"Bursting at the Seams" is the 5th studio album by English band Strawbs. Released in 1973, it became the band's most successful album, reaching No.2 in the UK Album Charts and No. 1 in Australia. The album marked a shift in the band's sound, moving from their folk rock roots towards a more progressive rock style.
The album yielded two successful singles, "Lay Down," which reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart, and "Part of the Union," which clinched the No. 2 spot. These hits played a significant role in propelling it into the limelight. Besides these well-known tracks, the album features other classic Strawbs songs like "The Winter and the Summer" and the profound "Tears and Pavan."
Bursting at the Seams is also notable for its band member changes. This would be the last album featuring the line-up of Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert, John Ford, Richard Hudson, and Blue Weaver. After the release of the album, Hudson and Ford left the band to form their own band, Hudson Ford, and were replaced by John Hawken, Rod Coombes, and Chas Cronk. This change led to a shift in the band's sound in their subsequent albums.
Overall, with impactful lyrics by Dave Cousins, the fusion of folk, rock and progressive attributes, and its successful singles, Bursting at the Seams holds a special place in Strawbs’ discography and the broader 1970s rock scene.
