''Albion Heart'', released in 1995, was the second album of the long running

Albion Band The Albion Band, also known as The Albion Country Band, The Albion Dance Band, and The Albion Christmas Band, were a British folk rock band, originally brought together and led by musician Ashley Hutchings. Generally considered one of the m ...

's acoustic phase and the first to contain both

Chris While Chris While (born 1956) is an English songwriter, singer and musician, known particularly for her vocals and live performances. She has worked as a solo artist, a songwriter and as a member of a number of duos and groups. Her music is often cla ...

and

Julie Matthews Julie Matthews (born 1963) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. She has been a member of some of the most influential British folk duos and groups and is acknowledged internationally as a major songwriter ...

, marking the beginning of their highly successful collaboration. It benefits from their song writing and instrumental talents, but is almost unique in the history of the band for its lack of traditional English instruments or tunes.

History

After the departure of fiddle player Ashley Reed and the return of singer-songwriter Julie Matthews, the band toured extensively and began rehearsing material brought in by Matthews and new songs composed in various combinations and individually by band leader

Ashley Hutchings Ashley Stephen Hutchings, MBE, sometimes known in early years by his nickname, "Tyger" Hutchings (born 26 January 1945) is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founding member of t ...

, Matthews and While. This formed the basis of this recording at the Courtyard Recording Studio, Stockport, England. Live performances of this set were released as ''Albion Heart on Tour'' (Talking Elephant, 2004).

Reception and Significance

The album had a mixed response in the folk and roots press of the time because of its lack of traditional material. Although Hutchings probably produced some of his best original compositions for this album, it was noted that it was dominated by the writing talents and harmonies of While and Matthews, which they were to build upon for their long musical partnership as a duo.B. Hinton and G. Wall, ''Ashley Hutchings: Always Chasing Rainbows'' (Stick It In Your Ear, 2007).

Track listing

#Albion Heart (4:51) #Appalachian Front-Porch Game (4:16) #Colours of Love (3:33) #Man in the Bottle (3:05) #The Devil in Me (4:08) #Rebecca Johnson (5:07) #Close Your Eyes (3:10) (Composed for the TV series Ridgeriders) #Crocodile Line (3:45) #Love Is an Abandoned Car (4:48) #Gypsy (4:54) #Get Up and Do It Again (3:42) #Long, Long Road (3:31)

Credits

*Track 1 Julie Matthews, Chris While (Circuit Music) *Tracks 2, 6, 8 Ashley Hutchings (Really Wicked) *Tracks 3, 5, 9, 11 Julie Matthews (Circuit Music) *Track 4 Ashley Hutchings, Julie Matthews, Chris While (Really Wicked / Circuit Music) *Track 7 Ashley Hutchings, Chris While (Really Wicked / Circuit Music) *Tracks 10, 12 Chris While (Circuit Music)

Production

*Recorded at Courtyard Recording Studio, Stockport, England, December 1994 and January 1995. *Engineered by Tim Woodward *Produced by the Albion Band *Photos by Brian Ledgard

Personnel

, acoustic bass guitar, vocals; *

, keyboards, acoustic guitar, vocals; *

Simon Nicol Simon John Breckenridge Nicol (born 13 October 1950) is an English guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founding member of British folk rock group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the ...

, acoustic guitar, mountain dulcimer, vocals; *

, acoustic guitar, vocal

Notes

{{Authority control 1995 albums The Albion Band albums