Fairport Convention | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The best British folk-rock band of the late 60s, Fairport Convention did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the folk-rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional British folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the group members were also (at least at the outset) talented songwriters as well as interpreters. They were comfortable with conventional harmony-based folk-rock as well as tunes that drew upon more explicitly traditional sources, and boasted some of the best singers and instrumentalists of the day. A revolving door of personnel changes, however, saw the exit of their most distinguished talents, and basically changed the band into a living museum piece after the early 70s, albeit an enjoyable one with integrity. When Fairport formed around 1967, their goal was not to revive British folk numbers, but to play harmony- and guitar-based folk-rock in a style strongly influenced by Californian groups of the day (especially the Byrds). The lineup that recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968 featured Richard Thompson, Ian Matthews, and Simon Nicol on guitars; Ashley Hutchings on bass; Judy Dyble on vocals; and Martin Lamble on drums. Most of the members sang, though Matthews and Dyble were the strongest vocalists in this early incarnation; all of their early work, in fact, was characterized by blends of male and female vocals, influenced by such American acts as the Mamas & the Papas and Ian & Sylvia. While their first album was derivative, it had some fine material, and the band was already showing a knack for eclecticism, excavating overlooked songs by Joni Mitchell (then virtually unknown) and Emitt Rhodes. Fairport Convention didnt reach their peak until Dyble was replaced after the first album in 1968 by Sandy Denny, who had previously recorded both as a solo act and with the Strawbs. Dennys penetrating, resonant style qualified her as the best British folk-rock singer of all time, and provided Fairport with the best vocalist they would ever have. What We Did on Our Holidays (1969) and Unhalfbricking (1969) are their best albums, mixing strong originals, excellent covers of contemporary folk-rock songs by the likes of Mitchell and Dylan, and imaginative revivals of traditional folk songs that mixed electric and acoustic instruments with a beguiling ease. Matthews had left the band in early 1969, and Lamble (still in his teens) died in an accident involving the groups equipment van in mid-1969. That forced Fairport to regroup, replacing Lamble with Dave Mattacks, and adding Dave Swarbrick on fiddle. Their repertoire, too, became much more traditional in focus, and electrified traditional folk numbers would dominate their next album, Liege and Lief (1969). Here critical thought diverges; some insist that this is unequivocally their peak, marking a final escape from their 60s folk-rock influences into a much more original style. This school of thought severely underestimates their songwriting talents, and others feel that they were at their best when mixing original and outside material, and contemporary and traditional styles, in fact becoming more predictable and derivative when they opted to concentrate on British folk chestnuts. The Liege and Lief lineup didnt last long; by the end of the 60s, Ashley Hutchings had left to join Steeleye Span, replaced by Dave Pegg. More crucially, Denny was also gone, helping to form Fotheringay. Thompson was still on board for Full House (1970), but by the beginning of 1971 he too had departed, leaving Nicol as the only original member. Fairport have kept going, on and off (mostly on), for the last 25 years, touring and performing frequently. It may be too harsh to dismiss all of their post-Thompson records out of hand; Angel Delight (1971), the first recorded without the guitarist on board, was actually their highest-charting LP in the U.K., reaching the Top Ten. Nicols exit in late 1971 erased all vestiges of connections to their salad days. Fairport was now not so much a continuous entity as a concept, carried on by musicians dedicated to the electrified British folk style that had been mapped out on Liege and Lief. So it continues to this day, supported by a devoted fan base (Dirty Linen, the top American roots music magazine, originally began as a Fairport Convention fanzine). Denny would actually return to the group for about a year and a half in the 1970s, prior to her death in 1978; Nicol rejoined in 1976. Keeping track of Fairports multitudinous lineup changes is a daunting task, and the group has coexisted on an erratic basis with the various other projects of the most frequent members (Nicol, Mattacks, and Pegg, the last of whom has played with Jethro Tull since the late 70s). They began playing annual reunion concerts in the 1980s (sometimes joined on-stage by Fairport alumni like Thompson), events that turned into some of the most popular folk festivals in Europe. They also released some albums of new material intermittently throughout the last couple of decades, mostly pleasant traditional-oriented outings that appeal primarily to diehards. The most distinguished graduates of Fairport, however, continued to shape the British folk and folk-rock scene with notable solo and group projects. Richard Thompson is one of the most critically acclaimed singer/songwriters in the world; Ian Matthews has made some interesting recordings as a solo act and with Plainsong and Matthews Southern Comfort; Denny sang with Fotheringay and released several solo albums before her death; and Hutchings carried on the most traditional face of British folk-rock with Steeleye Span, the Albion Band, and the Etchingham Steam Band. In 2017, Universal celebrated the groups 50th anniversary with the seven-disc box set Come All Ye: The First Ten Years, packed with rarities as well as a commemorative reissue of Liege and Lief. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 43 Title: Fairport Convention Released: 1968-06 Tracks: 16 Duration: 57:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Time Will Show the Wiser (03:06) 2 I Dont Know Where I Stand (03:46) 3 If (Stomp) (02:48) 4 Decameron (03:45) 5 Jack ODiamonds (03:31) 6 Portfolio (02:01) 7 Chelsea Morning (03:06) 8 Sun Shade (03:46) 9 The Lobster (04:48) 10 Its Alright Ma, Its Only Witchcraft (03:15) 11 One Sure Thing (02:55) 12 M.1 Breakdown (01:28) 13 Suzanne (05:48) 14 If I Had a Ribbon Bow (02:44) 15 Morning Glory (03:13) 16 Reno, Nevada (07:43) |
| Fairport Convention : Allmusic album Review : By far the most rock-oriented of Fairport Conventions early albums, this debut was recorded before Sandy Denny joined the band (Judy Dyble handles the female vocals). Unjustly overlooked by listeners who consider the bands pre-Denny output insignificant, this is a fine folk-rock effort that takes far more inspiration from West Coast 60s sounds than traditional British folk. Fairports chief strengths at this early juncture were the groups interpretations, particularly in the harmony vocals, of obscure tunes by American songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Emitt Rhodes, and Jim & Jean. Their own songs werent quite up to that high standard, but were better than many have given them credit for, with "Decameron" and "Sun Shade" in particular hitting wonderfully fetching melancholic moods. Its true that Fairport would devise a more original style after Denny joined, but the bandmembers first-class abilities as more American pop-folk-rock-styled musicians on this album shouldnt be undersold. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 43 Title: What We Did on Our Holidays Released: 1969-01 Tracks: 15 Duration: 48:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fotheringay (03:07) 2 Mr. Lacey (02:55) 3 Book Song (03:13) 4 "The Lord Is in This Place, How Dreadful Is This Place?" (02:01) 5 No Mans Land (02:32) 6 Ill Keep It With Mine (05:54) 7 Eastern Rain (03:34) 8 Nottamun Town (03:12) 9 Tale in Hard Time (03:28) 10 She Moves Through the Fair (04:14) 11 Meet on the Ledge (02:50) 12 End of a Holiday (01:05) 13 Throwaway Street Puzzle (03:30) 14 Youre Gonna Need My Help (04:11) 15 Some Sweet Day (02:32) |
| What We Did on Our Holidays : Allmusic album Review : Sandy Dennys haunting, ethereal vocals gave Fairport a big boost on her debut with the group. A more folk-based album than their initial effort, What We Did on Our Holidays is divided between original material and a few well-chosen covers. This contains several of their greatest moments: Dennys "Fotheringay," Richard Thompsons "Meet on the Ledge," the obscure Joni Mitchell composition "Eastern Rain," the traditional "She Moves Through the Fair," and their version of Bob Dylans "Ill Keep It with Mine." And more than simply being a collection of good songs (with one or two pedestrian ones), it allowed Fairport to achieve its greatest internal balance, and indeed one of the finest balances of any major folk-rock group. The strong original material, covers of little-known songs by major contemporary songwriters such as Dylan and Mitchell, and updates of traditional material were reminiscent of the blend achieved by the Byrds on their early albums, with Fairport Convention giving a British slant to the idiom. The slant would become much more British by the end of the 60s, though, both gaining and losing something in the process. Confusingly, What We Did on Our Holidays was titled Fairport Convention in its initial U.S. release, with a different cover from the U.K. edition, although Fairports very first album from 1968 had used the title Fairport Convention as well. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 43 Title: Unhalfbricking Released: 1969-07 Tracks: 8 Duration: 39:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Genesis Hall (03:41) 2 Si tu dois partir (02:25) 3 Autopsy (04:27) 4 A Sailors Life (11:13) 5 Cajun Woman (02:45) 6 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (05:10) 7 Percys Song (06:56) 8 Million Dollar Bash (02:56) |
