Love Sandy's music within and without the band but curiously enough, she doesn't appear on any of my top five Fairport albums so I don't necessarily regard her as their heart & soul.
Iain Matthews was a favorite artist of mine in the 70's long before Fariport was on my radar. For those lovin' Iain the way I have been for 50+ years visit my thread and also strongly recommend his "No Grey Faith: Secrets All Told/Songs Of Sandy Denny" (2000). Rising For The Moon I'm A Dreamer (guest vocal by Lindsay Gilmour) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meVNVrNz-Zg&list=PLaaTWyx2_y9aczV-XQkoRURnBSjC45KIi&index=5 My Iain thread still going strong: Iain Matthews Appreciation Thread--solo, album by album + track by track (pg. 18)*
Bit late. I like pure musical talent, so I go for Maart Allcock. My favourite FC line up was with him covering many bases. Stunning musician on too many instruments. Very strong instrumental writer too. And sadly missed.
True statement. This album tests my ear's loyalty to the Fairport microverse, but my heart assures me it's a grower. The opening call on song, the cover, and the spirit of the project are all too endearing to abandon. One of these rounds it'll fully click.
True indeed. Including the music he played last night at the Menotomy Grille in Arlington MA, two miles from my house.
One of the youtube comments calls this album, "Liege and Lief, part 2", which isn't too far off. All the FC music and the side-projects I've come across never fail to impress me. It seemed like there was no end to the number of brilliant English folk and folk-rock musicians who took part in these things. Wish there was more early Albion Band material available.
It's a fantastic record. When I got into Fairport in 1987 on Tull's Crest of a Knave tour it was difficult to find in Germany but a worker in a local record store found me an import of the Hannibal CD and I am in love with it since then...
I don't know whats happened, but a few years ago I just stopped listening to FC. Now thanks to threads on this site, I'm back in the groove. I've filled in the gaps, bought the last five from Myths and Heroes onwards in the last month. All I've got to do is get to Cropredy again, but I can't this year. Hopefully next year. Fortunately Mrs B loves Fairport as much as me. I have an unworn t-shirt from '97 Cropredy, it's a medium and as yet doesn't fit me, but it will by the time next August comes around.
It's not so much Liege as a quintessential Ashley Hutchings album. Many of his further albums continued in this direction, starting with "The Compleat Dancing Master" (better than Morris On, for my money). If you DO want Liege Part 2, I'd say to go with another Hutchings album-- "Battle of the Field" by the Albion Country Band-- which opens with this classic Thompson song:
All albums mentioned above are essential listening for folk-rockers, I reckon. Each one is brilliant, in its own way.
I'd place No Roses a lot closer to a Liege & Lief part 2 than Morris On (which I hear as lighter fare).
Not so much lighter, I think, as different. Folk-rock against English country dance music. Both great. Son Of Morris On is just as good too, I reckon.
Some heavier subject matter on L&L and No Roses, I mean (with requisite minor chords). Not to disparage Morris music or how seriously Ashley approached it. But I admit my ability to appreciate it as a listening experience isn't much developed. I'll try Son Of sometime.
Yes, indeed. Albion band is historically one of the longest lived bands....great stuff. And Ashley's son carries on the tradition. Coalville, from Vice Of The People Roll Over Vaughan Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p4K4ImU7lg&list=OLAK5uy_kUNGYrw1YCgfSCYhUOzmG9GtW2wbNRMvU&index=2
It's a great album. It was one of the first Fairport Family albums I bought ca 1987/1988 because of Sandy's involvement.
