Following a variety of line-up changes, recesses and pit-stops, the looming end of the decade spurred Planxty into a return to the fray – with the original line-up, plus the Bothy Band’s Matt Molloy on flute, coming together for their fourth album.’
You get five tune sets and five songs, each deftly arranged to draw the best out of the ensemble. ‘The Good Ship Kangaroo’ is a prime example, with Lunny and Irvine on bouzouki and mandolin providing a stunning backdrop for Moore’s masterful telling of the story – the musical gaiety being festooned finally by O’Flynn’s pipes and Molloy’s flute. They instinctively got the mood bang to rights throughout, especially on ‘The Pursuit Of Farmer Michael Hayes’, ‘You Rambling Boys Of Pleasure’, the rousing Bulgarian dance tune ‘Smeceno Horo and ‘The Rambling Siuler’.
There are few bands in the tradition today who have not been touched by this masterful collection.