Band:
Spike - vocals
Guy Griffin - guitars and backing vocals
Paul Guerin - guitars
Phil Martini - drums and percussion
Keith Weir - piano and backing vocals

Additional Musicians:
Rob Bond - pedal steel
Moritz Behm - fiddle
Lee Spence - mandolin and dobro
Rachel Cullum - violin (8)
Chris Corney - bass, banjo and dobro

Production:
Produced by Chris Corney and Guy Griffin.

Review:
I've always enjoyed The Quireboys, better known as The London Quireboys to North American audiences, although I have to question the necessity of the band's latest album Halfpenny Dancer. This CD is a collection of songs from the band's past, although not their best known hits, captured in acoustic form.
  As expected the band sounds great, as they have been one of the most consistent groups over the course of their career. Vocalist Spike still has that Rod Stewart gravel-throated delivery down pat as time hasn't taken away from the whiskey-soaked edge that he has always had. On this album his voice conjures up many emotions and it just may be among his best work.
  With that being said, I'm still not sold on Halfpenny Dancer. For starters The Quireboys have never been the heaviest band on the planet, so acoustic versions of "There She Goes Again", "Mona Lisa Smiled", "Roses & Rings" and "King Of New York" don't differ a whole bunch from the originals. These songs still sound as great as I remember, but they would be better served being surrounded by the occasional rock song. Without some Faces inspired rock numbers thrown into the mix Halfpenny Dancer comes across as something you would listen to at a wedding dance.
  Nothing solidifies the wedding dance scenario more than the band's cover of "He'll Have To Go". Just by listening to this track you can envision elderly couples doing a slow waltz with the stench of cheap wine on their breaths. It's not The Quireboys' shining moment that's for sure, but the band fair much better on UFO's "Love To Love", as this rendition gives the song an entirely new feel. Two different editions of Halfpenny Dancer exist, the original 13 song version limited to 1000 copies and the deluxe package that adds the title track and "Have A Drink With Me".
  As good as the band sounds I think Halfpenny Dancer is going to appeal to hardcore fans and completists only. The average listener would be better served picking up one of The Quireboys more recent studio albums like Well Oiled or Homewreckers & Heartbreakers, albums that work better because they mix up the tempo a little bit. Halfpenny Dancer doesn't do that -- it is mellow from start to finish, and while the band themselves sound exceptional, the CD is one dimensional and seems rather unnecessary.
  www.thequireboys.com - www.myspace.com/thequireboys - www.jerkincrocus.com

Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, March 2010.

Buy The CD:
Purchase at Amazon.com
Purchase at CDUniverse.com
Purchase at eBay.com
Purchase at iTunes.com