Arrogance Ignorance and Greed

In 2006, the duo's album Witness had proven unusually successful. The album was produced by Simon Emmerson and Massey of Afro Celt Sound System and featured a crossover African and electronica-influenced sound with the band's typical English folk style. The album marked the first time since Beat about the Bush (1994) that the duo had undertaken experiments with a rhythm section. Although some fans were uncertain of the album's direction, many fans and critics welcomed it and it became the band's best-selling album. The duo toured in 2006–2007, which included a unique "Tour of Topsham" pubs and a 20th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Steve Knightley also released his solo album Cruel River (2007). The duo had decided that their next album would continue the outsider producer motif of Witness, only with a different style. Prior to recording, Knightley endured a couple of painfully emotional years as his mother, brother and young son all battled serious illness. This had great effect on the music he began to write. He recorded a re-recording of his album Track of Words (1999) entitled Track of Words: Retraced for release in mid-2009 and undertook a promotional tour. At the same time, Beer was hooked on seafaring after fulfilling a lifelong dream by crewing on Pegasus in the Tall Ships Race in 2009. The 74 ft Bristol-built wooden cutter – owned by the educational Island Trust – crossed the finishing line in second place in its class after a voyage of 4,500 nautical miles visiting 12 countries. Beer's reclusion from music lead to a more prominent musical part from Knightley, and the duo began work on the album in early 2009. Knightley said that "on this record, it seemed there was a connection between current affairs and personal affairs but I didn't know how to turn it into songs, and so I sort of suddenly found a way." Although the duo had already played four of the songs live, most of them were written in a "rush" in Spring 2009. ==Recording and music==

The album was produced by Stu Hanna of the band Megson, who brought the album what one review described as "distinctive (cutting) edge of extra-crisp definition", Colin Irwin of the BBC said that "the mix of Knightley’s intense material and Hanna’s brutally direct production gives Show of Hands an almost punk potency" and said the album has an "overriding rawness", Irwin also observed that Knightley sings "so close to the microphone it feels like he’s climbed right inside your ear," reflecting the album's "inherent darkness". Mark Tucker also provided additional production on the album. performing live five months before the album's release. David Kidman of NetRhythms noted that "the overall soundscape" of the album "can actually sound rather stark", even compared to the duo's "more bare-bones-style" from earlier offerings, but noted that "this element carries with it a distinctive (cutting) edge of extra-crisp definition, and it accentuates that additional degree of uneasy bleakness [he] noted in so many of the songs," giving much credit to Stu Hanna for the sound. Beer's electric fiddle sound on the song was inspired by Jackson Browne. "The Worried Well" is a gospel-tinged "full-throttle assault" on alternative medicine, ==Release and promotion==

stations across the country to promote the album (BBC Radio office pictured.) The album was announced in the duo's fan club newsletter of July 2009, and the album quickly became "hotly anticipated". The duo uploaded samples of the album onto their website 29 September 2009. In addition to touring, the duo spent the end of September and much of October promoting the album on radio. The duo were interviewed by John Rockley for his BBC Radio Gloucestershire show on 30 September. Bob Harris played "Evolution" on his BBC Radio 2 show the following day. On 4 October, the duo began their County Town Tour. Mike Harding played a song from the album on his BBC Radio 2 show The Mike Harding Show on 7 October. On 8 October, Knightley was interviewed about the album on Spirit FM's show The Ian Crouch Show. Mike Harding interviewed the duo for 15 October for usage on a later show. On 17 October, Beer was interviewed about the album for BBC Radio Wiltshire and on 18 October by Ian Pearce for BBC Three Counties Radio. On 21 October, John Barnes interviewed Knightley about the album for BBC Radio Lancashire and on 22 October, he appeared on The Paul Franks Show to talk about the album on BBC Radio WM. On both days, Fiona Talkington played songs from the album on BBC Radio 3's Late Junction show. This airing of the song saw the album climb numerous Amazon.co.uk charts. The duo reported on 23 October that it currently charted at number 49 on the "Music Bestsellers (All)" chart", number 3 on the "Music Bestsellers (World & Folk genre)" chart, a rise of 150%, number 12 on the "Hot Future Releases (All)" chart, number 1 on the "Hot Future Releases (World & Folk)" chart and number 9 on the "Movers & Shakers In Music" chart, a rise of 157%. Besides radio promotion, the album was promoted in other ways. On 7 October, Play.com ran a competition giving 25 fans the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Show Of Hands premiere the album at an exclusive concert in the Gibson Guitar Rooms in Central London on 28 October. The competition closed on 18 October. The title song of the album, "Arrogance Ignorance and Greed", was released as its own single two times in 2010, firstly without any other tracks and secondly as a double A-side with "The Keys to Canterbury". It was also featured in The Guardian "F&M Playlist" on 6 November, and a music video was produced for the song which was uploaded to the duo's YouTube channel on 13 November. Knightley also published his fourth songbook, Songbook 4, in 2010, featuring the eleven songs he composed for the album. Jon Richardson played "Senor" on BBC Radio 6 Music on 22 November, whilst "The Keys to Canterbury" featured as the tenth song in the December 2009 playlist for "Ian Anderson's fRoots Radio Show". ==Reception==

