NINE
Fairport Convention
•Prog Related
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Studio Album, released in 1973 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. The Hexhamshire Lass (2:28) - Dave Swarbrick / lead (1,4,7) & backing vocals, violin, viola, mandolin (7)
Artwork: 'Wendy' D.M. and Phillip Stirling-Wall and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry |
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FAIRPORT CONVENTION Nine ratings distribution
(33 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(6%)
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(24%)
Good, but non-essential (58%)
Collectors/fans only (12%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
FAIRPORT CONVENTION Nine reviews
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Collaborators/Experts Reviews
PROG REVIEWER

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

Fairport's ninth studio album was released just five years after their first. The line up had of course already changed completely swith numerous others coming and going in-between. Some stability was however demonstrated here, the band being the same as that which recorded the previous "Rosie".
By now, Trevor Lucas and Jerry Donahue were firmly integrated into the band, the former being heavily involved in the song writing and arrangements too. While there are no epics here along the lines of "A sailor's life" or "Sloth", the mood is generally similar to that created by those songs, and thus rather more progressive than "Rosie".
Things start off in traditional fashion with "Hexhamshire lass", an upbeat lyrical jig, the words being borrowed from folk legend Bob Davenport. Apart from "The brilliancy medley", this aspect of Fairport is largely absent from the album. The reflective Dave Pegg composition (with traditional lyrics) "Polly on the shore" is more representative of the general mood of the album. Dave Swarbrick also adds his own melody to the words of 17th century poet Richard Lovelace on "To Althea from prison". The words were actually written while he was in prison for supporting the royalist opposition. Coincidentally, Lovelace attended Charterhouse school, the birthplace of Genesis a couple of centuries later.
Jerry Donahue's "Tokyo" is a strange title for a very British sounding reel to end the first side. The second side is dominated by Trevor Lucas, who writes or co-writes all the songs. This results in a strangely un-Fairport like atmosphere much of the time. "Bring 'em down" has a drinking song feel, the tired and emotional singing of the chorus and the slurred violin being perfect for such a number. "Big William", co-written with Swarb, is the low point of the album, a mediocre song with indulgent lyrics.
The two collaborate again on "Pleasure and pain", which sees Lucas's country influences coming to the fore, Swarb's vocals being warm and soothing. The track sums up the congenial atmosphere of the album nicely. We close with Lucas's "Possibly Parsons Green", another country tinged song, the title of which bears no direct relationship with the lyrics.
In all, a good Fairport album which mixes traditional folk with country and reflective balladry.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team

Nine is a very uneven album featuring some very good material, but also some very bad material. Tokyo, with its excellent guitar, bass, drums, violin and keyboards (do I hear a harpsichord in there?) sound very much like it could have been recorded by the Dixie Dregs - it rocks! This is really one of the best Fairport instrumentals that I have ever heard. The other instrumental on this album, The Brilliancy Medley & Cherokee Shuffle, is also good, even if altogether more traditional than Tokyo, and it doesn't rock half as much as Tokyo does.
The traditional The Hexhamshire Lass and the Fairport original Bring 'Em Down are also quite good songs. The rest of this album, however, is quite boring. Overall, this album has more of an American feel to it than earlier albums. This is especially true of Pleasure & Pain - a pure Country rock ballad. Horrible and the worst track on this album! Country is just not my cup of tea and I think that Fairport should stick to playing music from this side of the atlantic.
Only for fans and collectors this one.
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