John Tams - The Reckoning (Deluxe Remaster) (2019)

Deluxe reissue of the award-winning Topic album / 3 bonus tracks, 2 previously unreleased / 28 page booklet with new sleeve notes by acclaimed journalist Mick Houghton / New intro by John Tams

By definition "re-issues" are "a thing of the past" not so for "The Reckoning" more a thing of the present if not the future. With three additional "postscript" tracks, an entity within themselves, the whole of this multi-award winning album's timeless quality continues to challenge preconceptions and genre stereotyping. There's enough contained to warrant inclusion in any record collection such is the breadth of style and song-making.

The third of his critically acclaimed solo albums, "The Reckoning" was released in 2005 winning three of the coveted BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Album, Best Traditional Track (The Bitter Withy) and Folk singer of the Year. MOJO describes him as "One of the ultimate British songwriters."

The album is a masterful collection of traditional and self-composed songs including a spellbinding revision of "The Bitter Withy," a powerful re-making of "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" and a magnificent song-cycle dedicated to "The Sea."

Mick Houghton writes: "he remains all too often uncited as a significant player in bringing folk music to a wider audience across all platforms, now a ubiquitous component in the performing arts."

Film, television, radio and the stage have played a vital role in his life both as actor and musician, Tams perhaps being best known for playing a regular character (opposite Sean Bean) in the ITV Sharpe Series, as Rifleman Daniel Hagman. He also co-wrote the score alongside Dominic Muldowney releasing "Over The Hills And Far Away" an album selling over 120,000 copies.

As a member of the original creative team he provided all the songs for War Horse at the National Theatre now a multi-award winning global phenomenon seen by over 10 million people worldwide, the most watched production in the National Theatre history. He also worked personally with Steven Spielberg and John Williams on the movie version.

On July 5th, "The Reckoning" is re-issued; War Horse is playing in Hong Kong prior to Singapore and New Zealand and John is writing an audio autobiographical songbook "How To Build A Ghost" whilst continuing his commitments to theatre, the screen and the concert stage.