Customer Reviews
I don't get it either! - By: democritus, 21 Jan 2010 
I've been pushed & pulledin the direction of Bellowhead by ecstatic fellow members of my Morris side, but I agree with Mr A Simpsonin a previous review that it's all too complicated & discordant & the harsh & inharmonious vocals were quite a shock. If I can draw a parallel with, & paraphrase, a famous review of Mahler's 7th symphony - 'How many more instruments can we drag in? Is there room for a car hornin there?'. Not overkeen I'm afraid. Nice cover though ;-)
Burlesque, Bellowhead - A thrilling celebration of traditional British music - By: Victor Tugelbend, 26 Sep 2009 
Where to start when trying to describe this wonderful album? The great Bellowhead defy all description. This 11 piece band, with folk revival heroes Spiers & Boden at the core, have a breadth of instruments & talents to embrace a wide range of musical styles & forge them into one coherent, glorious whole.
The music here is a joyful celebration of British music, ranging from folk through to a touch of 20's swing. It's ambition is huge, but not beyond the talents of the musicians. It could so easily have been a confused mess, but it's brought off magnificently.
It's also good time music. The tempo is upbeat, & all the musicians seem to be enjoying themselves immensely, which adds to the experience.
I'm told that the band are even better live than on disk, if that's the case then they must be spectacular, & I can't wait to see them!
5 stars, recommended for any fans of British folk who are willing to listen to something a little different. I can't wait for the next album!
Communication breakdown ? - By: Arthur Dooley, 21 Jul 2008 
I was really looking forward to hearing the first Bellowhead albumin its entirety. A great live band who had built up a cult following & brought on board critics such as Mr Folk, Mike Harding & the music critics from the 'serious' newspapers.
Bellowhead could be seen as an English Pogues. Quirky & left field. Offering their own unique interpretations of traditional songs through their all singing all dancing 11 piece instrumental line up.
Mixing everything from folk,to rag time,vaudeville,trad jazz & roots, the Bellowhead sound is certainly unique.
Unfortunately for me,their strength isin their live performances. Burlesque is quite a way off markin that it lacks any outstanding tracks & loses so muchin its over complicated over cooked format.
With the band throwing every style & instrument known to man into the mix it soon starts to induce musical intergestion.
I would not take too much notice of the fawning fan reviews which give it five stars....FIVE STARS !!!
This aint no English 'If I should fall from grace with God'.
Brilliant, melodic, genre-defying LP - By: Greg Farefield-Rose, 28 Apr 2008 It's very rare indeed that a band emerges as different & talented as Bellowhead. The 11 piece big-band collective play contemporary, innovative versions of traditional folk songs, which, despite the band's size, have excellent, uncluttered arrangements.
Bellowhead is the brainchild of singer / fiddler Jon Boden & melodeon playing John Spiers, both well-known faces on the English folk circuit. One or other of the Jo(h)ns arranged most of the songs on Burlesque or wrote an original melody or reel with the exception of Across The Line & London Town which were arranged by Pete Flood & Paul Sartin respectively, Both highlights, London Town has an almost ska-like feel courtesy of Bellowhead's superb four-piece brass section who are more like the Dirty Dozen Band than the standard soul or jazz influenced horn ensemble.
Yes the brass section are crucial to Bellowhead's sound. They also particularly shine on the clipped, almost calypso-like instrumental Sloe Gin as well as providing further sympathetic, funky emblishments throughout the LP. Despite their presence though, Bellowhead are essentially a folk group with extensive notes on the derivation of each song providedin the inlay, presumably by Boden & Spiers. If these two have ever had enough of music, they would make excellent archivists...
The Bellowhead sound is so different that it's hard to describe the bandin terms of musical influences though the closest match is possibly The Pogues at their most sophisticated around the time of If I Should Fall From Grace With God. This only of course tells half the story at most. For further non-folk pointers, the superb Across The Line & Courting Too Slow would not be out of place on The Waterboys' Fisherman's Blues whilst the discordant, vaudeville Flash Company peters towards Tom Waits' territory.
Don't just think of influences too much when playing Burlesque though but just enjoy it for the incredible body of work that it is. It's far too rich to be pigeonholed as just folk music with Bellowhead having huge potential cross-over appeal if they want it though I suspect, as mostly family men nearer 30 than 20, they are happy enough to be a big cult act. Whatever their intentions, Burlesque is a magnificent, melodic, extremely original album & is very highly recommended.
Big and brassy - By: CRB, 25 Jan 2008 Crazy, over the top, loads of oompah, fun, masterful, magical. You'll end up listening to this over & over again & loving it more & more each time. In the future this will be seen as a defining momentin folk music history. All power to Jon Boden & his compatriots.
