On the Shore

The Trees' second album is so similar to the debut (The Garden of Jane Delawney) that it's difficult to recommend one above the other. If you like one, you'll like the other; if you want only the best stuff in this style, you'll stick to Fairport Convention and maybe Steeleye Span without digging this deep. It's more assertive, harder-rocking, and fuller-sounding than the debut, but the principal flaws of overlong songs and patchy original material remain. The taut and dramatic original "Murdoch" is the highlight, rivaling the first album's "The Garden of Jane Delawney" as their best track. [In 2007, Sony reissued a remastered version of On the Shore with a bonus disc of previously unreleased tracks.] ~ Richie Unterberger