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Prog Britannia - Album Reviews |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
JANE WEAVER Have you fallen under the magical spell of Dream Weaver Jane yet? It looks like the Fallen By Watch Bird in the photo has fallen under her spell, or maybe it's just contemplating making a nest in Jane's hair. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
THE WAY WE LIVE I know this Rochdale duo are meant to be Prog Folk, but for some bizarre reason the first track "King Dick II" reminds me of Black Sabbath - or am I just being Paranoid. ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
THE WATERBOYS If you're wondering how The Waterboys ended up in a Prog Folk blog, then you may not have heard their folky Fisherman's Blues and Room to Roam albums. Some of the best of British Prog Folk has already featured here, including Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Pentangle and the Strawbs et al, but I want more than that.... I want The Whole of the Moon! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 15 2025 at 05:18 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
WATER INTO WINE BAND Sandals, scandals and holy candles..... The Water into Wine Band were a charming quartet of long-haired, sandal-wearing Jesus freaks who burned briefly but brightly, but didn't manage to gather much sustenance in their collecting bowl and quickly melted away amidst scandals and changing lifestyles in the fading happy-clappy Jesus movement. Prayer mats and rosary beads are optional. ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 09 2025 at 04:00 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
CLIFFORD T. WARD An ex-schoolteacher who's top of the class when it comes to writing Bittersweet romantic ballads. Worth checking out, if you have the Wherewithal. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS One man (Rick Tomlinson) and his sitar. As exotic as a stroll down the Kasbah with the warm smell of camel dung rising up through the air. ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
UNITED BIBLE STUDIES Creepy psychedelic folk for fans of the dark utterings of Comus, and that's the gospel truth! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 05 2025 at 00:20 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2005: Kathryn Williams - Over Fly Over - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nz7lub63M2p_zG67nOoPQcl7HgjNZxK3A 2006: Kathryn Williams - Leave to Remain - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mlRzCZZU2zdT-h3lr7J9aEYN8u_1xQLdM 2008: Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl - Two - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kRGugM9zdWTzw5vL0FfBpswydrb2SjUMQ 2010: Kathryn Williams - The Quickening - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n60QNR_bZkciZnF6Gg3uBCfA_kE7OX0QU 2012: Kathryn Williams & the Pond - The Pond - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kAb9SJr1qfTN9cPh3jl-FeErFeRJ-I3Aw 2013: Kathryn Williams - Crown Electric - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k3ULlEkend5kc75awo2aAsAKEf3CLo0QI 2015: Kathryn Williams - Hypoxia - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lBZ1y6ILf0DKncBmcI5omfbpvFl_C6_Fg 2016: Kathryn Williams & Anthony Kerr - Resonator - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nX8zPGOwtUS7YcM0owORdC97usYh2zTC8 2017: Kathryn Williams - Songs from the Novel 'Greatest Hits' - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ll-rS9xKIJoo0KF4xfaAMZkA4pHp0o2Hs 2021: Kathryn Williams & Carol Ann Duffy - Midnight Chorus - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m2jjEhQdEqYI3v3pmpJyCsSU1lJCUbI60 2022: Kathryn Williams - Night Drives - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_myUBwPKyQgzmyvqf0mUiA_12qzoKeBaW8 2024: Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand - Wilson Williams - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nNTEPduFJ8wbiDL0kx3C2FzFNLwiEWbkY 1972: Robin Williamson - Myrrh - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kgWKppnM-XzydzyQXZVfh_d9cZnu7daJY 1977: Robin Williamson & His Merry Band - Journey's Band - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvMViVt_1wWrqqJrawzFtfZlcgNoDn0zI 1978: Robin Williamson & His Merry Band - American Stonehenge - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMm7hdvVHA 1979: Robin Williamson & His Merry Band - A Glint at the Kindling - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1i1j-XNXFc 1981: Robin Williamson - Songs of Love and Parting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxTqpCAXSlo 1983: Robin Williamson - Music for the Mabinogi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBwnrBv1U9M 1985: Robin Williamson - The Dragon Has Two Tongues - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l7yIPflLKgnpSJiVAMv-QhShurVfrauSk 1986: Robin Williamson - Winter's Turning - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_llcWKeZIg00uUo4cwTDGsQZ7M6mYSuj9o 1987: Robin Williamson - Songs for