MADDY PRIOR and THE CARNIVAL BAND – A Christmas Caper PARK RECORDS PRKCD124

MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND A Christmas CaperNicely in time for Christmas comes this best of set spanning fifteen years and seven albums in the career of Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band. The combination of the band’s early music style and Maddy’s pure vocals was a perfect match from the off with A Tapestry Of Carols and so it remains.

The collection is, for the most part, suitably jolly – perfect for the old Christmas tradition of sitting round the CD player for a good old sing song. ‘While Shepherds Watched’ comes in at number two and ‘Angels From The Realms Of Glory’ rejoices in the most glorious arrangement you’ll ever hear. ‘Poor Little Jesus’ is a bit of a downer and the two cradle songs are also rather downbeat but in contrast we get ‘The Boar’s Head’ and ‘Bring Us In Good Ale’. The selection is largely sacred but occasionally ventures into the ale-house and it generally avoids the Carnival Band’s modern songs that have largely left me unimpressed. Two songs by Giles Lewin, ‘Bright Evening Star’ and ‘The Quiet Way Home’, make it through but the weak humour of songs like ‘Stuff’ is avoided.

If you don’t have any of the originals then this CD will take you through Christmas in the appropriately festive spirit.

Dai Jeffries


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