| Unhalfbricking : Allmusic album Review : Unhalfbricking was, if only in retrospect, a transitional album for the young Fairport Convention, in which the group shed its closest ties to its American folk-rock influences and started to edge toward a more traditional British folk-slanted sound. That shift wouldnt be definitive until their next album, Liege & Lief. But the strongest link to the American folk-rock harmony approach left with the departure of Ian Matthews, who left shortly after the sessions for Unhalfbricking began. The mixture of obscure American folk-rock songs, original material, and traditional interpretations that had fallen into place with What We Did on Our Holidays earlier in the year was actually still intact, if not as balanced. Sandy Dennys two compositions, her famous "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" and the far less celebrated but magnetically brooding "Autopsy," were among the records highlights. So too were the goofball French Cajun cover of Bob Dylans "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" (here retitled "Si Tu Dois Partir," and a British hit) and the magnificent reading of Dylans "Percys Song," though the bash through Dylans "Million Dollar Bash" was less effective. Richard Thompsons pair of songs, however, were less memorable. The clear signpost to the future was their 11-minute take on the traditional song "A Sailors Life," with guest fiddle by Dave Swarbrick, soon to join Fairport himself and make his own strong contribution toward reshaping the bands sound. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 43 Title: Liege & Lief Released: 1969-12 Tracks: 8 Duration: 40:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Come All Ye (05:01) 2 Reynardine (04:33) 3 Matty Groves (08:09) 4 Farewell, Farewell (02:39) 5 The Deserter (04:23) 6 Medley: The Lark in the Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunters Jig / Toss the Feathers (04:07) 7 Tam Lin (07:13) 8 Crazy Man Michael (04:37) |
| Liege & Lief : Allmusic album Review : In the decades since its original release, more than one writer has declared Fairport Conventions Liege & Lief the definitive British folk-rock album, a distinction it holds at least in part because it grants equal importance to all three parts of that formula. While Fairport had begun dipping their toes into British traditional folk with their stellar version of "A Sailors Life" on Unhalfbricking, Liege & Lief found them diving head first into the possibilities of Englands musical past, with Ashley Hutchings digging through the archives at the Cecil Sharp House in search of musical treasure, and the musicians (in particular vocalist Sandy Denny) eagerly embracing the dark mysteries of this music. (Only two of the albums eight songs were group originals, though "Crazy Man Michael" and "Come All Ye" hardly stand out from their antique counterparts.) Liege & Lief was also recorded after a tour bus crash claimed the lives of original Fairport drummer Martin Lamble and Richard Thompsons girlfriend; as the members of the group worked to shake off the tragedy (and break in new drummer Dave Mattacks and full-time fiddler Dave Swarbrick), they became a stronger and more adventurous unit, less interested in the neo-Jefferson Airplane direction of their earlier work and firmly committed to fusing time-worn folk with electric instruments while honoring both. And while Liege & Lief was the most purely folk-oriented Fairport Convention album to date, it also rocked hard in a thoroughly original and uncompromising way; the "Lark in the Morning" medley swings unrelentingly, the groups crashing dynamics wring every last ounce of drama from "Tam Lin" and "Matty Groves," and Thompson and Swarbricks soloing is dazzling throughout. Liege & Lief introduced a large new audience to the beauty of British folk, but Fairport Conventions interpretations spoke of the present as much as the past, and the result was timeless music in the best sense of the term. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 43 Title: Full House Released: 1970-07 Tracks: 7 Duration: 34:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Walk Awhile (03:58) 2 Dirty Linen (04:14) 3 Sloth (09:17) 4 Sir Patrick Spens (03:32) 5 Flatback Caper (06:22) 6 Doctor of Physick (03:37) 7 The Flowers of the Forest (03:59) |
| Full House : Allmusic album Review : Fairport Convention is a group that has always beaten the odds -- thats why a version of the band is working in the 21st century. By the time of this, the groups 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 groups 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 Thompsons career, must own (his playing on "Sloth" and "Doctor of Physick" makes it worthwhile). Swarbricks 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! | ||
 | Album: 6 of 43 Title: Angel Delight Released: 1971-06 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lord Marlborough (03:24) 2 Sir William Gower (04:54) 3 Bridge Over the River Ash (02:12) 4 Wizard of the Worldly Game (04:03) 5 The Journeymans Grace (04:31) 6 Angel Delight (04:06) 7 Banks of the Sweet Primroses (04:11) 8 Instrumental Medley: The Cuckoos Nest / Hardiman The Fiddler / Papa Stoor (03:24) 9 The Bonny Black Hare (03:04) 10 Sickness & Diseases (03:46) |
| Angel Delight : Allmusic album Review : Richard Thompson exits the Fairport lineup, leaving the band reduced to a quartet of Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Pegg, and Dave Mattacks. The loss of big guns Thompson and Denny was felt, but amazingly, although it isnt nearly as well known as Liege and Lief or Full House, this record reached the highest chart position of any Fairport LP, making number eight in England. Swarbrick led the group in even more of a traditional British folk vein. By now everybody involved was singing (with Nicol and Swarbrick usually alternating on lead), and they managed to pull it off, mostly by virtue of the honesty of their voices and instrumental work almost as vital and animated as any in their history. From the beautifully sung and exciting opener "Lord Marlborough," the album should strike a responsive chord with any folk or folk-rock enthusiast--especially enjoyable are the singing on the buoyantly humorous title track and the viola/violin duet between Swarbrick and Nicol on "Bridge Over The River Ash." | ||
 | Album: 7 of 43 Title: "Babbacombe" Lee Released: 1971-11 Tracks: 5 Duration: 41:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Johns Reflection on His Boyhood, His Introduction to Miss Keyes and the Glen, His Restlessness, and His Struggles With His Family, Finally Successful, to Join the Navy. (06:19) 2 This Was the Happiest Period in His Life. All Locked Set Fair for a Career Until He Was Stricken With Sickness and Invalided Out of His Chosen Niche in Life. Reluctantly and Unhappily He Turned to a Number of Menial Occupations and Finally Returned to the Services of Miss Keyes. (10:12) 3 Tragedy Now Strikes Hard. The Worlds Imagination Is Caught by the Brutal Senseless-Ness of the Apparent Criminal Who Slays His Kind Old Mistress. (03:57) 4 John Was Hardly More Than a Bewildered Observer at His Own Trial, Not Being Allowed to Say More Than a Few Words. The Tides of Fate Wash Him to the Condemned Cell Where He Waits Three Sad Weeks for His Last Night on Earth. (07:31) 5 When It Comes, He Cannot Sleep, but When He Does, a Strange, Prophetic Dream Comes to Him, and Helps Him to Bear the Strain of His Next Days Ordeal as Scaffold and Its Crew Try in Vain Three Times to Take His Life. (13:21) |
