Lasting Spirit, A (The Collection) [Digipak] - Fairport Convention

Fairport Invention

Advantages: Fantastic History of the band who invented Folk Rock
Disadvantages: No Family Tree, but you can get it in "History"

The band's name is Fairport Convention, not Fairground Convention. There is a wonderful CD compilation , callled "History" which a fine selection of Fairport's music, but this compilation has two CDs and as such provides a more exhaustive selection of the band's work for the Island label. It opens with a track from their debut album (which was on the Polydor label) and featured Judy Dyble on vocals,) a version of Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning" demonstrating their early leanings towards their West Coast influences of Bob Dylan , Jefferson Airplane and Phil Ochs. The band have always had a fluid line up and around 1968 virtually single handedly invented British Folk rock. Sandy Denny (ex of the early Strawbs) came in on vocals and Richard Thompson on guitar, The groups history is detailed concisely and beutifully in the liner ...

mikeydred 12.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Meet On The Ledge (The Classic Years) - Fairport Convention Meet On The Ledge

Last Shadow Puppets - Age of the Understatement

Advantages: Another portion of music from Alex Turner
Disadvantages: Doesn't have that 'catchyness' that the Arctic Monkeys has...

The Age Of The Understatement is the debut album from The Last Shadow Puppets; a side project of Alex Turner of The Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of The Rascals...one you may well have heard of, but one you may not have!! The Age of the Understatement was released in the UK on 21 April 2008, going straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart...the hype and success surrounding it was for the most part due to Turner's role in the band. The likes of Radio 1 put the debut single straight into it's A-list, the likes of the NME waxed lyrically over their arrival...but was it worth the hype?? Well first of all, the two met when Kane's former band The Little Flames supported the Arctic Monkeys during their 2005 & 2007 UK tours. Kane also played guitar on "505", the closing track of the second Arctic Monkeys album "Favourite Worst ...

carl.mcqueen 05.09.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Age Of The Understatement, The (Limited Edition) [Digipak] - Last Shadow Puppets (The)

We haven't heard the last of the shadow puppets

Advantages: More music for fans of the band members, decent album overall
Disadvantages: inconsistent, different to what you'd expect from the group

The Last Shadow Puppets is a 3 piece indie rock band fronted by Arctic Monkeys lead singer, Alex Turner. His sideline group is made up by James Ford on Drums and Miles Kane on Bass if i remember rightly. Both of these musicians met Alex Turner when Miles Kane's other band, 'The Rascals' supported the Arctic Monkeys. The album is called 'The Age of The Understatement' and consists of 12 Tracks and runs to almost 35 minutes. Fans of either band will have to be open-minded as The Last Shadow Puppets do seem to be a little more downbeat than Arctic Monkeys and more contemporary and conventional than The Rascals. The Tracks [Track 1 - The Age of The Understatement] The album screeches into an early crescendo with its title track, also a prominent yet simple bassline present early on. It may lead some Arctic Monkeys fans ...

BZ2886 20.07.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Age Of The Understatement, The (Limited Edition) [Digipak] - Last Shadow Puppets (The)