'BABBACOMBE' LEE

Together with Full House, this is my favourite Fairport album of the 70's. It is not just the fact that Babbacombe Lee is a concept album, or rock opera, and that I happen to like conceptual albums. Everything about this album is far better than most other Fairport albums. The vocals are a lot better, there are more elaborated harmonies. The lyrics are better too. The melodies are strong. And most important of all, here they have written most of the music themselves instead of just upgrading old English Folk tunes. Compared to Liege & Lief and the other 60's releases by this band, Babbacombe Lee is also much better recorded and better produced. And much more progressive!

It is also the case that Babbacombe Lee is a Folk rock album with an equal emphasis on the Rock and the Folk, while some other albums by this band clearly emphasises the Folk over the Rock.

We should keep in mind also that this was released in 1971 and that it must have been rather groundbreaking at the time given the strong traditionalism within Folk rock.

My only complaint is that the alphabet is a little bit to long to make a song out of it!

A very good and enjoyable Folk rock album! One of the band's very best and most progressive. Recommended!

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