Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Following the CD release of folk rock outfit Caedmon's highly collectable 1978 eponymous album by specialist label Kissing Spell, live material from the band's heyday has been unearthed to give more insight into the capabilities of this largely underrated group. Culled from two performances in their then hometown of Edinburgh in 1977 and 1978, this collection sees the group very much in their natural habitat on stage and they arguably seem more cohesive than on their renowned studio album. Despite evidently playing to only a few people on these recordings, the level of commitment from each band member never wanes and, as a result, they collectively turn in some truly captivating and intense live performances. Memorable moments include Simon Jacquet's frantic mandolin on "Ivory Tower", Jim Bisset's haunting guitar on "Sea Song" and the delicate group harmonies of "Storm" whilst the inclusion of "Aslan" and "Ten Maidens Fair" reflect the band's Christian faith at the time. Whilst a good chunk of the material from the studio album is featured in almost identical form, a handful of previously unreleased songs such as bassist Sam Wilson's stunning "London Psalm" and "Worlds And Friends" by multi-instrumentalist Ken Patterson ensure that this release stands tall alongside its more famous counterpart and adds more colour to Caedmon's already fascinating history.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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