FARO ANNIE

The last album ever to be recorded for and released by Transatlantic Records by any of the Pentangle members, Faro Annie is a bit of an unexpected gem. Acoustic guitar virtuoso John Renbourn eschews his fascination with pseudo Elizabethan music and concentrates on good old British folk and American folk and blues songs. Gone also is the guitar virtuosity and chamber like music that made Sir John Alot and The Lady And The Unicorn, respectively, so unique. This time around, the subdued guitar playing has let Renbourn concentrate on his usually lack luster vocals and he got them to really shine on songs like "White House Blues" and "Buffalo Skinners", the later featuring just acoustic guitar and other worldly sitar played by the great man himself. "The Cuckoo" is another song to get the fine spooky sitar treatment. Other standouts are "Little Sadie" and the English folk standard "Willy O' Winsbury", both recorded with mournful fiddle playing by Renbourn's then girlfriend Sue Draheim, with Renbourn doing one of best recorded vocals on the latter.

Old Pentangle mates Danny Thompson, and Terry Cox turn up on double bass and drums, respectively, and add a funky vibe to "Kokomo Blues", "Shake Shake Mamma" and the album's instrumental title track. All are good, but it's the songs with just Renbourn's acoustic or electric guitar, sitar, harmonica and vocals that really shine, and show that Renbourn's depth of knowledge of folk and blues was more than just skin deep. And this album, lovingly played, sung and recorded, demonstrates just how much he loved those genres. 4 stars.