With guitarist Bert Jansch still a name to be reckoned with, attracting famous fans such as Johnny Marr and Pete Doherty, this timely reissue brings the focus back to his last days with one of the most innovative folk-rock groups of all time.
The crystal-clear, oh-so English articulacy of singer Jacqui McShee (along with Jansch, the last surviving original member) floats across the traditional Oxford City and the band’s own Manuel, underpinned by Jansch’s intricate fretwork, creating an atmospheric soundscape which both harks back to a past world and shares breathing space with modern masters such as John Martyn and Richard Thompson.
Although 1993’s One More Road rarely veers from the accepted folk template, the live record offers a much broader illustration of the group’s talents, from the jazzy Kingfisher to the traditional blues of Come Back Baby. Still, it’s all dwarfed by McShee’s goosebump-inducing unaccompanied delivery of When I Was In My Prime.