The album was released to a positive critical reception. Colin Irwin of the BBC said the album was "a committed, convincing reinvention of a Brit folk institution" and an "extraordinarily earthy effort" that shows the duo "punching hard". Whilst playing "Senor" from the album on his BBC Radio 6 Music show, Jon Richardson said "the album is just amazing". Although the album was met with critical praise, Phil Beer of the duo said the album did not "go down well" with the duo's core audience. The album's new direction and Hanna's production was not to the liking of all the duo's fans, but many of them welcomed the album. The album was included in Mike Ganley's Crooked Road "Top 10 Albums 2009" list, and was a runner-up in the fRoots critics' poll of the top 20 "New Albums of 2009". Fatea Magazine named it "Album of the Year 09". "Best Trad Song" for "The Keys of Canterbury", where they finished second, and "Best Group", where they also finished second. At the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2010, the duo won the award for "Best Duo" and the title song of the album won the award for "Best Original Song". World Music noted that the song "not surprisingly resonated with a lot of the population". This version was only uploaded on to the BBC's folk blog. In November 2010, the band released their next album, a set of cover versions entitled Covers 2 which featured re-recordings of two of the songs from Arrogance Ignorance and Greed; the title track was recorded in a self-proclaimed "'lite' version" entitled "AIG 2", whilst their cover of Gabriel's "Secret World" was also re-recorded. Independent record label Nascente included "The Keys to Canterbuy" on their various artists compilation album ''Beginner's Guide to English Folk'' (2012). ==Track listing==

All tracks written by Steve Knightley, except where noted. • "Lowlands" (Traditional; arranged by Knightley and Phil Beer) – 2:21 • "Evolution" – 3:26 • "The Man I Was" – 3:33 • "The Napoli" – 3:11 • "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" (Bob Dylan) – 4:13 • "IED: Science or Nature" – 5:00 • "The Vale" – 4:47 • "Arrogance Ignorance and Greed" – 3:40 • "Secret World" (Peter Gabriel) – 5:06 • "The Worried Well" – 2:13 • "The Keys of Canterbury" (Traditional; arranged by Knightley) – 3:44 • "Drift" – 4:57 • "Rain Rain Go Away" - 2:25 • The thirteenth song is a hidden, untitled track unlisted in the artwork. ==Chart positions==

;Show of Hands • Steve Knightley, vocals [1–12], guitar [2, 4, 6, 8], tenor guitar [2–3, 5, 7–10], mandocello [1, 3, 11–12], cuatro [5, 9], harmonica [8]; • Phil Beer, vocals [1, 3–4, 8–11], fiddle [2, 5, 7–8, 11], strings [3, 6, 11–12], mandolin [4, 11], mandocello [6], slide guitar [7], guitar [9–10], cuatro [12]; ;Guest contributors • Miranda Sykes, vocals [1–4, 6, 8–12], double bass [1–6, 8–12]; • Andy Tween, cajon [2, 11], percussion [2, 11], drums [6, 8]; • Stu Hanna, guitar [2, 8]; • Jim Causley, vocals [4]; • David Delarre, vocals [4], guitar [4]; • James Delarre, vocals [4], fiddle [4]; • Debbie Hanna, vocals [6, 12]; • Matt Clifford, piano [6, 12], Hammond B3 [8], keyboards [8]; • Jackie Oates, vocals [7,11] ==References==