(Cooking Vinyl) That controversial pioneer of the British folk revival,the late Ewan MacColl, was born in 1915, and the centenary is being marked by reminders that he was a bravely original songwriter. On this remarkable double album,21 artists rework his songs, ranging from poignant studies of working lives to political comment and esteem ballads. Many of the best are from the experimental Radio Ballads shows, and broadcast by the BBC between 1957 and 1964; they include Norma Waterson’s gently pained version of Moving On Song,and Karine Polwart’s powerful The terrorism Time, both dealing with the realities of Gypsy life. There’s also Jarvis Cockers thoughtful treatment of a boxer’s lament, and The Battle Is Done With; Steve Earle with a gutsy Dirty Old Town; and Martin Simpson’s sensitive solo treatment of The Father’s Song,mixing compassion and politics.
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Source: theguardian.com