Raise Your Head: A Retrospective

by The Poozies

Overview

Consider this a potted history of the Poozies, or perhaps an introduction to their incarnations. Certainly they picked a good time to do it, with the departure of Kate Rusby from the fold, and this does sum up several years of recording history. While there's nothing unreleased, there are tracks "The Widow/Charlie's Cap" and "Mr. Grapes/Heidi Hendi" from a hard-to-find EP by the most recent lineup, as well as cuts from the first two Poozies albums, which never saw any real U.S. release. More than anything, this album illustrates the way the band developed. "We Built Fires," from the debut Chantoozies, now seems very tentative and unformed compared to later efforts, especially a piece like "Ma Plaid." There's no doubt that Rusby brought something to the band, an inspired confidence and great vocal ability that had been missing, freeing up the others to add more textures to the music. Certainly, with their combined backgrounds -- Seddon and McMaster in Sileas, and Tweed with so many the list is endless -- their ability is beyond question. While their sensibilities are very much settled in the British Isles, when they venture out, as on Townes Van Zandt's "Poncho And Lefty," they manage to bring something new to a well-trodden song. This looks back at the end of a chapter, but another would unfold soon thereafter. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	05/09/2000
Label:	Compass
UPC:	0766397429021
Rank:	116392

Tracks

1. The Widow
2. Mr. Grapes
3. We Built Fires
4. The Mountaineer's Set: Charlie Lennon's/Wissahickon Drive/ The Mountaineer'
5. Honestly
6. Willie's Old Trousers
7. Another Train
8. Hey How My Johnny Lad/The Wing That Shakes the Barley
9. The Bay Tree Set: The Bay Tree/Faca Sibh/ Jig Jazz
10. Company of Women
11. Poncho and Lefty
12. Ma Plaid/Freya Dances
13. Maid of Llanwellyn/Emma & Jamie's Wedding
14. In Another Life

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Poozies   Primary Artist
Sally Barker   Guest Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Tambourine
Kate Rusby   Guest Artist
Mary MacMaster   Harp,Vocals,Temple Bells,Electro-Acoustic Harp
Jenny Gardner   Fiddle
Karen Tweed   Vocals,Accordion,Piano-Accordian
Patsy Seddon   Fiddle,Vocals,Gut String Harp,Electro-Acoustic Harp

Technical Credits

Martin Ansell   Composer
Mary MacMaster   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Mastering
Mick Ryan   Composer
Sarah Allen   Composer
Nik Kinloch   Mixing
John McCusker   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Andy Cutting   Composer
Liz Carroll   Composer
Peter Haigh   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mastering
Roy Ashby   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Sally Barker   Composer
Pete Morton   Composer
Townes Van Zandt   Composer
Charlie Lennon   Composer
Jim Sutherland   Mixing,Producer
Oliver Knight   Engineer
The Poozies   Arranger,Producer
Stuart Hamilton   Engineer
Patsy Seddon   Composer