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The best of Fairport's Middle Years 1972-1984

PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 08/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Australian release is excellant. These are the Swarbrick led " Middle Years " of Fairport Convention ( not to be compared to "Middle Earth".)



With 19 tracks and just under 80 minutes of music this is a well researched and informative disc with some rare tracks thrown in to increase it's value.



Things start lively with " Fiddlestix " an Australian only single with banjo and strings thrown in . "Sir Patrick Spens " & "Banks of the Sweet Primroses" are from the Richard Thompson led "Full House" line-up live at the Troubadour in L.A. 1970. "The Plainsman" is the first appearance of Trevor Lucas and it is great to again hear one of the best vocalist's of the band's history, just a wonderful tune. Dave Swarbrick steps up next with " The Hexhamshire Lass " and it's classic Swarb here ( all energy & fun .) "Polly on the Shore " is the song Trevor is best remembered for but " Days of 49 '" is just as good. " Possibly Parsons Green " is something that needs to be revisited in Fairport's live concerts set list as it would fit in quite well.



Sandy Denny returns to the band with " Down in the Flood "

live at the Sydney Opera House in January 1974. " Rising for the Moon " COULD have been Fairport Convention's big chart breaking single but it was not to be, sure does sound like a hit though. " White Dress " is a very pretty Sandy song and again this one would have sounded great on radio.



Sandy, Trevor and guitarist Jerry Donahue all left Fairport Convention at the end of 1975. So is was down to Dave Swarbrick and Dave Pegg to carry the flag of Fairport (with Simon Nicol back in the band from 1977 till the 'official " end of the end of the band at Croperdy field in August 1979 .) Less pop and more folk music was the theme of the next three albums and many of these tunes became the staple of Fairport's live shows for many years after the break-up and are still played today. The first (studio) version of " Close to the Wind " is included here as is "It Suits Me Well" from Swarb's solo disc "Smiddyburn". To end this disc another rare track is discovered in " Jenny's Chickens / Mason's Apron " a fast fiddle tune that also features excellant guitar from Jerry Donahue, good stuff.



This CD along with: Sandy Denny / Trevor Lucas and Friends, The Attic Tracks 1972-1984 will represent this time period just fine. Highly Recommended...





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It's about time!

Mark Cloud | Murrieta, CA USA | 08/16/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This period in Fairport's history has been sadly neglected by critics and fans alike. Especially sad since Gerry Donahue and the late Trevor Lucas were such supremely talented musicians. There is a persistent and underserved notion that the quality of Fairport's music has declined since Liege and Leaf in 1969. To more objective ears, nothing could be further from the truth, as this collection adequately demonstrates. Trevor Lucas' performance on "The Plainsman" is almost worth the price of admission all by itself. "Days of '49" is a terrific reading of the traditional gold rush song; "Adieu, Adieu" is a welcome chance to hear something from The Bonny Bunch of Roses album(When will there be a US CD release of that one?)and "Rising for the Moon" is a must hear if you don't have the CD release of that record.All that said, I realize It is impossible to please everyone with a single CD collection like this. Still, where are "Rosie" or "The Last Waltz" or "Bring 'Em Down" or "Ye Mariners All"? And if space was a concern, why include several live cuts from the 1970 LA Troubadour concert by the Full House line up? That CD is still available as House Full (Hannibal).Ah well, this is still a very welcome collection; perhaps if it does well, we'll see more stuff released from this period in the career of one of the more original bands still going today."