| "Babbacombe" Lee : Allmusic album Review : The groups only concept album (similar in some ways to the Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow), built around the life story of John "Babbacombe" Lee, a Victorian-era condemned murderer. Lees story, from his boyhood poverty to his time in the Royal Navy, his being invalided out and forced to work in the service of Miss Keyes, to her murder and his sentence of death, and the failure of the gallows three times, is told in song, and all but one of those songs are originals. The all-male Fairport seldom sang better, nor did the post-Thompson band ever play with more panache, and some of the songs are beautiful -- but a few are lugubrious, and as with most other concept albums, the fit between the songs and the larger subject ultimately isnt entirely comfortable for the listener. All of the material was confusing because the group, for some reason, never put titles on the individual songs, instead stringing them together in longer sections. The critics loved it, but the listeners stayed away in droves for the first time since the bands debut album. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 43 Title: The History of Fairport Convention Released: 1972 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:18:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Meet On The Ledge (02:55) 2 Fotheringay (03:08) 3 Mr. Lacey (02:51) 4 Book Song (03:18) 5 Sailors Life (11:12) 6 Si Tu Dois Partir (02:24) 7 Who Knows Where The Time Goes (05:12) 8 Matty Groves (08:12) 9 Crazy Man Michael (02:27) 1 Medley (The Lark In The Morning, Rakish Paddy, Foxhunters Jig, Toss The Feathers) (04:03) 2 Now Be Thankful (09:18) 3 Walk Awhile (03:08) 4 Sloth (04:11) 5 Bonny Black Hare (02:17) 6 Angel Delight (03:07) 7 Bridge Over The River Ash (03:11) 8 John Lee (05:27) 9 Breakfast In Mayfair (02:01) 10 Hanging Song (?) 11 The Hens March, The Four Poster Bed (?) |
| The History of Fairport Convention : Allmusic album Review : A double-LP compilation, History of Fairport Convention is a good selection of the better songs recorded by the group from What We Did on Our Holidays through Babbacombe Lee, including "Sailors Life," "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," "Meet on the Ledge," "Si Tu Dois Partir," "Matty Groves," "Sloth," and "Angel Delight." Its no substitute for any of the albums up to and including Full House, but its adequate for someone on a limited budget. As with most Fairport albums, the liner notes are virtually non-existent. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 43 Title: Nine Released: 1973 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Hexhamshire Lass (02:31) 2 Polly on the Shore (04:56) 3 The Brilliancy Medley & Cherokee Shuffle (03:55) 4 To Althea From Prison (05:10) 5 Tokyo (02:54) 6 Bring Em Down (05:58) 7 Big William (03:25) 8 Pleasure & Pain (05:02) 9 Possibly Parsons Green (04:41) |
| Nine : Allmusic album Review : Fairport Conventions ninth album is their most uneven. The group shows extraordinary virtuosity and musical instincts on folk-based tracks such as "The Hexamshire Lass" and "The Brilliancy Medley & Cherokee Shuffle" (which features some of the best mandolin playing youre ever likely to hear from an English band), but on numbers like "Polly on the Shore" and "To Althea From Prison," where the band supplies the music to traditional lyrics, they simply fall flat -- it isnt even that the playing is bad, so much as that the failed numbers are uniformly lugubrious in the way theyre treated. Part of the problem lies with the fact that while Lucas and Donahue were good guitarists, they werent terribly interesting -- where Richard Thompson always came up with something surprising and unexpected on Fairports songs, Lucas and Donahue stick with fairly routine pop music sounds, more in keeping with the Eagles than the group that recorded Liege and Lief, Full House, and House Full. Lucas "Bring Em Down" is a decent song, with some strong singing and playing by the composer and a lovely and powerful fiddle solo by Swarbrick, but it overstays its welcome and loses its cohesion -- "Sloth" it is not. Too much of the album is taken up by easily forgotten contemporary-style rockers like "Big William" and throwaways such as the countrified "Pleasure and Pain"; not even the upbeat, riff heavy "Possibly Parsons Green" makes up for this problem. And the rather plain cover art didnt help matters any when it came to selling this record. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 43 Title: Rosie Released: 1973-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rosie (03:38) 2 Matthew, Mark, Luke & John (03:55) 3 Knights of the Road (03:56) 4 Peggys Pub (02:26) 5 The Plainsman (03:19) 6 Hungarian Rhapsody (03:14) 7 My Girl (05:14) 8 Me With You (03:39) 9 The Hens March Through The Midden & The Four Poster Bed (02:50) 10 Furs & Feathers (04:33) |
| Rosie : Allmusic album Review : Following the departure of Simon Nicol, the group was reconstituted with the addition of Sandy Dennys husband Trevor Lucas and Jerry Donahue, both formerly of Fotheringay. Their first album was also a miscalculation, a failed attempt to crack the pop music market. There are lots of original songs done in a modern folk-rock sound, many written by Lucas, although the best was the title track by Swarbrick (which featured Denny and Thompson as well as Thompsons future wife Linda Peters, as guest artists). The Lucas compositions were all pleasant (especially "Knights of the Road" and the haunting "The Plainsman"), but tend to make one think more of Gordon Lightfoot sounding archaic than of previous incarnations of Fairport. The only exceptions are "Peggys Pub" and "The Hens March Through the Midden," instrumentals that recall the groups old sound. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 43 Title: Rising for the Moon Released: 1975-06 Tracks: 15 Duration: 55:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rising for the Moon (04:09) 2 Restless (04:02) 3 White Dress (03:44) 4 Let It Go (02:00) 5 Stranger to Himself (02:52) 6 What Is True? (03:36) 7 Iron Lion (03:28) 8 Dawn (03:42) 9 After Halloween (03:38) 10 Night‐Time Girl (02:56) 11 One More Chance (07:58) 12 Tears (04:11) 13 Rising for the Moon (03:09) 14 Stranger to Himself (02:20) 15 One More Chance (03:46) |
| Rising for the Moon : Allmusic album Review : Although theres nothing here as overpowering as "Sailors Life" or "Sloth," this record is still a choice release, as Sandy Dennys official return to Fairport. She wrote or co-wrote seven of its 11 songs, and dominates most of the others with her voice. This lineup (Denny, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Pegg, Jerry Donahue, Trevor Lucas, and Bruce Rowland, with Dave Mattacks -- who quit partway through -- drumming on some of the tracks) went for the gold with rock veteran Glyn Johns in the producers spot. The result was the only Fairport album done after the departure of Richard Thompson that doesnt sound anemic in the electric guitar department. Some of the songs, especially the title track and "Restless," have the feel of compact, breezy pop/country-rock, reminiscent of the Eagles or Firefall, although its hard to imagine either of those groups turning in anything with the ethereal beauty of Dennys performance on "White Dress" or "Dawn." Those songs and "Stranger to Himself" could easily have been on one of her solo albums. Others, like Trevor Lucas "Iron Lion," sound almost like Fairports version of the Rolling Stones "Dead Flowers." Only the Swarbrick/Pegg "Night-Time Girl" resembles Fairports established work from their earlier history. This was the last album and the last incarnation of Fairport Convention to present itself to the public as a contemporary rock group. Beyond this point, they became part of the folk revival circuit, albeit with a huge audience. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 43 Title: The Fairport Chronicles Released: 1976 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:19:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tale in Hard Time (03:23) 2 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (05:05) 3 Walk Awhile (03:57) 4 Come All Ye (04:55) 5 Listen, Listen (03:56) 6 Bridge Over the River Ash (02:10) 7 Ill Keep It With Mine (05:53) 8 My Girl the Month of May (02:08) 9 Million Dollar Bash (02:55) 10 The Way I Feel (04:44) 11 Learning the Game (02:05) 1 Meet on the Ledge (02:48) 2 Percys Song (06:30) 3 Now Be Thankful (02:21) 4 Tam Lin (07:20) 5 Genesis Hall (03:25) 6 Fotheringay (03:01) 7 Sloth (09:19) 8 Farewell, Farewell (02:38) 9 End of a Holiday (01:05) |
| The Fairport Chronicles : Allmusic album Review : These days, it would take a multi-disc box set to fully encompass the history of Britains greatest folk-rock band, Fairport Convention, who started out in 1967 and were still at it (albeit in very different form) nearly 35 years later. But even the staunchest Fairport loyalist would likely concede that the bands moment of true glory was encompassed in the years 1968 (when they released their first album) through 1972 (by which time vocalist Sandy Denny and guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson had departed the group). Fairport Chronicles is a superbly compiled double set thats an ideal introduction to Fairport Conventions golden era; it brings together 20 songs cherry picked from the groups first five albums, Sandy Dennys first solo album, the sole album from the short-lived Fairport offshoot Fotheringay, and the one-off studio project The Bunch, in which the Fairports and their friends arranged a set of 50s rock classics in their own distinctive ways. Approaching British traditional music with the passion and abandon of a crack rock & roll band, or playing a Bob Dylan tune with the purity and grace of a Child ballad, Fairport Convention embraced their music on no terms other than their own, and when the group as at their peak, the unerring taste and remarkable gifts of these musicians (especially Denny, Thompson, violinist Dave Swarbrick, and guitarist and singer Simon Nicol) was truly a thing of beauty to behold. Fairport Chronicles may not capture every moment of magic this band committed to vinyl, but it gathers together enough of them to serve as an ideal introduction for beginners, and a satisfying sampler for loyal fans. Simply wonderful stuff. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 43 Title: Gottle o Geer Released: 1976-05 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 When First Into This Country (02:30) 2 Our Band (02:04) 3 Lay Me Down Easy (05:18) 4 Cropredy Capers (03:08) 5 The Frog Up the Pump (Jig Medley) (03:16) 6 Dont Be Late (03:24) 7 Sandys Song (03:37) 8 Friendship Song (03:00) 9 Limeys Lament (04:35) 10 Angles Brown (04:00) |
