Here’s another totally obscure gem for all you folk freaks. Green Man were an English group that played traditional folk material, but their music also had a very charming occult feel to it. Of course, with a band name like this: would you think otherwise? The material is quite uptempo, and the vocals by their female main vocalist – Janie Pittman – are great! I don’t mind the vocals of the three guys in Green Man either. I like all the material on this album, but have an extra soft spot for ‘Salisbury Plain’. This was also the very first song I heard by this band, as it’s featured on the wonderful anthology ‘Sumer Is Icumen In’ – released on Grapefruit Records a few years ago. It’s really easy for me to get lost in the heathen atmosphere of this one! Great stuff. The same can be said of ‘The Rolling of the Stones’, another good one. They also cover two really well known traditionals, ‘John Barleycorn’ and ‘Nottamun Town’, but every British folk band with respect for themselves have to do just that. Overall this a very enjoyable album. It’s not the dark and melancholy kind of folk rock, that I also love, but ‘What Ails thee?’ goes well on a Friday night, along with some strong ale after another week at work. Get this album – if you can find it! Finding the original will really cost you, though. Thankfully, Slightly Discoloured Records (what a brilliant name) reissued it in the year 2000, on both CD and LP, but even the reissued LP is hard to find. A shame really, as this is an album that really fits that format. What a fantastic front cover!
