Bert Jansch - It Dont Bother Me (14 tracks) +Album Reviews

A continuation of his first

C. H Smith | Bowling Green, Kentucky United States | 10/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This, Jansch's second album, followed the landmark first's release by less than a year, still in 1965. It pretty much represents a continuation of the first, though here he plays a couple of works with John Renbourn on second guitar (the exotic North African-sounding vocal piece 'My Lover,' and the incredible instrumental 'Lucky Thirteen'), and the traditional piece '900 Miles,' on which he shows that he can play the banjo as well as the guitar. Other high points include the interesting solo instrumental 'The Wheel,' the chilling commentary title cut, and the more lighthearted 'As the Day Grows Longer Now.' Be ready for a couple of cuts that are not so strong, however. Still, with perhaps one more strong cut this release most likely would have had nearly the same effect as its predecessor had it been released first. Together, these two albums added to Davy Graham's pioneer work in setting the context for the notion of the "contemporary acoustic guitarist." For Jansch, in the next year it would be on to the beginnings of British folk-rock, with the albums "Jack Orion" and "Bert and John," and shortly thereafter, the coming together of Pentangle."

A pure example of the triumph of talent over technology

nickelcandy | Calgary, Alberta Canada | 07/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"too often the cheesy pop world drags me down and under: passionless vocals, over production, and dumbed down keyboard hooks designed to sell some big labels latest package. i am glad to say that bert jansch is the antithesis to the sugar sweet radio candy gumming up so many peoples ears. his heart felt singing (with that classic-folk-tenor-throaty-break), mind-blowing guitar playing, and cutting delivery add up to an undeniably brilliant musician and album. repeat: MIND BLOWING GUITAR PLAYING. everything about bert jansch is so stunningly original -there is no one in the world who plays like him- and his list of devoted followers speaks for itself: jimmy page, johnny marr, bernard butler, jarvis cocker, neil young, etc. bert jansch is a living legend, and i strongly encourage anyone, young and old, who appreciates music with real soul and talent to check out any bert jansch you can get your hands on. note to musicians: this mans music is an absolute must in your collection."

Very early Bert

C. H Smith | Bowling Green, Kentucky United States | 09/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

""It Don't Bother Me" was Jansch's second album, released originally in 1965 on the old Transatlantic label. It was apparently recorded on a small portable tape recorder, under very intimate circumstances, and with no accompanying musicians (except his buddy John Renbourn on a couple of cuts). This present issue is actually not the original lineup of songs, which is a good thing because there were two or three duds on it, and the extra material more than makes up for them. The original was a continuation of his epoch-making first album; this compilation brings in material from the shortly thereafter recorded "Bert and John" (called "Stepping Stones" in the U.S.). My favorite cuts here are 'Soho,' 'Lucky Thirteen,' and 'My Lover,' but ask twenty different people and you'd get twenty different answers."

Typical but worthwhile Jansch effort

Elliot Knapp | Seattle, Washington United States | 08/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It Don't Bother Me is Jansch's second solo album, released in 1965. It also marks his first two collaborations with guitarist John Renbourn (they'd later form the fantastic guitar nucleus of the Pentangle) on "My Lover" and "Lucky Thirteen." Most reviews of It Don't Bother Me refer to the album as a repeat or continuation of his first. In all reality, though, most of Bert Jansch's albums are continuations of his first (give or take a few traditional tunes and the presence or absence of a rhythm section), which is just alright for most of his fans; inimitable fingerpicked acoustic guitar anchoring earnest originals often accompanied by Jansch's gruff but listenable vocals. Most listeners are so intoxicated by Jansch's guitar work (myself included) that this album's similarity to his debut isn't a reason not to buy it.

It Don't Bother Me is a bit better-produced than the debut, but it doesn't matter too much, since it's acoustic guitar and vocals with zero overdubs. The opening track is a slight change of pace, sounding a little bit more like flatpicked guitar than most of his songs. "Ring-a Ding Bird" is one of the most progressive tracks on the album, with a surprising minor-key middle section that may reveal where David Gilmour found "inspiration" for a suspiciously similar passage in "A Pillow of Winds," from Pink Floyd's Meddle. "Anti Apartheid" and "It Don't Bother Me" are probably the album's most memorable tracks. The first is, as the title suggests, a very straightforward protest song, which fortunately doesn't subtract too much from the weight of its message. The title track is a compelling assertion of Jansch's personal vision and attitude toward his music (plus, I don't think I've ever heard someone pronounce the "w" so clearly in the word "who" before). The Renbourn duets are ear candy; "My Lover" features trance-like eastern guitar interplay while "Lucky Thirteen" clearly prefigures the duet album Bert and John soon to come. The banjo tune that closes the album, "900 Miles" is a great change of pace, demonstrating Jansch's virtuosity encompasses more than just guitar.

A few tracks on the album don't leave much of an impression, aside from the guitar work. "Harvest Your Thoughts of Love" floats by relatively unnoticed, and "Want My Daddy Now" is a bit grating. The final third of the album drags a bit, though "900 Miles" makes the wait worthwhile. Also, I'd say this album lacks the creative and jaw-dropping instrumentals that punctuated Jansch's debut so effectively (though the fantastic "The Wheel" is an exception). As usual, Jansch's lyric writing sometimes leaves me wishing his words flowed as effortlessly and beautifully as his guitar playing does. Regardless, I'm glad I purchased this album and will enjoy it for many years to come.

This reissue (on the Sanctuary Records label) sounds great, and is packaged with a great 12-page booklet full of pictures and information. The original LP front and back covers are perfectly reproduced, which is pretty entertaining--Jansch's song list notes on the back cover are often amusing for their harmless 60's pomposity. If you're a fan of Jansch's debut and want to continue the groove, I strongly recommend this album, since it's always a treat to hear him play guitar. If you're new to Jansch, the debut, Bert Jansch, is certainly the best place to get addicted. If you're frustrated by his slowness to stretch beyond his own status quo, I'd recommend Roy Harper, who was obviously influenced a great deal by Jansch's guitar and singing. Harper, however, takes the fantastic guitar to a new level by combining it with songwriting that stretches to tread new, surprising, and alien ground, and accompanies the music with lyrics that are a bit more poetic and breathtakingly creative--Flat, Baroque And Berserk and his masterpiece, Stormcock, are recommended."

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