 | Album: 14 of 43 Title: The Bonny Bunch of Roses Released: 1977 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jams ODonnells Jig (02:33) 2 The Eynsham Poacher (02:24) 3 Adieu Adieu (02:26) 4 The Bonny Bunch of Roses (12:27) 5 The Poor Ditching Boy (03:57) 6 General Taylor (03:10) 7 Run Johnny Run (04:35) 8 The Last Waltz (03:00) 9 Royal Selection No. 13 (04:12) |
 | Album: 15 of 43 Title: Tipplers Tales Released: 1978-05 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ye Mariners All (04:29) 2 Three Drunken Maidens (02:45) 3 Jack ORion (11:04) 4 Reynard the Fox (03:01) 5 Lady of Pleasure (02:34) 6 Bankruptured (01:55) 7 The Widow of Westmorland (03:20) 8 The Hair of the Dogma (01:47) 9 As Bitme (01:40) 10 John Barleycorn (04:38) |
| Tipplers Tales : Allmusic album Review : Tipplers Tales is not a concept album, even though alcohol is a recurrent motif in many of the traditional numbers like "Three Drunken Maidens" and "John Barleycorn." (Even the instrumentals get in on the act, with titles like "The Bottom of the Punch Bowl" and "Hair of the Dogma.") But despite appearances, Tipplers Tales is really just the post-Sandy Denny edition of Fairport Convention doing what the bandmembers do best -- taking some fine old traditional English jigs, reels, and traditional narratives and putting their own distinctive folk-rock stamp on them. The clear highlight is the tale of "The Widow of Westmorland" (aka "The Widow of Westmorlands Daughter"), a typically saucy traditional number about a simple maiden who decides to regain her virginity. This song became a Fairport concert staple, as did the robust drinking songs "Ye Mariners All" and the aforementioned "Three Drunken Maidens," all of which are performed here with humor and verve. Also of note is Dave Peggs jaunty instrumental "Bankruptured," which was later recut for Expletive Delighted! With the band beginning to find its way again after a few patchy years, and Simon Nicol really starting to come into his own as a vocalist, it was truly a shame when Fairport shut down as a recording unit for seven years following the release of this album. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 43 Title: Gladys Leap Released: 1985-08 Tracks: 8 Duration: 38:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 How Many Times (03:29) 2 Bird From the Mountain (04:51) 3 Honour and Praise (05:22) 4 The Hiring Fair (05:53) 5 Instrumental Medley 85: The Riverhead / Gladys Leap / The Wise Maid (05:08) 6 My Feet Are Set for Dancing (04:01) 7 Wat Tyler (05:36) 8 Head in a Sack (04:23) |
| Gladys' Leap : Allmusic album Review : Though their annual reunion concerts meant that they never really went away, Fairport Convention (now down to a trio of guitarist/vocalist Simon Nicol, bassist Dave Pegg, and returning drummer Dave Mattacks) officially reconvened in 1985 for this, their first proper studio album in seven years. A good album in its own right, Gladys Leap was also important for establishing a tradition that was adhered to on the following decades worth of Fairport Convention releases (i.e., the tradition of bringing in modern British folk composers to help with the songwriting). On this album, its legendary folk artist Ralph McTell who rises to the formidable challenge of writing with the band who practically invented British folk-rock; he ends up co-writing not one, but two genuine Fairport Convention classics, "The Hiring Fair" and "Wat Tyler." Both these terrific story songs sound as authentically old English as any of the bands traditional numbers, and are sung and played with flair and passion. The rest of the album isnt bad either: former Fairport Convention member Richard Thompson stops by to write one number and play some hot guitar on another, Cathy LeSurf shows up to sing her own poppy "My Feet Are Set for Dancing," and future bandmember Ric Sanders is on hand to play violin on several tracks, subbing for the absent Dave Swarbrick. About the only thing on the album that doesnt work, in fact, is the alternately boring and lumbering "Instrumental Medley 85," in which Dave Mattacks drums are way, way too far up in the mix. But other than that, Gladys Leap is pretty good Fairport Convention -- which, as any British folk-rock fan knows, is high honor and praise indeed. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 43 Title: Expletive Delighted Released: 1986-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 The Rutland Reel / Sack the Juggler (03:18) 2 The Cat on the Mixer / Three Left Feet (03:35) 3 Bankruptured (03:02) 4 Portmeirion (05:19) 5 Jams ODonnells Jig (02:45) 6 Expletive Delighted (01:53) 7 Sigh Beg Sigh Mór (07:16) 8 Innstück (02:06) 9 The Gas Almost Works (01:56) 10 Hanks for the Memory: Shazam / Pipeline / Apache / Peter Gunn (04:35) |
 | Album: 18 of 43 Title: Red & Gold Released: 1988 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Set Me Up (04:23) 2 The Noise Club (03:12) 3 Red and Gold (06:44) 4 The Beggars Song (03:33) 5 The Battle (01:09) 6 Dark Eyed Molly (04:34) 7 The Rose Hip (04:24) 8 London River (02:59) 9 Summer Before the War (04:33) 10 Open the Door Richard (04:58) |
| Red & Gold : Allmusic album Review : Though their most famous albums were over a decade past by the late 80s, Fairport Convention was still releasing albums that were good enough to convert new listeners. Red & Gold is a case in point, an assured and enjoyable album of the bands trademark mix of English folk and rock. Simon Nicols vocal on the title cut is worth the price of the album by itself; its as sure and passionate a track as hes ever cut, a sorrowful account of a great battle as seen by a peasant farmer who doesnt understand why its all happening. In fact, the songs on this album all rank with the best of Fairports later work. The only dud tracks are a pair of instrumentals that are curiously hectic and dense, with a strong emphasis on the midi guitar. Given that this was recorded when midi was a fairly new technology, its hard not to conclude that the novelty of the sound led to its overuse. This is not to quibble, as least much, because there is much else on this album that makes it a very worthwhile listen. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 43 Title: The Five Seasons Released: 1990-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 53:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Claudy Banks (05:55) 2 All Your Beauty (02:56) 3 Cup of Tea! / A Loaf of Bread / Miss Monahans (03:17) 4 Gold (05:07) 5 Rhythm of the Time (05:52) 6 The Card Song / Shuffle the Pack (04:29) 7 Mock Morris (04:54) 8 Sock in It (05:32) 9 Ginnie (04:13) 10 The Wounded Whale (06:43) 11 Caught a Whisper (live) (04:44) |
| The Five Seasons : Allmusic album Review : Fairport Conventions 17th studio album in 22 years finds them a competent, craftsmanlike unit led by Simon Nicol, who has developed into a strong singer. If they never aspire to the heights achieved with more impressive lineups, they nevertheless continue to find traditional and new material that suits them, sometimes by turning to newest members Ric Sanders and Martin Allcock, who are accomplished instrumentalists. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 43 Title: Jewel in the Crown Released: 1995-06-06 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:00:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jewel in the Crown (03:31) 2 Slip Jigs and Reels (04:52) 3 A Surfeit of Lampreys (03:19) 4 Kind Fortune (02:37) 5 Diamonds and Gold (04:14) 6 The Naked Highwayman (04:32) 7 The Islands (04:33) 8 The Youngest Daughter (02:05) 9 London Danny (03:50) 10 Summer in December (04:57) 11 Travelling by Steam (03:47) 12 Shes Like the Swallow (03:14) 13 Red Tide (04:36) 14 Home Is Where the Heart Is (04:41) 15 Closing Time (05:37) |
