Megson
Album: Megson Live
Label: EDJ
Tracks: 16
Website: http://www.megsonmusic.co.uk

Megson Live is, unsurprisingly, a live album by husband and wife folk duo Megson, otherwise known as Stu and Debbie Hanna.

Stu sings and plays guitar, mandola and banjo and Debbie, a classically trained soprano, sings and plays whistle and piano accordion. Their live album is a limited release and was recorded at the duo's regular haunt, The Hitchin Folk Club. The couple now live in rural Hertfordshire, having moved there from London in 2007.

Stu and Debbie have come a long way since they first performed together in 2003 as "The Ghost of Meg" [in case you want to know, Meg was a deceased dog].

Changing their name to Megson, the duo have released five studio albums and one EP [and jolly good they are, too].

Their most recent studio album was 2012's "When I Was A Lad", a collection of folk songs for children.

They have now followed this with a live album which faithfully reproduces their live show, without additional embellishment. What you see [live] is what you get [on this disc].

One of Megson's great strengths is their songwriting which contains a great deal of warmth and humanity. Take, for example, the opening few songs on this album. We have, on the one hand, sorrow at industrial decline ["Working Town", where there is no more work] and on the other we have supreme optimism in "The Long Shot" ["Once you're certain that all hope is gone, a long shot is better than none"]. This is a brilliant song, ostensibly about a the unshakeable faith of a fan of a struggling football team but also, of course, about life in general. Another excellent composition by the Hanna's is "Follow It On", which features some lovely vocals from Debbie.

As well as their own fine songs, Megson are also formidable interpreters of traditional material, such as a rousing version of "Working Life Out" and a lively rendition of "Four Pence A Day", which shows what a fine guitarist Stu is. The slow-burning "Every Night When The Sun Goes In" features some stunning vocals from Debbie, who sings like an angel.

Not surprisingly, the album features several tracks from "When I Was A Lad", including "Baby And The Band", "The Riddle Song" and "All The Shops Have Fallen Down".

One of my favourite tracks is the traditional "The Old Miner", poignant song which describes the miner's concerns as to who will carry on when he goes.

In conclusion, this is a fine live album by one of our top folk duos. If you have seen Megson live, this will provide you with a great souvenir. If, on the other hand, you do not know their music, this would serve as an excellent introduction to their work. Either way, it's a winner.

Peter Cowley