The Ultimate Guide to English Folk is a two-disc collection of 35 tracks recorded throughout the English folk revival, which injected new life into a very old musical tradition. The impact of that revival not only kept ancient traditions alive but generated a flood of new folk music and fresh interpretations of older compositions.

The music here is a literal Who's Who of the genre, with tracks from the likes of Eliza Carthy, Steeleye Span, The Watersons, Martin Carthy, Oysterband, Silly Sisters, Waterson:Carthy, Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts, Blowzabella, June Tabor & Martin Simpson, the Copper Family, Nic Jones, and more.

But the music isn't all this set has going for it. Jon Boden, a folk music veteran of the prog-folk band Bellowhead, has compiled an interesting and informative booklet crammed with information to educate newcomers to the genre on the revival's importance to British culture. Listening to this two-disc set is a pleasure; reading the liner notes is an education.

Listening to these discs is quite the experience. Many of these tracks I had heard before; many I had not. Some were a revelation, while others were old friends. This is an extraordinary collection of music, nearly 2 1/2 hours long. If you're not already familiar with the roots of the English folk revival, The Ultimate Guide to English Folk is a master class that will give listeners a solid foundation through a single crash course, while providing plenty of branches to follow for further edification. On the other hand, even longtime fans of English folk music will enjoy this excellent compilation of amazing tracks, and it's likely everyone will find something new to appreciate.

Either way, I can sincerely recommend this two-disc set to anyone who enjoys good English music. The folks at ARC Music should take a bow for this one!