SIR JOHN ALOT OF MERRIE ENGLANDES MUSYK THYNGE AND YE GRENE KNIGHTE

While the absurd pre Monty Python title, the jolly good cover, and first few tracks of pre JAN AKKERMAN early music imply that RENBOURN is all in to Olde Englande by now, it turns out that, in the back 40, he confesses that he is still a jazz blues lover. And this all in the space of barely 30 minutes, making for a schizophrenic listen. While the English tracks seem more authentic and relaxed in pace, the others are more accomplished in their playing, unfortunately reminding me a bit of JANSCH and even PENTANGLE in their buffed and scrubbed sterility, and it's hard enough to connect with a sub two minute instrumental never mind several.

Renbourn has bestowed the same 20 miles over the speed limit mentality in his accompanists. I'll admit that African drums, flutes, and acoustic guitars would still represent a novel concept today, but 2 drum solos on a studio album?? It's not that they sound any better on a live album, but at least we expect them in that setting. "Sweet Potato" avoids this preening and instead struts with self awareness, so it's my pick from the last 15 minutes. Still, the best here is undoubtedly the suite "Morgana" which might have made MIKE OLDFIELD a follower, accounting for his own folky forays that ebbed and flowed from "Tubular Bells" onward. Not a lot of, or even enough of, anything to warrant better than 3 stars I'm afraid.

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