MAGNA CARTA [AKA: TIMES OF CHANGE]

Much as with the first Fairport Convention album, Magna Carta's debut is more influenced by American West Coast folk rock of the Byrds/Simon and Garfunkel school than it is by traditional British folk. It's a fairly smooth, poppy example of the form, without much evidence of the flirting with a more progressive direction which would subsequently creep into their music (though keep your ears open and you may catch a whiff of it here and there). Think Byrds, or even better think America, though perhaps just a touch more baroque.

With crisp production and gorgeous vocal harmonies, it's certainly pleasant, and it's surprising to think they'd played their first gig mere months before releasing this, because their harmonies are so tight it's like they've been playing together forever.