When thinking about the folk-rock scene in the UK, it is no surprise that Ashley Hutchings is rightly referred to as “the guv’nor” given he was a founder member of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band. The last has had multiple musicians through its ranks, and a nucleus from that band formed a new group in 1980, Home Service. For most of its life the band was fronted by John Tams, but he retired in 2015 to be replaced by John Kirkpatrick, although Tams again fronted the band when at Fairport’s Cropredy Festival in 2022. Tams then left again, and there were doubts if the band would continue but then Simon Nicol and Debs Earl suggested the addition of Bob Fox to the ranks, and this has resulted in the band having a new lease on life and the 2024 tour was captured on this live recording.

Graeme Taylor (electric guitar) may be the only founder member still involved, but here is a band who have for more than 40 years captured the hearts and minds of many in the folk-rock scene, even though their releases have been few and far between. One thing which makes this band stand out is their heavy use of brass, which makes them sounds almost as a cross between a traditional colliery band, a folk outfit and a rock band. Fox has been in the scene since the Seventies, and his approach is in many ways like a cross between Simon Nicol and Ralph McTell, and even though I must confess (hangs head in shame) that I do not have any Home Service albums although I have long been aware of them, this is an one I easily fell in love with the very first time I played it. This is warm and exciting folk-rock, which is fresh and invigorating, with the brass taking it in a very different direction indeed to Fairport (the band I have seen more than any other) yet somehow still closely related.

Talking Elephant have released two masterclasses in classic live albums this year, with the other being Gryphon’s ‘A Sonic Tonic’, and there is no doubt in my mind that this is a worthy companion as this is class from beginning to end and anyone who enjoys this style of music needs to get this immediately if not sooner.

Rating: 10/10

Links:
https://www.homeserviceband.co.uk/
https://www.talkingelephant.co.uk/