From the get-go, the Oysterband has been England's consummate roots band. Over the past two decades, they have become one of the finest groups in the world at combining the music of the English folk tradition with a contemporary rock beat that you can dance to.

With their latest album, Here I Stand, I feel that the Oysterband live up to this billing by offering almost 60 minutes of powerful melodies and lyrics in 13 songs and three instrumentals. While Here I Stand has a more pop-oriented feel (akin to REM and the Beautiful South) on some cuts than many of their previous recordings, it is still a well-crafted contemporary folk-rock album -- rooted in the English folk tradition but also achieving that full modern rock sound. The Oysterband has moved musically into some creative areas it has never explored before. The lyrics are more introspective in nature, focusing on personal relationships and feelings and moving away from much of the angry political focus of some of the band's earlier material.

Standout tracks include the opening track, "On the Edge," highlighting the mellow strains of the mandolin and cello; "This is the Voice," with backing vocals and sounds of the trumpet being provided by Chumbawamba; "Street of Dreams," featuring harmony backing vocals from Rowan Godel; and the upbeat melodies contained in "After Rain" and "This Town," both featuring the musical talents of special guests, Newfoundland's Great Big Sea. Other special guests on the album include Steafan Hannigan, Yulia Kuszta, Wild Slim Mustapha, co-producer Alaric Neville and Gino Lupari, bodhran player with the Irish band, Four Men And A Dog.

Here I Stand features the Oysterband's long-standing line-up of John Jones (lead vocals and melodeon); Alan Prosser (acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals, electric guitars, mandolin, fiddle and percussion); Ian Telfer (fiddle, concertina, rainstick and glass harmonica); Chopper (bass guitar, cello, kantele, vocals, harmonica, Hammond organ, acoustic guitar, percussion and glass harmonica); and Lee (drums, vocals, percussion and subliminal piano).

While all of the songs on Here I Stand are Oysterband originals, they still have traces of traditional overtones running through them. Along with Alaric Neville's input, this album is the Oysterband's first totally self-produced effort. In addition, the band has established their own independent distribution label, Running Man Records, after a long association with the Cooking Vinyl label.

The Oysterband has proven that they are a band that is comfortable with themselves and confident in the direction they are heading with their music. With Here I Stand, I feel that the Oysterband continues to turn out some of the finest songs to emerge from England's current folk-rock music scene. This is another Oysterband recording that demands repeated listening. Check it out.