| Jewel in the Crown : Allmusic album Review : On their first album in five years, Fairport Convention, which now boasts a steady lineup (nearly a decade together!) for the first time in its history, carries on two traditions. The shorter-term one is the tradition of Fairport itself, a band intended to blend contemporary rock with folk, often in the form of work by current singer/songwriters, here including Clive Gregson and Leonard Cohen. The longer term one is the tradition of Scots-Irish music, with its jigs and reels and story songs that date back to the Middle Ages. Sometimes, the band combines the two traditions, recording songs like Steve Tilstons "The Naked Highwayman" and Ralph McTell and band member Maartin Allcocks "The Islands," which update traditional themes in interesting ways. (Allcock, by the way, has added an extra "A" to his first name since we last heard from him.) Simon Nicol, the only original member of Fairport Convention dating back to 1967, has developed into a sturdy baritone singer, and multi-instrumentalist Allcock carries the bulk of the musical burden. Jewel in the Crown is a well-balanced collection of songs that is true to the spirit of Fairport Convention and its antecedents. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 43 Title: Old New Borrowed Blue Released: 1996-05 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:11:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Woodworm Swing (03:09) 2 Men (03:47) 3 Aunt Sally Shuffle (01:24) 4 There Once Was Love / Innstück (04:47) 5 Frozen Man (04:21) 6 Mr Sands Is in the Building (02:09) 7 Lalla Rookh (04:29) 8 Foolish You (03:36) 9 Crazy Man Michael (05:11) 10 Widow of Westmorelands Daughter (04:07) 11 Genesis Hall (04:15) 12 The Deserter (05:45) 13 The Swimming Song (03:26) 14 Struck it Right (04:28) 15 The Hiring Fair (06:08) 16 Matty Groves / Dirty Linen (10:06) |
| Old New Borrowed Blue : Allmusic album Review : This is Fairport Conventions first all-acoustic album in their 29 year history. The material, recorded variously in the studio and at December 30, 1995 concert, displays the eclectic nature of the 1990s version of the band, folk-styled originals such as "There Once Was Love/Innstruck" juxtaposed with covers of James Taylor and Loudon Wainwright III songs, reprises of vintage Fairport numbers like Richard Thompsons "Genesis Hall," "Crazy Man Michael," and the epic "Matty Groves," and even some vintage swing elements. The playing is exquisite and the vocalizing by Simon Nicol and Dave Pegg is extraordinary, particularly on "There Once Was Love," "Frozen Man," "The Hiring Fair," and "Lalla Rookh." | ||
 | Album: 22 of 43 Title: Who Knows Where the Time Goes? Released: 1997-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 56:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 John Gaudie (05:07) 2 Sailing Boat (05:27) 3 Heres to Tom Paine (05:15) 4 The Bowmens Retreat (03:04) 5 Spanish Main (04:31) 6 The Golden Glove (06:05) 7 Slipology (03:03) 8 Wishfulness Waltz (05:43) 9 Lifes a Long Song (02:38) 10 Dangerous (04:39) 11 I Heard It Through the Grapevine (03:53) 12 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (06:32) |
| Who Knows Where the Time Goes? : Allmusic album Review : While they are generally considered a British folk-rock group, the Fairport Conventions influence on the post-60s Celtic rock movement is noteworthy as well. In 1969, they (along with fiddler Dave Swarbrick) proved that amplifiers, a rock rhythm section, and Irish jigs like "Rackish Paddy" and "Toss the Feathers" are very compatible. Their Celtic leanings were most pronounced during Swarbricks stint (1969-1979), and young, traditionally-based groups like Irelands Tamalin and Scotlands Prodigals are acknowledging Fairports early efforts a generation later. 1997 marked the 30th year of Fairports existence, and the band began yet another chapter in their continuing saga with a new studio album and a couple of live tracks. Exit multi-instrumentalist Maart Allcock and enter fiddle/mandolin/guitar player and Albion Band alumni Chris Leslie. Not at all apprehensive about their newest member, Leslies "John Gaudie" leads off the new album -- a midtempo, vintage 1973-type rocker featuring the two violin players and Leslies dulcet tenor. Lest anyone conclude, upon hearing 1995s acoustic album Old-New-Borrowed-Blue, that Fairports rockin days are a thing of the past, a few surprises lie awaiting. Fellow fiddler Sanders composed "Bowmans Retreat" as a "welcome aboard" gesture in which each bowman gets to showcase his considerable talents along with the other members. It is debatable whether Fairport has ever rocked as blatantly as they do on "Spanish Main," which actually has Nicol and Leslie trading incendiary guitar licks. Likewise, "Dangerous" further explores that aggressive edge rarely visited in recent years. Fairport Convention is better known for their milder renderings of historical accounts and legendary tales. "Heres to Tom Paine," a Steve Tilston song, is a posthumous salute to that embroiled English writer/American revolutionary. "Golden Glove" is a fairy tale of love and romance in which Leslie supplies some sure-footed mandolin playing. Not to be taken for granted, the rhythm section of Pegg and Mattacks has always been among the most durable and sought after in rock and folk-rock. This albums title asks the obvious question, but given Fairports dignified and productive aging process, who cares? | ||
 | Album: 23 of 43 Title: Fiddlestix: The Best of Fairport 1972-1984 Released: 1998 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:15:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fiddlestix (02:50) 2 Sir Patrick Spens (03:27) 3 Banks of the Sweet Primroses (04:37) 4 The Plainsman (03:20) 5 The Hexamshire Lass (02:30) 6 Polly on the Shore (04:55) 7 Days of 49 (06:16) 8 Possibly Parsons Green (03:42) 9 Down in the Flood (03:22) 10 Rising for the Moon (04:08) 11 White Dress (03:43) 12 The Eynsham Poacher (02:25) 13 Adieu Adieu (02:30) 14 Three Drunken Maidens (02:40) 15 Reynard the Fox (02:59) 16 The Widow of Westmoreland (03:18) 17 Close to the Wind (04:44) 18 It Suits Me Well (05:10) 19 Jennys Chickens/The Masons Apron (08:22) |
 | Album: 24 of 43 Title: The Wood and the Wire Released: 1999 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:00:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Wood and the Wire (04:10) 2 The Dancer (04:23) 3 Wandering Man (04:52) 4 The Heart of the Song (03:43) 5 A Year and a Day (04:14) 6 The Game Pieces (04:13) 7 Close to You (04:21) 8 Still a Mystery (02:40) 9 Banbury Fair (04:37) 10 The Lady Vanishes (04:53) 11 The Good Fortunes (04:01) 12 Western Wind (05:09) 13 Dont Leave Too Soon (04:27) 14 Rocky Road (05:01) |
| The Wood and the Wire : Allmusic album Review : Theres no doubt that Fairport Convention chose the right man for the job upon Martin Allcocks departure after Old-New-Borrowed-Blue (1996). His replacement, Chris Leslie (Whippersnapper and Albion Band), has assumed an obvious leadership position within this legendary band. He either wrote or co-wrote (with writing partner Nigel Stonier) nine of the selections on The Wood and the Wire and sang lead on seven cuts. With a voice that resembles onetime Fairport member Ian Matthews, a fiddle and mandolin style that recalls one of the most beloved Fairport alumni Dave Swarbrick, and a songwriting style that conveys folk imagery in the inimitable Fairport manner, Leslie seems to have been part of this "moveable feast" for much longer than three years. While a fiddler by trade, Leslie relinquishes that instrument for most of this album in favor of the mandolin and bouzouki; the role of longtime violin player Ric Sanders has been unaffected as a result of Leslie joining the band. Fairport Convention has long possessed the knack of selecting songs from outside sources (Bob Dylan, Ralph McTell, Huw Williams, et al.) and transforming them into classics of their own. On this album they appear to continue the trend with three choice songs -- "The Heart of the Song" by Peter Scrowther, "Western Wind," a traditional piece brought to their attention by Susan McKeown, and Steve Tilstons "Rocky Road," all sung venerably by guitarist Simon Nicol with Leslie and bassist Dave Pegg sharing the lead on the final selection. Drummer Gerry Conway appears with the band for the first time since 1973s Rosie. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 43 Title: Rhythm of the Time Released: 1999 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:04:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Battle (01:06) 2 The Wounded Whale (06:43) 3 Frozen Man (live) (04:20) 4 Genesis Hall (live) (04:13) 5 Jewel in the Crown (03:30) 6 London River (02:57) 7 Open the Door, Richard (04:58) 8 Rhythm of the Time (05:52) 9 Sock in It (05:31) 10 Summer in December (04:54) 11 The Card Song / Shuffle the Pack (04:27) 12 The Naked Highwayman (04:30) 13 Crazy Man Michael (live) (05:11) 14 Close to the Wind (live) (06:06) |
 | Album: 26 of 43 Title: "What We Did on Our Holidays" An Introduction to Fairport Convention Released: 1999-11 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:05:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Chelsea Morning (03:06) 2 Tale in the Hard Time (03:28) 3 Fotheringay (03:05) 4 Cajun Woman (02:45) 5 Who Knows Where Time Goes? (05:10) 6 Percys Song (06:53) 7 Come All Ye (05:01) 8 Tam Lin (07:13) 9 Farewell, Farewell (02:40) 10 Walk Awhile (04:00) 11 The Bonny Black Hare (03:05) 12 Rosie (03:38) 13 Bring Em Down (05:56) 14 Fiddlestix (02:52) 15 Rising for the Moon (04:08) 16 Meet on the Ledge (02:50) |
 | Album: 27 of 43 Title: Kind Fortune Released: 2000 Tracks: 29 Duration: 2:10:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wings (04:20) 2 Mr Lacey (03:08) 3 Come All Ye (05:24) 4 Reynardine (03:41) 5 Now be Thankful (03:47) 6 Angel Delight (04:27) 7 Rosie (05:03) 8 Genesis Hall (03:47) 9 Woodworm Swing (03:50) 10 Jewel in the Crown (03:44) 11 Fiddlestix (03:15) 12 Wat Tyler (06:30) 13 Dirty Linen (04:56) 1 John Gaudie (05:08) 2 Sailing Boat (05:27) 3 Spanish Main (04:31) 4 Wishfulness Waltz (05:44) 5 Lifes a Long Song (02:37) 6 Dangerous (04:39) 7 Slipjigs and Reels (04:53) 8 Kind Fortune (02:38) 9 Diamonds and Gold (04:13) 10 London Danny (03:50) 11 Red Tide (04:37) 12 Closing Time (05:39) 13 Home is Where the Heart is (04:41) 14 Heres to Tom Paine (05:16) 15 The Islands (04:35) 16 The Golden Glove (06:03) |