Children of All Ages - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mctW2qoFCow 1988: Robin Williamson - Ten of Songs - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lqkszvCBJPQA4kjgyq7-uamtpIASDvrCY 1997: Robin Williamson - Celtic Harp Airs and Dance Tunes - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nNb8XLiVAqw7FdjAnC--_FXQVTN3EZetU 1998: Robin Williamson & Mike Heron - Bloomsbury 1997 - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_km9_ZwpY81Jj8ct5wqUc6CWlAmJxXvWC8 2000: Robin Williamson - The Seed at Zero - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ljZe0rqugrSfgcoehAEYzxk4TCHt3Wvt8 2002: Robin Williamson - Skirting the River Road - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m-XR7nXIkcgTxvoEtW8T8O2baH6IZ6nk8 2006: Robin Williamson - The Iron Stone - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kuoeFo7I9m2AWHlFEXe9vjAc-yMwmCHW4 2008: Robin Williamson - The Celtic Band - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nGGuknRLUMX2AmTvAIX5rkMY2DrFc8kzY 2008: Robin Williamson - Just Like the River and Other Songs with Guitar - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mrHmjsviYrEUuk8Oc5Cmh9FmktT9Au6Bk 2012: Robin Williamson - Love Will Remain - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m5M90poQ3-I08nQpCevLes8dD5HPdePRE 2014: Robin Williamson - Trusting in the Rising Light - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mnirTeGgFdU-n_iJ18_n4oyoYGoES1ghg 2009: Withered Hand - Good News - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nx80Q88IHFYKTbLxutH6GVEFZoYMxk8H4 2014: Withered Hand - New Gods - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k9wnRYF6lvlOmxnkiE1_PbhFuCWaNHeSk 2023: Withered Hand - How to Love - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kcy7vGunAAVSufmwxNKI9LVPrJqgd3l2I 1971: The Woods Band - The Woods Band - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nJCh_bAIaWHqKKft15YHvACG3LcQtNs1c 2009: Wyrdgenes - Edgelander - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n_9b2FFDQGX0CaMXAixmMo60L8zWQnvi0 2018: Wyrdgenes - Seven Bells - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lb8PSSDtFY2u4B9-YkJUXILan31PozjWM Edited by Psychedelic Paul - 8 hours 46 minutes ago at 03:48 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
TYRANNOSAURUS REX Prog Folk dinosaurs? If you're looking for some solid gold easy action, then you won't find it here. These are Marc Bolan's early folk warblings with Steve Peregrin Took, shortly before Bolan rode a white swan to Glam Rock glory and stardom as T. Rex. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 03 2025 at 12:41 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() TUDOR LODGE Tudor Lodge were a charming Prog Folk trio from Reading in southern England, who are often compared with (and sometimes confused with) Trader Horne. The trio of merry minstrels are best-known for their eponymously-titled "Tudor Lodge" album in 1970, but the band have been touring and recording on and off for well over forty years now. It seemed like their self-titled album from 1970 might be the last we'd ever hear of Tudor Lodge, but they made a surprising comeback over a quarter of a century later with five further albums:- "Let's Talk" (1997); "It All Comes Back" (1998); "Dream" (1999); "Runaway" (2003); & "Unconditional" (2006). We begin with a lovely nostalgic trip back in time for "It All Comes Back To Me", a saccharine-sweet Folk song that's very reminiscent of early Fairport Convention with Judy Dyble. This beautiful trip down memory lane will bring back fond memories of that bygone age when there were a whole plethora of delightfully endearing Folk albums just like the album we have here. "It All Comes Back To Me" is a haunting refrain with a semi-classical opening and featuring heavenly angelic vocals from Ann Steuart (not a misspelling) with the two male vocalists providing some delicious harmonisation. This is a truly gorgeous opening to the album, in the true spirit of Fairport and Pentangle, and of course, Trader Horne too, who released their "Morning Way" album around the same time as this album. "Would You Believe" this album can possibly get any better!?? Yes, indeed it can, because "Would You Believe" is a lovely melody with all three travelling troubadours playing jangling acoustic guitars in perfect symmetry together and featuring some exquisite three-part harmonies too. This song and album as a whole also features cellos, violins and woodwind instruments in abundance too, which all adds to the gentle pastoral charm of the music. "Would You Believe" sounds like a very pleasant hybrid cross between Magna Carta, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Association, with those oh-so-beautiful three-part harmonies very much at the forefront. Tudor Lodge is proving to be a very desirable property to own so far. "Recollection" continues the pleasant nostalgia trip with a tune that sounds like it could have come straight from The Seekers songbook. The bright and uplifting vocal harmonies are as clear as a bell and that's something that really shines through on this outstanding Folk album. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say this album sounds as good as, if not better than anything Fairport Convention have ever done, so it's a pity Tudor Lodge haven't managed to gain the wider recognition they deserve. They were one of the many touring bands on the early-1970's English Folk circuit who never quite managed to make the big breakthrough to the big time in the same way as Pentangle, Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention obviously did. Our fourth song "Two Steps Back" features Ann Steuart taking the vocal lead this time around, and sounding like a beguiling cross between Joan Baez and Judy Collins. This very appealing song sounds like it could have had the potential to become a real Folk classic if only it had received any radio airplay at the time of its release, but sadly, it wasn't to be. This memorable song has a very catchy hook-line that's very much in the style of "Diamonds and Dust" by Joan Baez. It's one of those evergreen timeless classics that sounds strangely familiar, even though you may be hearing it for the very first time. It's also a gorgeous slice of nostalgia - just like the album as a whole - that you can keep coming back to time and time again and never tire of listening to. Our musical journey continues with "Help Me Find Myself", a lovely Folk song that's positively bursting with sunshine, conjuring up a rustic image of strolling through fields of buttercups, daisies and dandelions on a beautiful summer's day. This is the kind of song (and album) that could ONLY have come from the much- missed late-1960's/early 1970's Folk era, the like of which we'll sadly never see or hear again, but we can still treasure the memories forever every time we put this gem of an album on the record player. Side One concludes now with "Nobody's Listening", another charming Folk song in what is turning out to be a very fine album indeed. Every ardent fan of the early 1970's English Folk scene will almost certainly enjoy listening to "Nobody's Listening". Moving swiftly through the remaining half a dozen songs now to avoid a hopelessly long review (although it may be too late for that already), we arrive underneath the "Willow Tree", which represents quite a departure from the jolly Folk tunes on Side One. "Willow Tree" takes us into the spookier dimensions of slightly disturbing Psych-Folk - although nowhere near as sinister as the spectral music of Comus. The opening of "Willow Tree" is eerily discordant, which only adds to the creepy and mysterious atmosphere. This just serves as a prelude though for a hauntingly-beautiful melodic soundscape of swirling pastoral Folk. "Willow Tree" is a real album highlight! We're not out of the woods yet as the next song is titled "Forest", which is a typical pastoral Folk song about taking a country ramble through an autumnal leaf-strewn forest, filled with chirruping squirrels and squawking blackbirds. It's generally a celebration of the wonders of Mother Nature in all of her infinite loveliness, so this song will no doubt have special appeal to hippyish environmentalists and Green Party activists. It's also a jolly nice tune too. The next song "I See a Man" is a sad melancholic refrain about the futility of war, as these thoughtful soul- searching lyrics reveal:- " I see a young man in early days of war, Who wants nothing more than to do the best he can, And so he volunteers to join the grenadiers, And fight the battle for his fellow man. I see a man who is welcomed home a hero, The crowds cheer as he holds his head up high, For now the war is past and now he's home at last, The crowd don't notice the tears in his eyes. I see a proud man who fought for his country, He did everythng a soldier could do, But now he's getting old and many times his story's told, The crowd don't even know his name any more." ..... It's always the sad songs that reach most deeply into the depths of the soul. Anyway, cheer up, because "The Lady's Changing Home" is on the way, which is an altogether jollier tune with a bright and catchy melody. It's the longest song - at four and a half minutes long - and also the most commercially appealing song on the album, featuring the sound of a funky electric guitar for the first time on the album. "The Lady's Changing Home" is a good all-round Beatle-esque Pop song with a rousing anthemic chorus, which marks a very pleasant and unexpected departure from the Folky tunes on the rest of the album. It's another album highlight in an album that somehow manages to get better and better as it goes along. You certainly won't find any mediocre album fillers here! We're off to meet the fair maiden "Madeline" now, and very pretty she is too. It's a gentle acoustic guitar instrumental, which serves as a pleasant horticultural introduction to the ephemeral 2-minute-long "Kew Gardens" (a Ralph McTell song). It's the 12th and final song on the album