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Sleeve Notes
Karl Dallas, folk columnist of Melody Maker, writes: Matt McGinn — a pair of sparkling eyes over a bushy red beard, a rich sonorous voice. and one of the wickedest wits in the folksong revival. In the great tradition of the Bards of Dublin, Glasgow and Grub Street, he will use any material to express his ire or his amusement or his joy and if a great old song expires in the process, that's tough on the tradition. Matt is busy creating a tradition of his own. There is always a danger, which Matt doesn't try to avoid, that people will not take him seriously enough. Wit he maybe, lampooner he certainly is, but when he leaves off clowning Matt can write some of the most moving and profound songs in the song writing revival. This sampler, drawn from Matt McGinn's recordings for Transatlantic's XTRA label in the last three years, is amply representative both of Matt's wicked wit, (witness "Big Sammy" or "The Pill") and of his ability to write moving and profound songs. Listen hard to "The Ballad of the Q4" or "The Ballad Of John MacLean".