Fairport Convention-Liege & Lief

original

This is their fourth album from 1969 and already the band had gone through several line-up changes.Although founding members Ashley Hutchings,Richard Thompson,and Sandy Denny,who joined after the first record,were still in the band all three would leave in the next two years. This record is the bands high point and considered a classic in the British Folk Rock genre. About half traditional songs and half originals the record starts off with the Hutchings and Denny penned “Come All Ye” ,a really good song and is followed by two traditional songs “Reynardine”,featuring Sandy Denny’s wonderful voice,and “Matty Groves”one of their best songs. The side closes with Richard Thompson’s “Farewell,Farewell”.Side two starts with another traditional song “The Deserter” then a medley of traditional jigs and reels with newcomer Dave Swarbrick on the fiddle. Another traditional song “Tam Lin”.my favorite on the record,has some nice solos by Thompson and Swarbrick.”Crazy Man Michael” another Thompson tune closes the record.Although it came out in 1969 I probably didn’t buy this until ’72 or ’73. The record sounds good with no skips. The songs “Come All Ye”,”Matty Groves” and “Tam Lin” were all played a lot on the radio back then which led me to buy the album. “Tam Lin” is often played on Halloween and I like to do so myself.

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