NY '75

The first official digital download from the Strawbs Witchwood' record results in this extraordinary live release from 1975 in New York. This was Strawbs at their peak excluding John Hawken on the keyboards so it is very much vintage sound. What I mean by that is that the arrangements are tight, Lambert and Cousins synchronize nicely in the vocal department as does Cronk and Coombes representing the bass and drum kit respectively. Robert Kirby and John Mealing were able replacement for the since departed John Hawken too. The majority of the songs here are from the Hero and Heroine/Gosts/Nomadness era which still represented Strawbs very much at their peak creatively speaking. Highlights would have to be all the Nomadness tracks especially ' The Promised Land', also the exquiste ' And You and I' from Ghosts and the strongest offering is the Life Auction' also off Ghosts . Definitely one of the better live albums from Strawbs. I think if any Strawbs enthusiasts looking for live albums best seek out their earlier period releases like this as opposed to their latter day live offerings where Cousin's voice tends to falter at times. More noticeable on recent pressings, but as to watching live they are still great ( that is in the last eight years or so). Three and a half stars is a fair reflection for this surprise release.