Due to extreme laziness I'm virtually retired from Ciao, although I'll still read and post the odd o...
Due to extreme laziness I'm virtually retired from Ciao, although I'll still read and post the odd op every now and then......
Member since:16.01.2001
Reviews:369
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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 family tree on the "History" album which you can pick up on island mid price, so I wont bother with any more of the bands history. This is dealt with in the very extensive liner notes of this album.
The first Cd contains the breathtakingly beautiful "Fotheringay" and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" , ballads sung by Sandy Denny. It also contains the extended instrumental workouts of "A Sailor's Life featuring a duel between Richard Thompson's guitar and Dave Swarbrick's fiddle, as well as "Matty Groves" and "Tam Lin". The first CD gets as far as the "Liege and Lief" album, one of the definitive folk rock albums of all time.
The second Cd contains a ten minute version of "A Bonnie Bunch of Roses" , which was previously unreleased. The music sees changes in personel with Jerry Donahue an excellent transatlantic guitarists being featured as well as the distintive vocals of Trevor Lucas. The album finishes with material from the "Rising For The Moon" album which saw Sandy Denny return to the fold.
This album is a wonderful history of the first ten years of the band that defined British Folk rock. Without them there may not have been a Steeley Span or Oyster Band.
An essential album.
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Oh - I do hope you update this - this is a lovely album (and I love the version of Chelsea Morning, which I had not heard before), and I know there's loads more you could write about it! Cheers, Kate
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