FROM THE WITCHWOOD

When the Strawbs released this killer, the quintet with Rick Wakeman on board was already a strong live unit. The album demonstrates the strength of this line up - the dynamics between the acoustic and the electric without sounding strained. It opens with the two lovely and in a way mysterious Cousins compositions "A glimse of heaven" and "Witchwood". They are followed by two strong efforts by Hudson and Ford. The "A-side" ends with the epic "The hangman and the baptist", another classic by Cousins. The second side of the original album opens with the strong "Sheep" and is followed by the beautiful "Canon Dale" by Richard Hudson. After two more strong compositions by Dave Cousins the album closes with the joyful "I´ll carry on beside you" with lead vocals by Tony Hooper. When you down and out, just put this song on the turn table and you feel that life is not that bad after all! You can also choose to play the whole record and feel the emotions from the dark and drastic to the joy of existens. This is as good as it gets!!