 | Album: 28 of 43 Title: Some of Our Yesterdays: Anthology 1985-1995 Released: 2001-11-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 56:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Red and Gold (06:45) 2 Lalla Rookh (04:28) 3 Medley - The Rutland Reel (03:18) 4 Rhythm of the Time (05:52) 5 Medley - There Was Once Love (04:47) 6 Wat Tyler (05:34) 7 Summer Before the War (04:33) 8 Expletive Delighted (01:53) 9 Mock Morris 90 - Medley - The Green Man / The Cropredy Badger / Molly on the Jetty (04:55) 10 Sigh Beg Sigh Mor (07:16) 11 The Wounded Whale (06:43) |
| Some of Our Yesterdays: Anthology 1985-1995 : Allmusic album Review : Fairport Convention may have disbanded officially in 1979, but buoyed by the ongoing success of their annual Cropredy Folk Festival, they kept plugging away, and by 1985 had returned to making new studio albums. This two-disc compilation chronicles the bands lengthy afterlife, drawing tracks from their albums Gladys Leap (1985), Expletive Delighted! (1986), Red and Gold (1989), The Five Seasons (1990), and Old-New-Borrowed-Blue (1996). (Nothing from 1995s Jewel in the Crown is included.) Ironically, the lineup that produced these records was steadier than the ones that made the groups previous 14 albums, anchored by founding member guitarist/singer Simon Nicol and longtime members Dave Pegg (bass) and Dave Mattacks (drums), and featuring technically proficient newcomers Martin Allcock (multiple instruments) and Ric Sanders (fiddle). Freed of the commercial considerations that pressured the band when they had a higher profile and a contract with a big record label, this version of Fairport Convention could delve into what had become the groups natural strength, their investigation of British folk music both in its traditional form and in an evolved state. They might play reels, but the fiddle would be electrified and given lots of echo; they might sing songs of British history like "Red and Gold" and "Wat Tyler," but they would be newly written ones by Ralph McTell. The old Fairport Convention had been many different bands in one, some of them spectacularly good. This was a single, coherent unit, never as flashy as before, but much more solid and consistent. That consistency is reflected in this latter-day best-of, which provides a good survey of the band that Fairport Convention has become. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 43 Title: Fairport Unconventional Released: 2002 Tracks: 72 Duration: 5:14:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Meet on the Ledge (Overture) (00:36) 2 Wings (edit) (02:16) 3 If I Had a Ribbon Bow (02:37) 4 Lay Down Your Weary Tune (03:39) 5 A Shattering Live Experience (03:23) 6 Nottamun Town (alternate version) (03:37) 7 Si Tu Dois Partir (02:24) 8 Come All Ye (Private Rehearsal Tape) (05:00) 9 Tam Lin (07:46) 10 Dirty Linen (04:02) 11 Staines Morris (03:42) 12 Journeymans Grace (04:08) 13 Angel Delight (04:23) 14 Time Is Near (02:39) 15 Polly on the Shore (Promo Video) (03:42) 16 Rising for the Moon (04:15) 17 Reynard the Fox (02:53) 18 Rubber Band (03:11) 19 Naked Highwayman (04:49) 20 The Wood and the Wire (04:23) 21 The Crowd (edit) (02:44) 22 One Sure Thing (excerpt) (02:52) 1 Sir B. McKenzie (01:18) 2 Suzanne (05:32) 3 Time Will Show the Wiser (03:06) 4 Mr. Lacey (03:07) 5 Reno, Nevada (07:48) 6 Percys Song (05:31) 7 Dear Landlord (outtake) (03:45) 8 I Dont Believe You (unreleased) (03:46) 9 The Deserter (03:53) 10 Farewell to a Poor Mans Son (unreleased) (04:52) 11 Sad Song (unreleased) (05:03) 12 Autopsy (outtake) (04:26) 13 Maverick Child (outtake) (03:56) 14 Fiddlestix (02:49) 15 Its Now or Never (04:19) 16 The Lady Is a Tramp (unreleased) (02:12) 17 General Taylor (01:42) 18 The Accountancy Shanty (unreleased) (00:50) 19 A Sailors Life (09:26) 1 Sir Patrick Spens (Liege and Lief rehearsal Tape) (03:48) 2 Wat Tyler (06:27) 3 Flowers of the Forest (04:02) 4 Fotheringay (03:12) 5 To Althea From Prison (05:05) 6 Red and Gold (06:48) 7 Lord Marlborough (03:25) 8 Adieu Adieu (02:30) 9 Heres to Tom Paine (04:37) 10 Bonny Bunch of Roses (14:55) 11 Breakfast in Mayfair (04:01) 12 Battle of the Somme (04:54) 13 The Summer Before the War (04:20) 14 Get Together (Unreleased) (02:57) 15 Genesis Hall (03:50) 16 Jewel in the Crown (03:33) 1 Walk Awhile (Bumpers version) (03:58) 2 John Gaudie (04:58) 3 Hexhamshire Lass (02:28) 4 Slip Jigs and Reels (05:08) 5 Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman (05:37) 6 Crazy Man Michael (Liege and Lief Rehearsals) (04:43) 7 Rosie (04:25) 8 Farewell Farewell (rehearsal Tape) (02:31) 9 Now Be Thankful (03:09) 10 The Hiring Fair (06:48) 11 Stranger to Himself (03:09) 12 Sloth (18:06) 13 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (Soft acoustic version) (04:15) 14 Matty Groves (Multi-version) (07:36) 15 Meet on the Ledge (02:39) |
| Fairport Unconventional : Allmusic album Review : All but a handful previously unreleased, these 72 tracks serve up an alternate history of Fairport Convention in a manner that doesnt simply befit Britains longest-running folk-rock soap opera, it actually amplifies the groups achievements beyond any past (or possibly future) collection ever could. The "official" story of the band, after all, can be traced on any number of collections, ranging from the original 1972 History Of album through to 1998s Fiddlestix and 2001s Some of Our Yesterdays. The groups often superior outtakes, radio sessions, and live odds and ends, however, have generally been scattered piecemeal across a plethora of other releases, many of which dont even appear under Fairports own banner -- anthologies of Sandy Denny, Ashley Hutchings, and Richard Thompson, odd folk collections, passing label samplers, and so much more all bear treasures that even the hardcore collector might have missed. Fairport Unconventional, though it by no means scoops up each and every one of these, does at least reference them in the accompanying voluminous (170-page) booklet, then sets out to offer even more esoteric fare, drawn from sources as disparate as early TV and radio sessions, world tours, session outtakes, rehearsal tapes, and festival dates, spanning the full history of the band. Indeed, the earliest performance is a 1967 recording that marks the bands first-ever demo, and the latest is a cut from 2002s XXXV 35th anniversary album. In between, theres probably not a "favorite" Fairport song that doesnt get an airing, be it a BBC broadcast of the epic "Tam Lin," a live take on "Sloth" with Denny unexpectedly audible on the chorus, a Liege & Lief-era stab at "Sir Patrick Spens," or a Cropredy reading of "The Hiring Fair." The fact that the all-star Cropredy gathering itself is responsible for only nine of the 24 post-1979 tracks included speaks volumes for the versatility of this compilation. Another area in which Fairport Unconventional stands alone is in its refusal to bow to the tyrannies of chronology. Rather, the four CDs are presented in strictly thematic style -- even the first disc, "Fairport -- A History," only arranges the song titles themselves in chronological order. The performances themselves date from all over the place. Of the other discs, "Rareport Convention" emphasizes live and session recordings, "A Fairport History" purports to teach the history of Britain through folk ballad and rocker, and "Classic Convention" re-creates the "ultimate" Fairport compilation from the ultimate Fairport rarities. A Pete Frame family tree poster, the Cropredy Chronicles souvenir booklet, a wealth of related flyers, a mail-order fifth CD of Cropredy rarities, and the aforementioned historical/discographical booklet complete a well-stuffed package, but perhaps the most notable inclusion is the penultimate track on the fourth CD. "The Matty Groves Megamix is a seven-minute tapestry built up from any number of different performances of that particular song, one line at a time. Its a remarkable concept, an astonishing execution, and a true labor of love. Just like the box set itself. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 43 Title: Then & Now 1982–1996: The Best of Fairport Convention Released: 2002-02-11 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:13:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Genesis Hall (04:15) 2 Expletive Delighted (01:52) 3 Summer Before the War (04:34) 4 Aunt Sally Shuffle (01:26) 5 The Card Song / Shufle the Pack (04:30) 6 The Hiring Fair (05:55) 7 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (live) (05:50) 8 The Youngest Daughter (02:06) 9 Home Is Where the Heart Is (04:42) 10 Woodworm Swing (03:12) 11 Si Tu Dois Partir (live) (03:42) 12 Crazy Man Michael (05:14) 13 Red and Gold (06:45) 14 Cup of Tea! / A Loaf of Break / Miss Monahans (03:20) 15 Wat Tyler (05:36) 16 All Your Beauty (02:58) 17 The Gas Almost Works (01:57) 18 Meet on the Ledge (live) (05:33) |
