The Fine Old English Tory Times

The Fine Old English Tory Times
("An Eighteenth Century Entertainment")
The Martin Best Consort
Argo Records ZDA 171 (LP)

Contents:

Side One

  1. The Upper Classes
    1. Northumberland Pipes I / Northumberland Pipes II / Fine Old English Tory Times
    2. Bellman Pastorale / Ladies of London / Careless Gallant
    3. Lass of Patie's Mill (instrumental) / The Lads of the Village
  2. Country Life
    1. Come Sweet Lass / Lark in the Morning
    2. The Wooing Rogue / Holy Thursday / Lass of Patie's Mill

Side Two

  1. The Town
    1. Mayfair / The Devil's Progress / Through All the Employments of Life / The Vicar of Bray
  2. War, Crime and Transportation
    1. Portsmouth / The Neat Irish Girl / Let Us Take the Road / Stirling / Let Us Take the Road (reprise)
  3. Morals and Inspiration
    1. Time to Remember the Poor / Song 3rd by an Old Shepherd / Bellman Pas torale (reprise)
  4. Conclusion
    1. The Fine Old English Tory Times

Martin Best (voice, guitar, 12-string guitar)
Julian Byzantine (guitar)
Jeremy Barlow (flute, piccolo, organ, accordion)
Christopher Lebon (cello)
Colin Bilham (bass)
with
Hugo D'Alton (mandolin)
Roderick Skeaping (violin, rebec)

Released: 1976

Out of print, not reissued on CD.

A fine collection of 18th century ballads, broadsides and satires, performed with wit and style. The 'cycle of themes' - Country Life, The Town and so on - groups them somewhat arbitrarily. Sources include 'The Beggar's Opera', William Blake and (anachronistically) Charles Dickens.

His last recording for Argo. Who holds the rights to this wonderful label's recordings? It appears that we'll never see them reissued.

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Rob Smyth