Following a decade of keeping out of the musical limelight, Mick Groves has made a fantastic comeback with a tribute to fellow Salford lad Ewan MacColl.
Mick Groves’ voice blends beautifully with the ensemble of instruments used on the album, including fellow ex-Spinner ‘Count’ John McCormick on bass. I was delighted to find the album was full of not only MacColl’s compositions but a handful of Groves’ specialities from Spinners days, including Row Bullies Row (Liverpool Judies) and Bonnie Shepherd Lad.
This is a full CD – twenty tracks – and I challenge anyone not to find something that makes them sing along or feel suitably moved. From the beautiful ‘Sweet Thames Flow Softly’ or ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, to the politically poignant ‘That Bomb Has Got To Go’ and ‘Ballad of the Big Cigar’, Groves covers diverse tunes with respect and his own musical style.
The majority of tracks will be familiar to most folk fans especially those who know the Spinners’ back catalogue. It’s testament to MacColl’s songwriting ability that so many tunes are so well known and it’s not only a moving tribute from the ‘Fellow Journeyman’ but a thoroughly rewarding record in its own right.
Full tracklisting:
Manchester Rambler
My Old Man
Kids' Songs
We Are The Young Ones
Dirty Old Town
Bonnie Shepherd Lad
Moses of the Mail
Row Bullies Row (Liverpool Judies)
Hardcase
That Bomb Has Got To Go
Black and White
Ballad of the Big Cigar
Disc of Sun
Shoals of Herring
Blantyre Explosion
Champion at Keepin' 'em Rolling
Sweet Thames Flow Softly
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Manchester Rambler (reprise)
Joy of Living
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