TEN MAN MOP, OR MR. RESERVOIR BUTLER RIDES AGAIN

Second album from the Mk II line-up of SS and third overall. If the previous album artwork (Pleased To See The King) had hinted towards medieval folk pieces, it hadn't really delivered on that promise, offering a more recent repertoire of folk songs unearthed from old archive. Ten Man Mop has a way more popular folklore artwork, hinting at more recent folk repertoire, but again they missed the mark, and outside the usual boring jigs and reels (I mean these things are always the same), a good deal of the tracklist seems to come from further back in time than the PTSTK selection, or their arrangements seemed more ancient. Again 'and as usual with SS) most of the material proposed in this album is either pure folk, sometimes electrified folk and in a few moments might hit the folk rock realm, but there isn't much in terms of really progressiveness past some electricity in a few tracks, precisely those most likely to interest the progheads

There are a few tracks that offer some interest, including the opening Gower Wassail, where Martin Carthy's electric guitar, coupled with Knight's tenor banjo and Hart's mandolin provide some great soundscape. Elsewhere, When I Was On Horseback, where Knight's violin provide much of the medieval feel, or Captain Coulton where Carthy's electric guitar provide good arrangements in the background. Honourable mentions for the closing Skewbull as well.Other tracks like Four Nights Drunk, Marrowbones, the lament Wee Weaver are pure folk bores, hopeless Aulde Albion Songs From Yesteryear that only provoke yawns and inducing boredom and sleep.

And we are again faced with a bunch of reels and jigs (here no less than three), which have been done sooooooo many thousands of time, without any kind of renewal that they become pointless in such an album. I mean digging out some old song or lament has some kind of interest for purists and completists, especially on the lyrics or texts, but I doubt the same goes for these jigs and reels that bring nothing new and are all the same, almost note for note and no lyrics. This would be Hutchings' last album with SS, as he would found the albion Country Band) and Martin Carthy would follow suit. So in large, while a worthy album for folk addicts, a nearly scandalous album for folk purists, a bland album for folk rockers, TMM is of nearly no interest for progheads looking for hints of progressiveness, but it's not completely devoid of quality, far from it. Hence a worthy two stars, which if understood properly is hardly a punishment.