Steve Skaith
Album: "Latin Quarter" Bare Bones
Label: West Park
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.latinquartermusic.com

Formed in 1983 by fellow left-wingers Skaith and Mike Jones, the group enjoyed their only major UK chart success with 'Radio Africa', reaching #19 in 1985, releasing six albums (only three of which were issued in the UK) before economic considerations led what had grown to an eight-piece line-up to slim back down to a trio, a lengthy period of silence following 1993's 'Long Pig' being broken with the release of 'Bringing Rosa Home' in 1997.

After this, the band was effectively put into cold storage with Skaith going on to release three solo albums, including a re-recording of several of the band's songs on 2010's 'Latin Quarter Revisited' which featured a new lyric version of 'Radio Africa'. Two years later, he put the band back together for 'Ocean Head', following this in 2014 with 'Tilt', although original members Yona Dunsford and Greg Harewood left the same year, bringing the line-up back down to Skaith, Jones and keyboardist Steve Jeffries.

Now, joined by Mary Carewe on backing vocal, but with Jones sitting this one out, Skaith has once again revisited the LQ back catalogue, this time in the state in which the songs were originally demoed, with just guitar, keyboards and touch of percussion. He's resisted reworking 'Radio Africa' yet again, but some of the other numbers should be familiar to even casual LQ fans.

The civil rights-themed title track of their third album, 'Swimming Against The Stream', is the opening number and sets the tone and mood for what follows, the sound firmly folk-based rather than the reggae and jazz inflections that coloured the original studio versions. Built on piano backing, the second of the better known numbers, set during the Reagan administration, 'America For Beginners' has Skaith speaking the verses as the instrumentation gradually swells while, the third familiar track, 'No Rope As Long As Time', also taken from 'Modern Times,' was written as anti-apartheid number, predicting that only war would dismantle the regime. Thankfully, Skaith has not rewritten it with 20:20 hindsight.

Of the more 'obscure' numbers, the shimmering country rolling rhythm 'Like A Miracle' ("it's a miracle we've come this far. from the manger to the abattoir") and the unemployment/anti-corporate 'Contention City' come from 'Long Pig', the similarly financial interests-themed piano-led 'Bride On The Bridge' is off 'Bringing Rosa Home'. 'The Big Pool', featuring Carewe's backing vocals, was previously only available as a live version on the 'Nothing Like Velvet' compilation, while the speak-sing 'The Men Below', about the life of miners, appeared on 'Mick and Caroline', as did the wistful 'Love Has Gone', while, presumably an outtake from one of the first three albums, 'The Weatherman', with its apocalyptic lyrics, was previously only to be found on the 'Radio Africa' compilation.

They put the boat out for the final, bonus track. Originally featured on 'Swimming Against The Stream', the powerful 'Wounded In Action' is here transfigured with Jeffries' daughter, Becky CJ singing, her father accompanying on piano and Anna Carewe on cello.

The lyrics may have dated in places, but the songs remain as potent as ever and, in this stripped back setting, given a new lease of life that, once again, makes you wonder why Skaith and the band aren't held in far greater public esteem in their native land.

Mike Davies