Track Listing

1. Batchelors Hall
2. Pretty Crowing Chicken
3. Lakes Of Champlain
4. She Slips Away
5. Granemore Hare
6. Mother Love
7. Little Musgrave
8. Love Letter
9. Duncan And Brady
10. Never Any Good
11. Good Morning Mr Railroad Man
12. Louisiana 1927
13. La Rivolte
14. Andrew Lammie
15. Kit's Tune/When A Knight Won His Spurs

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19599 in Music
• Released on: 2007-07-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .16 pounds

THE WORD
If you're the kind of person who's been waiting in vain for Ry
Cooder to repeat the trick [of his early albums], try this. Martin
Simpson's staggering technique is here bent to the service of deserving
material from both traditional and contemporary sources.

THE TELEGRAPH
"Never Any Good" would be a classic even without Kate
Rusby's lilting harmony vocals. A blues written for slide guitar is
magnificent.

fROOTS
Thirty years of recording and this could be his all-round best
yet. His singing is more assured than it has ever been

Customer Reviews

An exquisitely refined and wonderful mix of English ballads, Americana and heartfelt originals

Martin Simpson has been, since the 70's, one of the finest fingerstyle and slide roots guitarist around. His music is highly representative of the link between the Celtic folk of the United Kingdom and the American country and blues.

"Prodigal Son", his fourth original release for the Topic label, proves to be one of his finest recordings, which is high praise indeed for an artist with more than twenty albums to his name (not mentioning his many recorded collaborations.)

As expected, the album reflects the influences cited above whilst adding a string of his masterful, openhearted compositions.

As usual, he has surrounded himself with some outstanding musicians that include: Danny Thompson (bass), Andy Cutting (acc), Alistair Anderson (concertina) and Barry Philips (Northumbrian pipes and cello.)

While Martin is flawless as ever on guitar and other stringed instruments, his vocal talents are more modest although his voice is strong and expressive. He uses the latter here to very good effect. He receives good support from Jackson Browne who adds his vocal harmonies to a delightful version of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927." Kate Rusby and Kellie While also supply superb harmonies on two tracks, including "Never Any Good" which is a song for his father.

Martin Simpson's interpretations - and arrangements - of English ballads, Americana and original material are another triumph for a very bright talent. Every fan of these genres will find much to enjoy in this CD offering.

Best Yet!
Martin Simpson's unequalled guitar technique has now begun to take its place with a quality of lyric and voice, rather than being there just to dazzle, which it always has.
This is a truly great album rewarding repeated listening. There are many and varied excellent songs here, as well as some enchantingly beautiful instrumentals.
Notably there are very welcome new versions of three traditional favourites - 'Lakes of Champlain', 'Little Musgrave' and 'Andrew Lammie' - which stand comparison with any version heard in forty years by this reviewer.
Martin's fabulous self-penned songs here are almost eclipsed by his 'Never Any Good' - quite simply a mucking fasterpiece!
Unless you happen to be of that unfortunate species, for whom folk music is like fingernails on glass, 'Prodigal Son' is compulsory.
No, I mean, don't think about it, buy it NOW! I promise you won't regret it.

"The magic of Martin"
Yet again Martin,"The Maestro" Simpson shows us mear mortal guitarists how to combine light and shade.Many accoustic guitar CD's whilst good technically, can leave you cold.
Everything that Martin plays comes from the heart and is of unimpeachable quality.
I have been a fan for many,many years and he continues to go from strength to strength.
In a word - "Mighty"