with those gorgeous three-part harmonies very much in evidence again. "Kew Gardens" is just as lovely as the song title implies, bringing the album to a delightful and memorable conclusion. Tudor Lodge stands out like a magnificent Mansion on the Hill! There's a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity to acquire the very desirable oak-beamed Tudor Lodge at a very affordable price. The property has a delightful Olde Worlde artful decor and is situated in a lovely rural idyll. The purchase of the strikingly impressive Tudor Lodge will take you on a nostalgic trip back in time to a wonderful never-to-be-repeated bygone age of peaceful pastoral Folk, with twelve beautifully furnished rooms/songs to explore. This charming Folk album from yesteryear sounds as warm and comforting as lying on a soft woolly rug in front of a nice blazing log fire with a cup of hot cocoa in the middle of winter. Baby, it may be cold outside, but it'll give you a lovely warm feeling listening to the music inside the "Tudor Lodge"! |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
ALEXANDER TUCKER Freak folk for freaky folks..... I'm all tuckered out after listening to eight Alexander Tucker albums in a row, but thankfully, they get marginally better as they go along. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
TREMBLING BELLS A Glaswegian Psych-Folk band for the modern era. The bells trembled for the last time when singer Lavinia Blackwall surprisingly announced she was leaving Trembling Bells in 2018. The remaining band members entered a deep dark tunnel with the dawning realisation that without Lavinia Blackwall's hauntingly beautiful siren-song, that meant the inevitable break-up of the band after the release of "Dungeness". By the way, is there any more unwelcoming a place-name than "Dungeness", a promontory on the coast of Kent, described as "marsh on manured land." Yuck! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 03 2025 at 02:06 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
![]() ![]() TREES Trees were a short-lived English Folk band who first emerged from the forest in 1969. They recorded two albums together: "The Garden of Jane Delawney" (1969) and "On the Shore" (1970). Neither album achieved commercial success and they were derided by the ignorant music press at the time as being a sound-alike Fairport Convention band. However, Trees particular brand of Folk music was a fairly unconventional blend of psychedelic and progressive Folk in a whole forest of English Folk bands. Their two original LP albums have grown from acorns to become much sought-after mighty oaks amongst record collectors. The 2007 CD re-issue of "On the Shore" included a bonus CD, consisting mostly of remixes of the original ten songs on the album. We're setting off at a marching pace with "Soldiers Three", which sounds like a traditional Folky drinking song for listening to whilst downing a pint and scoffing a ploughman's lunch down at the local tavern before we go merrily on our way. Just don't let the ploughman catch you eating his lunch. The next song "Murdoch" is nothing to do with the media mogul and newspaper tycoon. No, this song is all about Murdoch's Mountain (wherever that is), which sounds remarkably similar to the Fairport Convention classic, "Tam Lin", particularly in the descending chord sequence. Lead vocalist Celia Humphris sings in a higher register than Sandy Denny of Fairport though, sounding more like Jacquie McShee of Pentangle on this charming Folk album. Maybe this sound-alike song is part of the reason why some Fotheringport Confusion was caused amongst the jaded British music press, who unfairly labelled Trees as a poor man's Fairport Convention. "On the Shore" is so far turning out to be a jolly good Folk album in its own right. We're heading across the Irish Sea to the Emerald Isle next for "Streets of Derry". It's a traditional Folk song with a slow marching rhythm, but don't let that put you off, because there are some scintillating acid- tinged psychedelic guitar vibes in the instrumental bridge section in this seven-minute Psych-Folk excursion to the streets of Derry (also known as Londonderry). The next song "Sally Free and Easy" is a 10-minute-long cover of the classic Pentangle song and it's a real highlight of the album. The hauntingly-beautiful vocals of Celia Humphris are enough to send a shiver up the spine and bring you out in goosebumps in this ghostly spine-tingling refrain. The opening to Side Two is all about a "Fool" by the name of Oswald the Smith, whoever he might be. It's a 5-minute-long Psych-Folk acid trip. bathed in glowing psychedelic guitar colours, where Celia's normally high-pitched vocals drop a whole octave. This is where Trees get to display their very unconventional psychedelic Folk feathers and prove they're not just another carbon copy of Fairport Convention. It'd be no fool's errand to go out and buy this album. There's a brief acoustic guitar interlude now for "Adam's Tune" which leads us