There is an exciting major new release exploring the folk music of “Dark Britannica”. John Barleycorn Reborn is a 2CD set on the Cold Spring label  plus free downloadable third part featuring British artists inspired by ancient British folklore and traditions, but whose work has, until now, fallen below the radar of mainstream media.  “John Barleycorn” is one of the oldest known British folk songs and a beautiful booklet in the CD package explains its history and how it sets the tone for this collection of songs, lovingly curated by Mark Coyle of specialist digital retailer Woven Wheat Whispers. The release is supported by an informative website www.john-barleycorn-reborn.com and a dedicated MySpace page where you can the Peter Ulrich song “The Scryer and the Shewstone” as one of four sample tracks on the music player www.myspace.com/johnbarleycornreborn. (Hear my own interview with Ulrich at http://musicsojourn.com/AR/AmbN/page/u/UlrichPeter.htm.) “The Scryer and the Shewstone” is about the 16th century scientist and alchemist Doctor John Dee, his accomplice Edward Kelley (The Scryer) and their visionary meetings with angels. Further explanation of the song can be found at www.TheMysterium.info/t2.htm.