Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band: Carols and Capers

Ah, sweet November. Here in the US, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It's a time of year where we celebrate the support and love of those around us and the bounty of our hard work by gorging on copius amounts of food. I think in reality, many are thankful for loose fitting clothing. However, another tradition comes to mind whenever the smell of stuffing, spices and yams are in the air--Madrigals!

Ah yes, those cheesy, yet fun loving reenactments of the bygone Renaissance-era featuring women in over stuffed corsets, men in tights, lots of angelic acapella singing and of course food! Jugglers, belly dancers, seers and jesters are usually included as well activities such as wenching, goosing and other forms of debauchery. The level of classiness and talent varies considerably from ensemble to ensemble (I'd say my alma mater's Madrigal group is talented, but we don't hold back on raunchiness either...case in point "The Moose Song"). However, much of the repertoire stays the same.

I'm a newcomer to Maddy Prior, the emotive siren of the British folk rock band Steeleye Span. After mentioning to a co-worker that I really like Loreena McKennitt, a bunch of Maddy Prior discs appeared on my desk with a note saying: Loreena sings too slow. Maddy is better!

I happen to think they're just different, but the disc of Carols and Capers caugh my eyes and ears and took me back to my glory days as a madrigal singer (for the record, I was a tenor...:P ). Prior's versions of these classics are supported beautifully with the talents of the Carnival Band.

Listen to:
"Wassail"
"The Boar's Head"

Visit:
Maddy Prior's Front Page
Maddy Prior Wiki Entry
The Carnival Band's Official Website
Purchase Evening of Carols and Capers from Amazon.com