faithfully re-issued by Castle Music/Sanctuary Records.

All of the songs are traditional with the exception of "Claudy Banks" that was penned by Ron and Bob Copper of Sussex. Each song is faithfully re-interpreted by Collins who was accompanied by essentially a who's who cast of the English folk-rock movement including most notably, her husband Ashley Hutchings, as well as Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, Simon Nicol and Tim Renwick. The presence of electric guitars and bass is understated on these songs and in my opinion the electric instruments do not detract from these uniquely infectious folk melodies. A highlight that I found myself humming on the way to work is the album's opener, "Claudy Banks". Other standout tracks are "Van Dieman's Land and "Poor Murdered Woman". As other reviewers have noted, these are earthy and occasionally erotic tunes performed by and for 19th Century rural English peasants and working class folk. Dark themes of lost loves, treachery, murder, and thievery are the substance of these song stories. Sanctuary's re-issue of this long out of print or import available only album is superb. The sound quality is excellent but do note that Collins and Hutchings intentionally went for a spontaneous, loose and earthy sound that they largely achieved by recording live in the studio. Music Hound Folk writers gave "No Roses" their highest rating of 5 bones. The liner notes are very informative and contain excerpts of an interview with Shirley Collins. A sound like none that you will soon (if ever) hear on commercial radio, "No Roses" is a classic record of the English folk-rock genre that contains timeless tunes of rough hewn beauty. 5 Stars Plus!

Before it's re-release on cd, NO ROSES had been a holy grail of sorts for Fairport fans. If you were lucky enough to find the long-deleted lp, a high price was usually in the asking. The reason - this album boasts the Leige and Lief line-up (minus Sandy and Swarb) with an army of other players including Maddy Prior and John Kilpatrick. I must warn you that more than one person has been disappointed with this work. Shirley Collin's singing is kinda like licorice; either you really like it or really hate it. She's an acquired taste, so repeated listenings might win you over. Despite the predominance of Fairport players, the song arrangements and playing are more reminescent of Steeleye's first album, HARK, THE VILLAGE WAIT. If you like that album, this should be a sure thing. The arrangements vary between pleasant and engaging. Thompson's guitar is represented well in the mix and will give the listener another opportunity to hear the master's earlier playing. I personally like the album, but understand it's detractors' criticisms. Triumphant classic or for completists only? Who cares! You'll have to decide. It's certainly worth the price to find out. Buy it!

'No Roses' wasn't the first attempt to mix folk with another kind of music (Romantic composers of the 19th century grafted it with classical) and it wasn't the last (folk metal is a booming field, and numerous folk punk bands blossomed in the wake of The Pogues). But 'No Roses' was Shirley Collins' first experiment in mixing English traditional folk with the style and instrumentation of rock (fairly bland rock it must be admitted), thus subconsciously following Ezra Pound's dictum to take tradition and "make it new".

Here the listener will find, among other things, a fantastic version of 'Van Diemens Land' (not as stark and profound as Ewan MacColl's rendition, but with a gentle beauty which MacColl's lacks), the epic 'Murder of Maria Marten', and The Watersons joining Shirley for a rousing rendition of 'The White Hare'. There is also an amazing final track called 'Poor Murdered Woman', which is so beautifully sung the effect can only be described as supernatural - a fine illustration of the unique, archaic, earthen-yet-angelic quality of Shirley's voice. The perfect end to an interesting album.

I would give 'No Roses' five stars for the songs and for Shirley's imperfectly-perfect vocals, but the slovenly 'rock' style only permits me to give it four. When it comes to crossover, folk metal is a lot more convincing than folk rock (see the Norwegian band Storm for a good introduction to the folk metal style).

To use a VERY over-used music-review adjective (if I hear it coupled with "harmonies" one more time, I may shriek), this is a gorgeous album. The instrumentation, the production, the musicianship & the sensitivity of the musicians, and, especially, Shirley Collins' beautiful, beautiful voice...a perfectly realized moment.

The liner notes say "smoky," Collins describes her voice as "moldy"...I might alter that to "mossy"...there's indeed a thickness to it, a singular richness all her own with an innate power to haunt. It weaves a spell.

Van Dieman's Land is a favorite, an ideal taste of the album if one were to sample a single song...the outro fadeout is lovely ~ one wants it to go on and on, but as someone said the music really is played & presented to ideally support the song. The zany combos of instruments defy the utter consistency, and (as a reviewer said in 1971) the "rightness" of the blend they create together. How does a French horn so effortlessly complement the near-acapella chant in Hal-An-Toe? The full band then breaking in on this tune is one of the highlights for me. You can hear the joy of singing here, as Collins "merely" sings harmony on this one.

While some may wish for more of this (and I understand : ), after a few listens I'm thinking it's enough, and excellent, that the assembled Fairporters concede to exactly one full Liege and Lief treatment with "Murder of Maria Marten." More might've upset the balance. As it is, though, the core of Hutchings, Thompson, Nicol & Mattacks demonstrate their old chemistry, and indeed sound, here. Hutchings' bass is masterful throughout the album (little surprise there). He can dance wickedly and quietly at the same time ~ very tasty. (Wikipedia the true story of this song for a good case of the creeps.)

The other reviewer's obsevation is astute that as a whole the arrangements are more akin to the early Steeleye; and yet there are so many more instruments contributing here. I think the beauty of the whole extended Fairport family has always been the modesty of their musical egos, so that the aesthetic of the whole is always preserved with great care (or is it organic harmony of muses?).

Ms. Collins and company save the best for last. "Poor Murdered Woman" may be the most affecting, hauntingly beautiful melody and recording I've ever heard. Collins' voice evokes that beautiful, lonely sadness of something precious lost, never to be gotten back, but embraced forever ~ mourned and celebrated ~ in the heart. Her steadfast delivery doesn't wear its emotion on its sleeve, but rather it bleeds from the starkness of its resolve. I just heard this album for the first time a week ago (sought it out after reading about it in The Guv'nor biography), and I can't get this song out of my mind. Or is it my heart?