 | Album: 31 of 43 Title: XXXV Released: 2002-02-12 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:14:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Madeleine (04:26) 2 My Love Is in America (04:46) 3 The Happy Man (02:50) 4 Portmeirion (06:00) 5 The Crowd (06:13) 6 The Banks of Sweet Primroses (04:31) 7 The Deserter (06:58) 8 The Light of Day (06:15) 9 I Wandered by a Brookside (04:56) 10 Neil Gows Apprentice (04:46) 11 Everything But the Skirl (04:08) 12 Talking About My Love (02:43) 13 Now Be Thankful (03:49) 14 The Crowd Revisited (02:36) 15 The Widow of Westmorlands Daughter (04:43) 16 Rosie (04:27) |
| XXXV : Allmusic album Review : Neither fish nor foul, Fairport Convention holds a position somewhere between traditional English and contemporary Celtic music. Although mostly acoustic, electric bass and piano make appearances, and while the bandmembers enjoy the folk songs of yesteryear, they also pen new material. The bands approach and style also separate them from the folk-rock of the Richard Thompson/Sandy Denny era, which rocked quite a bit harder. XXXV celebrates the bands long history by dipping into a few old favorites like "I Wandered by a Brookside" and "The Deserter." The group plays as a collective unit, offering a nice blend of mandolin, fiddle, and guitar along with energetic percussion. Theres a relaxed version of "The Banks of the Sweet Primroses" and a stately take on Thompson and Dave Swarbricks "Now Be Thankful." Anna Ryders vocals add a nice touch to "The Crowd," and Ian Anderson offers some fancy flute work on "Portmeirion." Interestingly, this latter instrumental reminds one of other "new acoustic" compositions by outfits like New Grange, another band on the Compass label. While all of the selections are performed competently and professionally, a certain sameness seeps into the proceedings halfway through the album. Its as though the music has become too safe, too predictable. Fans of Fairports recent albums, however, will enjoy sitting down with a pint of their favorite beverage and taking a long look back at the bands illustrious history. | ||
 | Album: 32 of 43 Title: Over The Next Hill Released: 2004-08-16 Tracks: 11 Duration: 51:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Over The Next Hill (04:24) 2 Im Already There (06:42) 3 Wait for the Tide to Come In (04:39) 4 Canny Capers (05:13) 5 Over The Falls (04:33) 6 The Wassail Song (03:18) 7 The Fossil Hunter (06:15) 8 Willow Creek (03:54) 9 Westward (04:11) 10 Some Special Place (03:40) 11 Si Tu Dois Partir (04:53) |
| Over The Next Hill : Allmusic album Review : This album comes at a time of big changes for Fairport, with their own new label, and a face into the future, as the title implies. Thats all brought a new attitude to the music, with a slightly rawer, more rocking feel, as on "Wait for the Tide to Come In," where Simon Nicols electric guitar work simply sparkles. The oldest member of a long-running band, Nicol even takes lead vocals on a reworking on their 1969 hit "Si Tu Dois Partir," which even manages to incorporate the percussion break from original drummer Martin Lamble, thanks to the magic of technology, and thus connects the present to the past in more ways than one. Elsewhere the songs are of a consistently high standard, with Chris Leslies "Im Already There" a standout. In a couple of places the music veers toward that comfortable middle of the road space Fairports carved out over the last few years, but they seem to jerk themselves away before becoming too complacent about the music. And when they do veer into instrumental work, "Canny Capers" is the equal of anything theyve managed in the past, the twists and gyrations of its lines both daunting and entertaining. Theres only one traditional song on this disc, "Winter Wassail," with its small surprises that proves great satisfaction. So what does this say about Fairport for the future? Other than theyll still be there, and that theyre in the process of taking a long hard look at themselves, not a great deal. But if this new attitude and grit persists, therell be plenty of excellent music ahead. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 43 Title: Chronicles Released: 2005-04-04 Tracks: 34 Duration: 2:33:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Time Will Show the Wiser (03:06) 2 If (Stomp) (02:48) 3 Chelsea Morning (03:06) 4 Reno Nevada (07:48) 5 She Moves Through the Fair (04:14) 6 Fotheringay (03:06) 7 Tale in Hard Time (03:28) 8 Meet on the Ledge (02:53) 9 Cajun Woman (02:45) 10 A Sailors Life (11:13) 11 Si tu dois partir (02:25) 12 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (05:10) 13 The Ballad of Easy Rider (04:57) 14 Come All Ye (05:01) 15 Matty Groves (08:12) 16 Quiet Joys of Brotherhood (07:50) 1 Tam Lin (07:13) 2 Farewell Farewell (02:40) 3 The Flowers of the Forest (04:04) 4 Poor Will and Jolly Hangman (05:33) 5 Sloth (09:17) 6 Walk Awhile (04:01) 7 Now Be Thankful (02:26) 8 Sir Patrick Spens (03:32) 9 The Bonny Black Hare (03:07) 10 John Lee (03:04) 11 Rosie (03:38) 12 Tokyo (02:54) 13 Bring Em Down (06:00) 14 Down in the Flood (live) (03:28) 15 Dirty Linen (live) (03:56) 16 Rising for the Moon (04:08) 17 White Dress (03:47) 18 Stranger to Himself (02:52) |
 | Album: 34 of 43 Title: A Lasting Spirit: The Collection Released: 2005-07-19 Tracks: 47 Duration: 3:42:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Some Sweet Day (02:32) 2 Youre Gonna Need My Help (04:10) 3 Both Sides Now (03:11) 4 You Never Wanted Me (03:18) 5 Dear Landlord (03:49) 6 Night in the City (03:05) 7 Marcie (03:42) 8 Fotheringay (03:05) 9 Sir Patrick Spens (03:52) 10 Wings (04:29) 11 Suzanne (06:50) 12 Jack ODiamonds (03:49) 13 Time Will Show the Wiser (03:14) 14 Mr Lacey (03:05) 15 Genesis Hall (03:53) 16 Reynardine (03:52) 17 Million Dollar Bash (04:12) 18 Matty Groves (07:26) 1 Set Me Up (04:23) 2 Medley: Cup of Tea-Loaf of Bread-Miss Monohans (03:19) 3 Sock in It (05:32) 4 All Your Beauty (02:56) 5 London River (02:59) 6 Honour and Praise (05:22) 7 Rhythm of the Time (05:53) 8 How Many Times (03:30) 9 Red and Gold (06:44) 10 Wat Tyler (05:35) 11 The Wishfullness Waltz (05:44) 12 Cloudy Banks (05:54) 13 Medley: Mock Morris: The Green Man / The Cropredy Badger / Molly on the Jetty (04:56) 14 Summer Before the War (04:33) 15 Sigh Beg Sigh Mor (07:14) 1 Walk Awhile (04:34) 2 John Gaudie (05:29) 3 Poor Willy and the Jolly Hangman (05:47) 4 Come All Ye (05:27) 5 Sloth (12:48) 6 Fiddlestix (03:11) 7 Solo (05:23) 8 Close to the Wind (06:08) 9 Jewel in the Crown (03:42) 10 I Heard It Through the Grapevine (03:44) 11 Woodworm Swing (03:18) 12 Si Tu Dois Partir (03:18) 13 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (06:33) 14 Meet on the Ledge (07:05) |
 | Album: 35 of 43 Title: The Best Of The BBC Recordings Released: 2008 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:05:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nottamum Town (03:38) 2 Meet On The Ledge (02:50) 3 Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (04:14) 4 Fotheringay (03:01) 5 Autopsy (04:26) 6 Sir Patrick Spens (03:46) 7 Reynardine (04:21) 8 Tam Lin (07:48) 9 Walk Awhile (04:02) 10 The Deserter (03:56) 11 Dirty Linen (Jigs & Reels) (04:16) 12 Now Be Thankful (02:26) 13 Rosie (04:03) 14 Rising For The Moon (04:17) 15 Down In The Flood (03:27) 16 John The Gun (05:05) |
| The Best Of The BBC Recordings : Allmusic album Review : The title of this collection is a bit of a misnomer, since most Fairport Convention fans will tell you the best of the venerable British folk-rock groups recordings for BBC Radio were already compiled on the superb 1987 album Heyday (which grew from a 12-track LP to a 20-song CD when it got a digital makeover in 2002). But as a sampler of the four-disc Live at the BBC box set (which preserves every surviving radio session Fairport recorded between 1967 and 1974), this effectively skims the cream from the material that didnt appear on Heyday, and strikes a graceful and effective balance between the familiar and the unexpected. There are live-in-the-studio versions of some of Fairports better-known songs here, including "Meet on the Ledge," "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," "Tam Lin," and "Rosie," but you also get "Nottamun Town" dressed up with Indian percussion, a jazzy take on Sandy Dennys "Autopsy," and Simon Nicol rather than Sandy Denny taking lead vocals on "The Deserter." The set also focuses on whats generally considered Fairport Conventions strongest period, when Denny and Richard Thompson were both in the group, though a handful of tracks document lineups in which neither appeared and prove that even without the bands "stars," Fairport remained a consistently strong and exciting band. Youd be hard-pressed to find a funkier set of jigs and reels than the version of "Dirty Linen" featured here, the recordings of "Now Be Thankful" and "Meet on the Ledge" boast an esprit de corps that tops their studio counterparts, and the closing takes of "John the Gun" and Bob Dylans "Down in the Flood" confirm that Dennys second tenure with the band was just as impressive as the first, if not as widely acclaimed. Fairport Convention obsessives will be satisfied with nothing less than the full box set, but more casual admirers will discover plenty of buried treasure on Best of the BBC Recordings, and its a fine beginners guide to the riches found in the larger collection. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 43 Title: Off the Desk Released: 2008-10-27 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:41:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Over the Falls (04:22) 2 Adieu Adieu (02:23) 3 The Happy Man (02:48) 4 Canny Capers (05:13) 5 Willow Creek (04:11) 6 Genesis Hall (04:10) 7 Over The Next Hill (04:18) 8 Portmerion (05:25) 9 My Love Is In America (04:40) 10 Western Wind (04:59) 11 Rosemarys Sister (06:21) 1 Some Special Place (03:50) 2 Im Already There (06:16) 3 The Fossil Hunter (06:31) 4 The Journeymans Grace (04:35) 5 Wait for the Tide to Come In (04:41) 6 The Wassail Song (03:27) 7 Morris Medley (02:31) 8 Close To You (04:08) 9 The Hiring Fair (07:31) 10 Walk Awhile (04:19) 11 John Gaudie (04:33) |