nicely into "Geordie", a traditional Folk song given the very untraditional Trees treatment of jangling psychedelic guitars combined with Celia's magnificently soaring vocals. There's no happy ending for the "Geordie" of the title though, because it's a dark and sinister tale of a man being hung for a crime he didn't commit, so it's too late to launch an appeal for clemency. It's time to strike "While the Iron is Hot" for our next Trees song, which opens deceptively as a traditional Folky number, but branches out into some wild Psychedelic Rock excursions. It's all Stetsons and cowboy boots next, because it's time now for a traditional country and western sing-along with "Little Sadie", a song which conjures up an image of a lively square-dance at a country hoe-down, so take your partner by the hand, and dance to the music of the band. Yee-hah! There's a return to some more traditional Folk music for our final song: "Polly on the Shore". This is one of the more conventional Folk songs on the album which most resembles the music of Fairport Convention, although being compared with the best English Folk-Rock band of all time can never be a bad thing. Trees have branched out and explored the colourful psychedelic realms of Acid Folk with this unconventional second album. They're often compared to Fairport Convention, which is no bad thing, but Trees have carved their own particular niche in the vast forest of Folk bands, so you may wish to dip your toes into the rippling musical waves to be heard "On the Shore" before the tide comes in. You won't be disappointed. There's a whole wood-shed full of great songs to be heard on this album. |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
![]() TRADER HORNE Trader Horne were a short-lived British Prog-Folk duo consisting of Jackie McAuley (formerly of Them) on vocals, keyboards and guitars, and Judy Dyble (ex-Fairport Convention) on vocals, electric autoharp, recorder and glockenspiel. Their one and only album "Morning Way" was released on Pye Records in 1970 but didn't make much of an impact on the record-buying public at the time, but the album has since become a legendary lost classic and a real collectors item. The original LP album has been known to fetch incredibly high prices. It was subsequently re-issued on CD in 2008 with two bonus tracks added to the original thirteen songs on the album. The album opens with "Jenny May", a lovely acoustic Folk ballad with Judy Dyble's gorgeous honeyed vocals floating like a warm summer breeze over the gentle bucolic melody. Altogether now, "Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind." ..... This quaint sunny Folk tune does indeed make you feel fine and it sounds as quintessentially English as a game of cricket on the village green. The next song sounds very reminiscent of the old Christmas carol, "We Three Kings of Orient Are", which just happens to rhyme with the song title, "Children Of Oare". One of the charming things about this album is each song concludes with a brief but beautiful pastoral flute melody to interlink all of the songs together. The next exquisite piece of music "Three Rings for Elven Kings" is a soft and gentle instrumental number for flute and autoharp, with the autoharp resembling the sound of a harpsichord. Next up is "Growing Man", featuring Judy Dyble's delightful vocals right at the forefront with Jackie McAuley on backing vocals. The music sounds semi-classical, featuring a mini woodwind orchestra, and it's a song that could have had pride of place on an early Fairport Convention album, especially bearing in mind that Judy Dyble was the lead singer on their debut album. It's time now for some "Down and Out Blues", which is just what it says on the label - a mournful bluesy number where Judy Dyble does indeed sound down and out and penniless with these heart-felt lyrics:- "No nobody wants you, When you're down and out, In your pocket's not one penny, And all your pretty friends, You haven't any." ..... Cheer up Judy because the next song "The Mixed-Up Kind" is an altogether jollier tune which sounds like a lost classic which could have come right off Fairport Convention's illustrious first album. It's a truly beautiful melody carried along by the mellifluous strings of the autoharp with Judy Dyble's crystal-clear vocals sounding at their absolute best here. This tremendously appealing song represents the stunning highlight of the album so far and it's also by far the longest song on the album at over six minutes in duration. This song is six minutes of sheer beauty and joyous delight. It's as good as, if not better than anything Fairport Convention have ever done. Side Two opens cheerfully with "Better Than Today", and what could be better than listening to this charming pastoral Folk melody today, or any day come to that. There's some truly beautiful harmonising between Judy Dyble and Jackie McAuley on this lovely Folk song. The next song "In My Loneliness" is a mournful ballad (just as the song title implies) featuring