Winter (Steeleye Span album) explained

Winter
Type:	Album
Artist:	Steeleye Span
Border:	yes
Released:	2004
Studio:	Warehouse Studios, Oxford
Genre:	British folk rock Christmas music
Length:	59:02
Label:	Park Records
Producer:	Steeleye Span
Prev Title:	They Called Her Babylon
Prev Year:	2004
Next Title:	Bloody Men
Next Year:	2006

Winter is the 19th studio album by British folk rock band Steeleye Span. It is the second album made by a line-up consisting of Maddy Prior, Peter Knight, Rick Kemp, Liam Genockey and Ken Nicol. This is their first Christmas album. Most of the songs on the album are traditional folk songs, but it also includes three new pieces expressing neo-pagan views on the Winter season. It also includes a negro spiritual, "Blow Your Trumpet Gabriel", the first time the band had drawn from that particular musical genre.

Personnel

Steeleye Span

• Maddy Prior - vocals
• Peter Knight - backing vocals, violin, viola, electric piano
• Rick Kemp - bass guitar
• Liam Genockey - drums
• Ken Nicol - guitar, vocals

Track listing

1. "The First Nowell" - 4:23
2. "Down in Yon Forest" - 3:44
3. "Unconquered Sun" (Ken Nicol) - 5:22
4. "Chanticleer" (William Austin) - 4:17
5. "Bright Morning Star" - 3:15
6. "Winter" (Peter Knight) - 4:13
7. "See, Amid the Winter's Snow" (words - Edward Caswall, music - Sir John Goss) - 5:47
8. "Mistletoe Bough" (Ken Nicol) - 5:35
9. "Sing We the Virgin Mary" - 3:41
10. "Today in Bethlehem" - 3:40
11. "Blow Your Trumpet Gabriel" - 2:54
12. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (words - Charles Wesley) - 4:29
13. "Good King Wenceslas" (words - John Mason Neale) - 3:36
14. "In the Bleak Midwinter" (words - Christina Rossetti, music - Gustav Holst) - 4:06