 | Album: 37 of 43 Title: The Airing Cupboard Tapes 71 - 74 Released: 2009-03-30 Tracks: 13 Duration: 58:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Hexamshire Lass (02:37) 2 Hens March Through The Midden/The Four Poster Bed (02:49) 3 Sloth (13:03) 4 Itll Take A Long Time (05:38) 5 Walk Awhile (04:05) 6 Furs And Feathers (04:50) 7 Cell Song (04:05) 8 Who Knows Where The Time Goes (06:34) 9 Thatll Be The Day (02:02) 10 Ballad Of Ned Kelly (03:50) 11 Something You Got (02:24) 12 The Claw (02:20) 13 The Deserter (04:36) |
 | Album: 38 of 43 Title: Festival Bell Released: 2011-04-11 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Mercy Bay (06:46) 2 Ruis Guitar (04:38) 3 Danny Jacks Chase (03:55) 4 Reunion Hill (04:52) 5 Wouldnt Say No (04:20) 6 Around the Wild Cape Horn (05:07) 7 Celtic Moon (05:09) 8 Ukulele Central (04:16) 9 Albert & Ted (02:37) 10 Darkside Wood (04:49) 11 London Apprentice / Johnny Ginears (03:50) 12 Rising for the Moon (04:30) 13 Danny Jacks Reward (04:37) 14 The Festival Bell (02:58) |
| Festival Bell : Allmusic album Review : Its been 44 years since Fairport got together to emulate the American folk-rock bands they admired. Along the way, they started delving into the folklore of their native land and kicked off a revival of interest in the traditional music of the British Isles. In 2011, the band is still going strong, with original member Simon Nicol still on board, along with Dave Pegg, almost an original member with 31 years in the band under his belt. Chris Leslie (fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki) and Ric Sanders (fiddle), both vets with more than ten years in the band, contribute most of the original material, compositions that hew closely to the bands roots of traditional and singer/songwriter music. Several tunes here sound like they could end up on Fairports next greatest-hits compilation. Leslies "Mercy May" is a brooding song that details the doomed voyage of Lord Franklin to the Arctic Sea in 1850. Sanders contributes "Ukulele Central," perhaps the least typical tune on the album, a ragtime-meets-vaudeville number featuring a quintet of ukuleles and drummer Gerry Conway on washboard. The title track, a playful romp written by Leslie with a tongue-twisting folk/rap lyric and an insanely catchy melody, is another winner. Covers include Richard Shindells Civil War tune "Reunion Hill" given a melancholy reading by Nicol and featuring Leslies bluegrass-influenced mandolin fills. "Around the Wild Cape Horn," a new tune by Ralph McTell, is a sea song with a jaunty arrangement that combines British and Irish influences. Its driven by Peggs melodic bass and Leslies mandolin. The also cover themselves by reprising Sandy Dennys "Rising for the Moon" the title track of the bands 1975 album. Here its given a midtempo reading with Leslie singing lead and Sanders adding his distinctive fiddling to the mix. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 43 Title: Collected Released: 2012 Tracks: 54 Duration: 3:44:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Time Will Show The Wiser (03:06) 2 I Dont Know Where I Stand (03:45) 3 Jack ODiamonds (03:30) 4 Decameron (03:44) 5 Sun Shade (03:48) 6 Reno, Nevada (07:45) 7 Fotheringay (03:04) 8 Ill Keep It With Mine (05:53) 9 Eastern Rain (03:36) 10 She Moves Through The Fair (04:12) 11 Meet On The Ledge (02:51) 12 Mr. Lacey (02:53) 13 Book Song (03:15) 14 Si Tu Dois Partir (02:22) 15 A Sailors Life (11:16) 16 Who Knows Where The Time Goes (05:10) 17 Autopsy (04:24) 1 Percys Song (06:54) 2 Genesis Hall (03:38) 3 The Ballad Of Easy Rider (04:55) 4 Come All Ye (05:01) 5 Tam Lin (07:12) 6 Farewell, Farewell (02:39) 7 Matty Groves (08:09) 8 Crazy Man Michael (04:39) 9 Sir Patrick Spens (03:32) 10 Walk Awhile (04:01) 11 Sloth (09:13) 12 Now Be Thankful (02:23) 13 Poor Will And The Jolly Hangman (05:30) 14 The Journeymans Grace (04:33) 15 Bridge Over The River Ash (02:13) 1 Lord Marlborough (03:25) 2 The Bonny Black Hare (03:06) 3 Angel Delight (04:08) 4 John Lee (03:04) 5 Breakfast In Mayfair (03:08) 6 Hanging Song (05:23) 7 The Hens March The Four Poster Bed (01:59) 8 Rosie (03:38) 9 The Plainsman (03:19) 10 The Hexhamshire Lass (02:30) 11 Polly On The Shore (04:55) 12 The Brilliancy Medley Cherokee Shuffle (03:56) 13 Restless (03:57) 14 White Dress (03:45) 15 Dawn (03:43) 16 Stranger To Himself (02:52) 17 Adieu Adieu (02:30) 18 The Eynsham Poacher (02:27) 19 The Last Waltz (03:05) 20 The Widow Of Westmorlands Daughter (03:19) 21 Ye Mariners All (Bottom Of The Punch Bowl East Nuke Of Fyfe Ye Mariners) (04:28) 22 Three Drunken Maidens (02:40) |
 | Album: 40 of 43 Title: By Popular Request Released: 2012-05-07 Tracks: 13 Duration: 55:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Walk Awhile (04:24) 2 Crazy Man Michael (04:42) 3 The Hiring Fair (05:43) 4 The Hexhamshire Lass (02:32) 5 Red and Gold (06:43) 6 Sir Patrick Spens (03:36) 7 Genesis Hall (03:30) 8 Farewell Farewell (03:03) 9 Rosie (04:18) 10 Matty Groves (05:07) 11 Fotheringay (03:26) 12 Jewel in the Crown (03:33) 13 Meet on the Ledge (04:23) |
 | Album: 41 of 43 Title: Meet on the Ledge: The Collection Released: 2012-06-05 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:15:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Come All Ye (04:59) 2 Meet on the Ledge (02:49) 3 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (05:06) 4 She Moves Through the Fair (04:11) 5 Matty Groves (08:10) 6 Si Tu Dois Partir (02:18) 7 Farewell, Farewell (02:37) 8 Big William (03:23) 9 Now Be Thankful (02:24) 10 The Bonny Black Hare (03:04) 11 Angel Delight (04:06) 12 Wizard of the Worldly Game (04:04) 13 John Lee (03:01) 14 Breakfast in Mayfair (03:06) 15 A Sailors Life (11:08) 16 Rosie (03:36) 17 Rising for the Moon (04:07) 18 Cropredy Capers (03:11) |
 | Album: 42 of 43 Title: Myths and Heroes Released: 2015-03-02 Tracks: 13 Duration: 54:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Myths and Heroes (03:21) 2 Clear Water (03:59) 3 The Fylde Mountain Time / Roger Bucknalls Polka (03:08) 4 Theodores Song (04:55) 5 Love at First Sight (03:52) 6 John Condone (05:54) 7 The Gallivant (04:58) 8 The Man in the Water (03:57) 9 Bring Me Back My Feathers (03:57) 10 Grace and Favour (04:23) 11 Weightless / The Gravity Reel (04:03) 12 Home (04:15) 13 Jonahs Oak (03:57) |
 | Album: 43 of 43 Title: 5 Classic Albums Released: 2015-10-16 Tracks: 48 Duration: 3:17:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Time Will Show the Wiser (03:06) 2 I Dont Know Where I Stand (03:45) 3 If ( Stomp ) (02:45) 4 Decameron (03:42) 5 Jack ODiamonds (03:30) 6 Portfolio (02:00) 7 Chelsea Morning (03:04) 8 Sun Shade (03:46) 9 The Lobster (05:25) 10 Its Alright Ma, Its Only Witchcraft (03:15) 11 One Sure Thing (02:50) 12 M.1 Breakdown (01:22) 1 Fotheringay (03:06) 2 Mr. Lacey (02:55) 3 Book Song (03:13) 4 The Lord Is in This Place (02:01) 5 No Mans Land (02:32) 6 Ill Keep It With Mine (05:54) 7 Eastern Rain (03:35) 8 Nottamun Town (03:12) 9 Tale in Hard Time (03:28) 10 She Moves Through the Fair (04:14) 11 Meet on the Ledge (02:50) 12 End of a Holiday (01:05) 1 Genesis Hall (03:41) 2 Si tu dois partir (02:25) 3 Autopsy (04:27) 4 A Sailors Life (11:13) 5 Cajun Woman (02:45) 6 Who Knows Where the Time Goes? (05:10) 7 Percys Song (06:56) 8 Million Dollar Bash (02:56) 1 Come All Ye (05:01) 2 Reynardine (04:33) 3 Matty Groves (08:09) 4 Farewell, Farewell (02:39) 5 The Deserter (04:23) 6 Medley: The Lark in the Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunters Jig / Toss the Feathers (04:07) 7 Tam Lin (07:13) 8 Crazy Man Michael (04:37) 1 Walk Awhile (03:58) 2 Doctor of Physick (03:37) 3 Dirty Linen (04:14) 4 Sloth (09:17) 5 Sir Patrick Spens (03:32) 6 Flatback Caper (06:22) 7 Poor Will & the Jolly Hangman (05:31) 8 The Flowers of the Forest (03:59) |
| 5 Classic Albums : Allmusic album Review : This budget-priced, bare-bones box set from Universal rounds up the first five studio albums from the pioneering English folk-rock outfit. Bereft of any liner notes and housed in basic cardboard sleeves, the collection is far from elegant, but its hard to argue with the quality of the material (Fairport Convention, What We Did on Our Holidays, Unhalfbricking, Liege and Lief, Full House), as it features some absolute classics delivered with gusto via Fairports most beloved lineup. | ||