weeping violins and with Judy Dyble sounding at her most imploringly passionate best here. There's a change of pace for "Sheena", an up-tempo and uplifting melody that swings along exuberantly on a wave of eternal optimism, in the style of some of the best music from the sunshine state of California. In contrast to Side One, where all of the songs concluded with a brief pastoral flute melody, all of the songs on Side Two conclude with a brief tinkling of the ivories. The next song "The Mutant" is a doleful melancholy ballad with Jackie McAuley taking lead vocal duties for a change. And now we come to the title track "Morning Way", a song with trippy lyrics which probably comes closest to the Psych-Folk that Trader Horne are sometimes labelled as. Again, there's some gorgeous multi-tracked harmonising to be heard on this four and a half minutes of musical magic. It's time now for "Velvet to Atone", a solo piano piece with Judy Dyble's crystal-clear vocals gleaming with all of the sparkling beauty of a crystal chandelier. The album concludes with "Luke That Never Was", which opens to the sound of a solemn church organ, although this is just a prelude to a good old-fashioned happy-clappy tambourine song to sing along to in church. If only they really DID sing rousing spiritual songs as good as this in the local parish church, the vicar would surely approve. "Morning Way" is a charmingly beautiful, one-off gem of a Folk album that we can all treasure for posterity half a century on from it's initial release. Trader Horne's marvellous album is a very pleasant reminder of why we just love those bygone halcyon days of the 1970's, which often brings to mind the poignant refrain, "They don't make music like this any more." ..... which is a shame. Trader Horne are sometimes labelled as Prog-Folk and occasionally as Psych-Folk, but it's basically just an all-round good English Folk album with no strings (or labels) attached. |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
TIR NA NOG Named after a magical realm in Irish folklore, Tir Na Nog were a Dublin-based Prog Folk duo who were promoted by John Peel on BBC Radio 1, but when it came to success, the luck of the Irish eluded them. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
RICHARD THOMPSON Best-known as a founder member of Fairport Convention, guitarist Richard Thompson left Fairport in pursuit of a solo career in 1971 (a good career move in retrospect as Fairport Convention's Heyday was already over by then after Sandy Denny's departure). Richard Thompson has recorded an incredible 42 albums (studio & live) spanning over half a century and showing no sign of slowing down at the age of 78, having released his most recent album "Ship to Shore" in 2024. RT's been married three times, recording six albums together with his first wife Linda Thompson (m. 1972-1982), including the classic "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" in 1974. His longest marriage was to Nancy Covey (m. 1985-2019) and most recently in 2021 he married Zara Phillips (no relation to Princess Anne). In all honesty, listening to 42 Richard Thompson albums in a row can be a bit of a drag, when one wonders where all the time goes, but if there's one album that's worth checking out, then it's "More Guitar" (2003) where RT goes into full-on Neil Young & Crazy Horse mode. Hey Hey, My My! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 24 2025 at 03:10 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
THIRD EAR BAND A London-based Raga Rock band whose free-form interminable jam sessions make the Grateful Dead seem like the creators of 3-minute pop songs by comparison, so with the wonderful exception of "Songs from the Hydrogen Jukebox", Third Ear Band aren't really my cup of tea - or maybe I just have a tin ear. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
BOB THEIL Scotland's answer to Dave Gilmour!? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
TEA AND SYMPHONY Weirder than a J.R.R. Tolkien novel and the musical equivalent of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Here's two albums of manic frantic magic from a Brummie Psych-Folk outfit who are more hysterical than historical. Their two offbeat albums may not be to everyone's tastes as they're some of the strangest, quirkiest recordings you may have heard since Comus and Jan Dukes de Grey last disturbed the bats in the belfry, but we all need some Tea and Symphony every now and again. ![]() ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 14 2025 at 00:39 |
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Psychedelic Paul ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 44155 |
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Prog Folk Britannia
ROSEMARIE TAYLOR The Irish Joni Mitchell? Sweet Rosemarie was also in The Great Saturday Night Swindle for a brief Thyme. No, me neither. ![]() ![]() Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 10 2025 at 02:15 |
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