Customer Reviews
Folk from the West Country say...... - By: DOGG, 30 Aug 2008 
The murky world of folk purists is a place I would never dare to venture but as a fan of folk music, this is a perfect mix of a rockier roots-sound & folky laments & shanties.
In fact....that intro sounds a little too folky already,Lakeman has carved a career out of sterling tunes,traditional instruments & clever lyrics, with "Poor Mans Heaven" he has bettered his 2006 classic "Freedoms Fields".
The feel to this LP is heavier,more robust but the mandolins,violins & acoustic guitars still dominate,the upright bass & acoustic drums form a bedrock of cornish granite.
2008 has seen some great folk records & Lakeman has added an other to that list...!
Some thrilling moments - By: C. Lee, 25 Jul 2008 This is yet another uplifting & life-affirming effort from Seth Lakeman.
He seems to really divide opinion. I know a lot of people think he is overrated but I find it impossible to see him as anything other than one of the finest musicians currently workingin this country! He is a superlative musician technically, able to play numerous instruments to a very high standard, a warm & inspiring singer & a first rate songwriter. The nay sayers need to seriously listen to him & not let some trad-folk prejudice against people who get things moving with a jaunty rhythm blind them. Listening to him is inspiring even when his songs aren't of the finest.
I am into all sorts of music but as far as folk goes I am definitely at Seth's end of the spectrum, upbeat, fast-moving, exciting folk. He is not a finger-in-the-ear folkie, get used to it. Don't do the man down for being motivated & exciting!
This album is not his best, but it is a fine record. As usual he covers many different musical approaches, from the drum driven Hurlers to more acoustic stuff. personally I think Crimson Dawn & Solomon Browne are the best songs on the album. The latter is a superb effort, really moving & beautifully played. The last three or four tracks are a bit dull but once again Seth has triumphed!
Another great album by the lord of Folk Music - By: Owain, 25 Jul 2008 Seth Lakeman is a VERY talented Folk Musician. His energy, his passion & his genius makes all of his albums breathtaking. His previous album, the Freedom Fields has attracted a large audience to his fantastic skillsin music. Obviously when his new album comes out, after the success of the Freedom Fields, there are high expectations.
Now let's get this straight, Poor Man's Heaven is no Freedom Fields. It has a livelier tone to itin one way & unfortunately it doesn't reach the quality of the Freedom Fields either. Despite that, Seth Lakeman's passion towards Folk Music is shown here more than ever. It' takes a braver turn, & relies less on his trusty violin & uses more guitar like instruments (The Hurlers is an exception). But the songs are still much better than much other Folk musicians can conjure up.
His dream of folk music returning as popular music seems to be coming into a reality. Great job Seth Lakeman, keep up the good work, nay, great work.
poor - By: hickman, 24 Jul 2008 
Dont get me wrong i like all sorts of music especially folk however, this album like all of his other albums are overated. I actually think this album is the poorest of all of them. For a start its the same tempo through out & like his other albums they tend to sound the same. The main problem for me is his voice i suppose you either love it or hate it i find is voice grating after a couple of tracks. If you want to hear a great folk artistic who does this much better check out the great Richard Thompson & dont waste your money on this.
gets better the louder you hear it - By: philp, 16 Jul 2008 I'm not a folk music fan (Roy Harper excepted) but I bought this because I liked Freedom Fields. On first listening I thought 'yep, Freedom Fields with a bit of punch' but wasn't overwhelmed. I then happened to see SL live at a local music festival last week. It was loud, the upright bass hit you like a bass drum, & the overall performance was exceptional.
My advice is to play this CD loud to get the full benefit. I would now rate it 4 stars rather than 3, simply by playing it louder. (I know I could have played it loudin the first place but I'm a slave to my prejudices).
