Some of the musical tracks are a little lacking in spark, an exception being "The Orange in Bloom" and "Sweet Jenny Jones", which are unusually, Morris tunes in waltz time with a jokey coda of that old Roman music-hall favourite "Quantum Est Ille Canis in Fenestram" (this is an Oxford band - ok?). Sorry, lads, but my dog didn't like it; she doesn't like reed instruments, including mine, so don't take offence. Sydney Carter is a seriously neglected English songwriter - he didn't only write "Lord of the Dance" (no apologies to Michael Flatley, who nicked the title). Two typically thought provoking Carter songs are here, about obscure figures in English history. First there's "Julian of Norwich", a 14th century visionary and then George Fox, a founder of the Quakers, Carter's song being largely reconstructed from Fox's own words and sympathetically performed here.

Full marks for variety on this CD and adding to a distinctly eclectic mix are "Northfield", a shape note hymn, a harmony arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael's classic "Lazy Bones" and a strangely subdued version of John Tams' normally rousing "Rolling Home". This is a "Plain English" CD but not in the prevalent "English Country" style; there's a rather "proper" feel to this production; it's impact being somewhat low key, possibly because of the Men's classical approach? I must admit I'm not a fan of massed reed instruments (nor is my dog) so this CD was a pleasant surprise in its thoughtful and well-produced arrangements and worth a listen as a representation of Three (no, four) Pressed Men.