170. Fairport Convention | Liege & Lief (1969)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Come All Ye
2. Reynardine
3. Matty Groves
4. Farewell, Farewell
5. The Deserter
6. Medley: The Lark in the Morning, Rakish Paddy, Foxhunters' Jig, Toss the Feathers
7. Tam Lin
8. Crazy Man Michael

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Liege & Lief is a pretty album. Fairport Convention have adapted old English folk songs to modern folk sound. Not only did they do that, but they also made these folk songs rock.

The songs are full of rich melodies and Sandy Denny has a wonderfully powerful voice. I like English folk music, especially the way Fairport Convention play it. They make it lively and exciting. 

This is certainly an album worth listening to. I'm not sure what influence Fairport Convention has had on music to come, but their material and interpretation thereof is certainly notable.

The stand out songs are Come All Ye, Reynardine, Matty Groves, The Deserter, Tam Lin and Crazy Man Michael.

★★★★★★★★★☆

163. Fairport Convention | Unhalfbricking (1969)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Genesis Hall
2. Si Tu Dois Partir
3. Autopsy
4. A Sailor's Life
5. Cajun Woman
6. Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
7. Percy's Song
8. Million Dollar Bash

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Note: the album cover on the left is from the UK release and the one on the right is from the US release.

Unhalfbricking is a beautiful album. Folk songs from the US and folk songs from the UK sound different. It's not a profound observation, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to explain how or why they sound different. I do think that English folk songs are more upbeat, more poetic and the storytelling is clearer and more robust. However, what's also interesting here is that Fairport Convention have covered three of Bob Dylan's songs and it's not obvious when you listen to them that they come from Dylan. They have been subsumed into the English folk tradition.

I really enjoyed this album a lot. The great melodies and Sandy Denny's voice make this a superb album. I think with this album, Fairport Convention has come up with a more accessible electric folk sound than the Pentangle and the Electric String Band have and that sound will make an appearance sometime later on this list. This album is worth listening to and is a must have for any serious folk music collection.

The stand out songs are Genesis Hall, Si Tu Dois Partir, A Sailor's Life, Cajun Woman, Percy's Song and Million Dollar Bash.

★★★★★★★★★☆