Ballads & Candles, the live album featuring Maddy Prior, June Tabor, Rose Kemp, Steve Banks, Troy Donockley, Nick Holland, Rick Kemp, Peter Knight.
The album proves an important reminder – if such were needed – of the range of material that Prior has turned her hand to over the years. Predominantly English in origin (none more so than the Padstow May Song, a huge favourite being performed for the first time in years), the set also takes in British, American and Eastern European material, as well as Maddy's own songs of life, love and family. Elsewhere is material detailing the flippant (a raucous My Husband's Got No Courage In Him) to the serious: the dramatic Agincourt Carol and Andy Irvine's Blood And Gold. And of course a Maddy Prior December tour wouldn't be complete without a generous helping of festive material: All In The Morning (a wonderful solo spot from June), Boar's Head, A Virgin Most Pure, Sing, Sing All Earth and others all capture the mood of the season perfectly but also in a unique fashion, Christmas music played and sung as it was intended hundreds of years ago.