THE VIEW FROM A HILL  -  THE OWL SERVICE

YEAR:  2010 

LABEL:  Rif Mountain

TRACK LISTING:  Polly On the Shore, The Banks of the Nile, Ladies Don't Go A-Thieving, I Was A Young Man, Sorry the Day I Was Married, Willie O'Winsbury, In Thorneymoor Woods Pt. 1, The Bold Poachers, In Thorneymoor Woods Pt. 2, The Lover's Ghost, The Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun, Willie O'Winsbury (Reprise), The Loyal Lover, Within Sound, Cruel Mother

IMPRESSIONS:  In 2020, I don't know what it was but I was bigtime into folk horror and read several books on the subject.  I also read Rob Young's monumental tome on British folk music "ELECTRIC EDEN:  UNEARTHING BRITAIN'S VISIONARY MUSIC" which had a section on this album lurking in its pages.  As usual with a book of this kind, I read it with a pen and paper so I could jot down albums to buy.  And this was one of them.  

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  All of 'em . . . .because they're misty moisty Brit Folk music.

FACT SHEET:  The Owl Service was formed and lead by Steven Collins for it's entire ten year existence.  The groups's name is from the folk horror/young adult novel THE OWL SERVICE by Alan Garner from 1967; the novel was adapted for British television in 1969 and starred Gillian Hills.  THE VIEW FROM A HILL is The Owl Service's third album.  Adam Leonard provides backing vocals on "Ladies, Don't Go A-Thieving", "Willie O'Winsbury", "In Thorneymoor Woods Pt. 2", "Within Sound" and "Cruel Mother".  Alison O'Donnell provides vocals on "The Lover's Ghost".  Magnus Dearness plays trombone on "Willie O'Winsbury (Reprise)".  Naomi Browton provides backing vocals and plays cello on "Cruel Mother".