"Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People – 70 Years Of The Oldest Independent Record Label In Great Britain – Topic Records" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – featuring Nic Jones, The Watersons, Eliza Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy, Bob Pegg, Andrew Cronshaw, John Tams, Richard and Linda Thompson, Anne Briggs, June Tabor, Shirley Collins, William Clancy, The McPeake Family, Ewan MacColl, Seamus Ennis, The Boys Of The Lough, Dick Gaughan, Ron Kavana, John B. Spencer, Bob Davenport, Martin Simpson, Vin Garbutt, The Ian Campbell Folk Group, Kate Rusby (guesting) and many more (October 2009 UK Topic Records 7CD LP-Sized Book Set – Denis Blackham Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Down Behind The Gasworks..."

This might seem a bit incongruous on my part, but as a 62-year old lover of Acoustic Folk and Folk Rock for nigh on five decades (and token Irishman), I was expecting so much more from this 7CD Book Set. There is great music on here and discoveries old and new no doubt – I just wish I wanted to play it more. 

As an archival document, Topic Records' 70-year vaults trawl "Three Score & Ten..." is faultless; but as a listen, I found too much of it historically worthy but dreadfully dull and repetitive. I would go as far as saying to anyone considering a purchase to get an earful-in before you fork out lots of wonga on some bonny wee lass nostalgia trip. In the meantime, let's get to the saucy country gardens, tinker's old boots and wasps in the woodwork...

UK released 20 October 2009 - "Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Topic Records TOPIC70 (Barcode 714822007085) is subtitled '70 Years Of The Oldest Independent Record Label In Great Britain - Topic Records'. 

The album-sized hardback book of 110-pages houses 7CDs (4 in the front leaf and three in the rear) and also comes with an LP-sized 4-Page separate insert - 'Topic Records Complete Catalogue 1939-2009' which lists all releases from the 78's of the Thirties up to the CDs of the 00's. Each CD is themed as follows:

CD1 "...A Selection Of Treasures From The Topic Catalogue" (68:41 minutes, 16 tracks)

CD2 "England Arise!" (67:18 minutes, 20 tracks)

CD3 "Ireland Boys, Hurrah!" (70:27 minutes, 24 tracks) 

CD4 "Scotia The Brave" (70:48 minutes, 22 tracks) 

CD5 "The Singer & The Song" (65:14 minutes, 17 tracks)

CD6 "The People's Flag" (67:40 minutes, 23 tracks)

CD7 "...Even More Treasures From The Topic Catalogue" (66:54 minutes, 22 tracks)

What I will say is that the David Suff/Tony Engle compiled book presentation is a truly beautiful thing to look at and handle (see photos) and the Transfers/Remasters by DENIS BLACKHAM at Skye Mastering are exemplary. Even when your dealing with Fifties and Sixties stuff that is little more than a field recording (I notice one was done in Coolock in Dublin, my old stomping ground) – Blackham somehow manages a clarity and warmth that should be the envy of other Audio Engineers. 

Blackham did the Island Folk Rock mini clamshell box set "Meet Me On The Ledge" in 2008 for Universal and his exceptional remastering of overly familiar material was one of the real reasons as to why that set was so strong. I've reviewed his work with Horslips and Mick Greenwood too. 

The list of old and contemporary artists on "Three Score & Ten..." is impressive – Nic Jones, The Watersons, Eliza Carthy, Kate Rusby (guesting on two tracks), Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy, Andrew Cronshaw, John Tams, Richard and Linda Thompson, Anne Briggs, June Tabor, Shirley Collins, William Clancy, The McPeake Family, Ewan MacColl, Seamus Ennis, The Boys Of The Lough, Dick Gaughan, Ron Kavana, John B. Spencer, Bob Davenport, Martin Simpson, Vin Garbutt, The Ian Campbell Folk Group and many, many more. There are a few American acts like Rambling Jack Elliott and Jesse Fuller and some European acts - but mostly its Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English Folk artists many of whom have been forgotten with the passing of time.  

There are interesting contemporary cover versions of Dylan's "Master Of War" by Martin Carthy while Ireland’s supergroup Patrick Street (Andy Irvine, Kevin Burke, Arty McGlynn, Bill Whelan et al) and their go at the Penguin Café Orchestra instrumental "Music For A Found Harmonium" while the obscure Traditional "Bitter Withy" is reinterpreted by John Tams into a magisterial build-up of Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Dobro and Banjo. There is also Dick Gaughan and his lovely 1981 album "Handful Of Earth" and that Anne Briggs track feels so special you can't even put your finger on it. Though it's a brave man indeed who will sit through nearly eleven minutes of Mike Waterson singing Acapella about "Tamlyn" on Disc 1 no matter how much of a Fairport fan you may be. 

"Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People" is a mixed bag for me then, saved by those beautiful remasters and occasional disc re-discoveries. Folk of this kind is very much an acquired finger-in-the-ear taste – but you also can’t help thinking – thank God someone recorded all these voices and local singing traditions in all those dirty old towns, diesel engines and dawdle areas behind the gasworks...