Thursday, October 19, 2006
Fairport's Full House
Sandy has also been part of Fairport Convention. I had already 'in stock' for you an old LP 70-Fairport Convention - Full house. Didn't have time to post it here, but now I will.
Sadly there's no Sandy on it but it's really worth to listen to.
AMG Review by Stephen Winnick & Bruce Eder
Fairport Convention is a group that has always beaten the odds — that's why a version of the band is working in the 21st century. By the time of this, the group's fifth album, key members Ashley Hutchings and Sandy Denny had exited the lineup, yet the group continued here without skipping a beat, for the first time without a female singer — and it turned out not to make a major difference. Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick took over as singers, and Dave Pegg (more recently of Jethro Tull) joined on bass, and the resulting album was actually more viscerally exciting than its predecessor, Liege and Lief, if not quite as important as that record, since it came first. Even vocally, this version of the group needed offer no apologies. Thompson, Swarbrick, Pegg, and Simon Nicol harmonize beautifully around strong lead vocals. Not only does the singing here retain the high standard of the earlier incarnation of the group (check out the harmony singing on "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Flowers of the Forest"), but the playing throughout has greater urgency and punch, from the rousing Thompson-Swarbrick opener "Walk Awhile" to the haunting, moody, dazzling nine-minute "Sloth," which remained part of the group's live set for years. An indispensable recording, and one that anybody who wants to truly know this band, or to take in some of the best work of Richard Thompson's career, must own (his playing on "Sloth" and "Doctor of Physick" makes it worthwhile). Swarbrick's fiddle and viola playing is also among the best of his career. Ironically, Thompson would make this his last full-time studio venture with Fairport, but what a way to go!
When I got your interest look in the comments for further details.
Labels: fairport convention, sandy denny
As you said, even without Sandy Denny it's remarkable...and why?
Anybody forgot what a underrated musician's musician Richard Thompson was ?
quoting 7 Notes and the Muse:
"Personally, being somewhat envious of Richard's songwriting and guitar playing, it's somewhat satisfying he's not achieved household-name status. It serves him right for being so good." This is David Byrne (of Talking Heads) typically understating his case.
He's not alone. R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Lou Reed, Robert Plant, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Los Lobos, Dinosaur Jr. and Elvis Costello are just a few who place Richard Thompson somewhere near the top in popular music. As a guitar-player, both electric and acoustic, many take his name in the same breath as Hendrix's or Clapton's. As a songwriter, it is not hyperbolic to bracket him with Dylan, Van Morrison, Neil Young and The Beatles. The best musicians in the world, his peers, acknowledge his brilliance despite his relative commercial obscurity.
Thanks for the memories, Jean
Richard & Linda visited my country several times.
Met them once during a radio broadcast in the studio. Great play and nice people.
For those who want more of him here's a tip.
In 2006, Free Reed released RT: The Life and Music of Richard Thompson, a five-disc set of outtakes, live recordings, and album cuts, many of which were pulled from Thompson's personal collection.
This is a great box set !!
JD
http://rapidshare.com/files/239265/FC_FH_JD.rar
Pass : JeanDupree
LP 70-Fairport Convention - Full house
Tracklist :
1 Walk Awhile Swarbrick, Thompson 3:57
2 Dirty Linen Swarbrick, Traditional 4:17
3 Sloth Mattacks, Nicol, Pegg ... 9:19
4 Sir Patrick Spens Traditional 3:30
5 Flatback Caper Traditional 6:24
6 Doctor of Physick Swarbrick, Thompson 3:37
7 The Flowers of the Forest Traditional 4:04
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