or send a cheque, specifying Poor Ellen Smith, payable to: P. Cooper
3 Astra House
Mt. Pleasant Villas
London N4 4HB
This is the sixth album of (mostly) old time American music from Dave Arthur, Pete Cooper and Dan Stewart. True to form, Poor Ellen Smith feels fresh and full of life, with the classic combination of guitar, banjo and fiddle augmented by occasional melodeon or harmonica.
The seventeen tracks switch back and forth between songs and tunes, starting with a song with the wonderful title, 'Dead-heads And Suckers'. There's plenty of death to match the spirit of the times, as in the title track, a jolly treatment of a grisly murder tale, and old favourite 'Stackolee' seemingly played on speed… All I need to say about the tune sets is that they're varied and uniformly excellent.
Finally, here's an album that, for once, has sleeve notes that deserve high praise indeed. They're informative, well researched and a fitting complement to a really superb CD. Thanks, chaps!
