features in: Album Chart of 1969 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |
Arriving in December, “Liege and Lief” was the third of three albums from Fairport Convention in 1969. Following on from the successful experiment of “The Sailor’s Life” on the preceding LP, it’s the first of their albums to be fully immersed in the folk form, looking to the English and Celtic traditionals for root inspiration. Now a sextet, the group lined up: Sandy Denny (vocals); Dave Swarbrick (fiddle, viola); Richard Thompson (electric & acoustic guitars, backing vocals); Simon Nicol (electric, 6-string & 12-string acoustic guitars, backing vocals); Ashley Hutchings (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Dave Mattacks (drums, percussion). Kicking-off the set is “Come All Ye”, penned by Sandy Denny and Ashley Hutchings, which serves well as an invitational opener for roving minstrels everywhere. Swarbrick’s fiddle wavers approvingly. There are many treats to be heard here, most especially with the traditionals “Reynardine”, “The Deserter” and “Tam Line”. The aforementioned Dave Swarbrick's arrival as a fulltime member is a masterstroke; his interplay with Richard Thompson's leads are a key feature, alongside Sandy Denny’s ever-agreeable earnest vocals. Alas, this would prove to be her final statement with the group, as she moved on to explore ventures new.
The Jukebox Rebel
07–Dec–2015
Tracklist |
A1 | [04:55] Fairport Convention - Come All Ye (Sandy Denny, Ashley Hutchings) Folk Rock / Americana |
A2 | [04:33] Fairport Convention - Reynardine (Traditional) Folk |
A3 | [08:08] Fairport Convention - Matty Groves (Traditional) Folk Rock / Americana |
A4 | [02:38] Fairport Convention - Farewell, Farewell (Richard Thompson) Folk Rock / Americana |
B1 | [04:10] Fairport Convention - The Deserter (Traditional) Folk Rock / Americana |
B2 | [04:00] Fairport Convention - Medley: The Lark In The Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunters’ Jig / Toss The Feathers (Traditional) Folk |
B3 | [07:20] Fairport Convention - Tam Lin (Traditional) Folk Rock / Americana |
B4 | [04:35] Fairport Convention - Crazy Man Michael (Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick) Folk |