Liberty Horses

  • Liberty Horses
  • Joyland (Gramavision) 1993 

For his epilogue to the Bible, London singer/guitarist Neill MacColl (half-brother to Kirsty, son of folksinger Ewan and the nephew of American folk great Pete Seeger) brought along that band’s bassist Leroy Lendor, drafted his guitarist/singer brother Calum and hired American session drummer Robert Bond. Liberty Horses’ lone album fell victim to various business calamities, moved through several labels and was repeatedly delayed. Rough Trade/Capitol announced it for late ’92, but canceled the release. In any case, Joyland is pristine pop from the Ralph McTell/Gerry Rafferty/Blue Nile school. Neill’s husky voice has a lot of personality; the band’s songs are earnest and attractive-even when the overweening lyrical sap is rising in the elevator-smooth arrangements.

[Ira Robbins]