Steeleye Span ‎– All Around My Hat (1975, Chrysalis)

Media NM
Sleeve VG+

Format : LP
Cat N° : 6307 564
Style : Folk Rock

Steeleye Span achieved commercial success with “All Around my Hat,” produced by Mike Batt, who expertly blended the band’s danceable sound with a rock beat and a pleasing variety of material. The album’s appeal is evident, especially with tracks like the traditional “Black Jack Davey,” known for its fine melody and story of a woman running off with her roguish lover. Songs like “Hard Times of Olde England” and the title track maintain a rollicking rhythm, and the sentimental “Wife of Usher’s Well” shines with its engaging narrative and harmonies. “Gamble Gold/Robin Hood” showcases Batt’s production skills, while the closing track, “Batchelor’s Hall,” adds a touch of swing to the group’s conventional style. Although “All Around my Hat” may not reach the pinnacle of the band’s work, it serves as an excellent entry point into their discography and the English folk rock genre, as it was for me during my teenage years.