Roots

The Best Of Show Of Hands

Show Of Hands seem to have achieved critical mass over the past few years, 2007 has been a packed year for them; not only have they done their customary big tours, they sold out the Albert Hall, played to rapturous festival audiences across the country and have now been nominated for the categories of Best Duo and Best Live Act in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008.

Roots, The Best Of Show Of Hands is a timely reminder that their performing and recording history goes back to 1991. Six studio albums, four live albums, a covers album, a CD of traditional songs, an instrumental one and a CD of their earliest cassette recordings is a pretty broad CV for any act. Any artists who have such a back catalogue will inevitably mean different things to different people, this two CD set devotes one to Steve and Phil’s favourites whilst disc two has tracks chosen by the Longdogs, the SOH internet based fan army.

‘Best of’s’ can all too often be patchy affairs cobbled together by greedy record companies, but this one exudes pure class from the packaging to the re-recording of four live favorites (Crow On The Cradle, Santiago, Are We Alright and Exile), there are also excellent live versions of The Blue Cockade, Cousin Jack and The Galway Farmer - proof that their earliest work is as vibrant as their most recent.

I’ve rambled on elsewhere to the effect of my opinion that Steve Knightley is one of the very best English songwriters, which he surely is, but the core strength of SOH is the kinetic relationship between Steve and Phil. On stage they exude a relaxed interdependence that produces such a beautiful sound that you find yourself looking for other musicians in the wings. They have been joined for the last few years by the unmissable presence of Miranda Sykes on vocals and double bass, a feminine element that has broadened their appeal without compromising their essential foundations.

This album is a perfect overview of Show Of Hands, at the risk of being shot down I’ll say they really are the best contemporary English roots act. That is a hell of a statement bearing in mind the current quality of the English folk and roots scene, but Show Of Hands have the musicianship, the songwriting, the emotion and the balls needed to carry it off.

There is a bonus track on the download version on iTunes - they've recorded the two Peter Gabriel tracks that they performed at the BMI awards where Gabriel was awarded an 'Icon' award. Gabriel specifically requested that SOH play at the awards, The songs are 'Don't Give Up' and 'Secret World'

Iain Hazlewood

I think it’s appropriate to include our recent live review of their Backlog tour by Dave Kushar:

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are rounding off 2007 with a tour as a duo playing songs from their back catalogue. There is also a double retrospective CD - Roots, Best of Show Of Hands, with studio and live tracks plus a bonus (on the download version) of the Peter Gabriel tracks they performed at the recent BMI awards. We caught one of their gigs...
Another night, another town and lo and behold another Show Of Hands gig. This year they've transferred to the Town Hall in Marlborough away from the finely tuned acoustics of the church round the corner. Does it make a difference to our enjoyment? Not at all, this place has it own charms namely a big sound and great ales. It's just the guys tonight, gone are the polished shows with Miranda on bass. It's back to basics for 'The Backlog Tour'.

We quickly adjust to the changes as the fellas cherry-pick tracks from the earlier albums. Steve has commented that there has been a few 'cosmic chords' played when they first returned to this material. Well he does manage to whack the headstock of his guitar on his microphone at the end of one track but the playing is as dexterous as ever.

Phil's keen to tell us about his latest brush with a car insurance company. Apparently he's fairly uncategorizible. Any newbies in the audience may feel the same about the set at times tonight. The music goes off at tangents when they indulge in a little rock & roll, bluegrass and even Indian Raga. With this being all about the past they don't air their usual insurance policies either. No 'Roots' or 'Country life'. There is 'The Galway Farmer' however, their early classic and the SOH alternative to 'Whiskey In The Jar' apparently.

The first round of drinks have slipped down and we sing along 'Crazy Boy' and help keep the beat on 'The Blind Fiddler'. We're treated to 'The Downeaster Alexa' and 'Tommy' amongst others. Steve quips that their boy band name could be 'West country Life' and Phil joins in with 'Eat That'. It's one of those sort of nights.

The Longdogs (Show Of Hands themed internet chat room) are kept happy with, well, 'Longdog' actually. Some of them even reveal their identities with the tentative raising of their calloused digits.

It's all immensely absorbing and over too quickly. Then they're back, joining us on the floor for an acoustic encore of 'Widecombe Fair'. Steve gently serenades us from the central aisle before Phil joins him on fiddle from the back of the hall. A striking ending to a night devoid of deja vu despite a string of concerts all year.

100 % entertainment with a human touch. There's a category that's befitting of this country's best duo.