Martin Carthy

Originally released on vinyl in 1965 this is in the best tradition of british folk music from one of its masters. His haunting but down-to earth voice and simple, almost spare accompaniment (helped in some tracks by Dave Swarbrick) bring out the enduring appeal of songs that have survrved the centuries. From the joyous 17th century "And a begging I will go" to the the tragic 20th century "Springhill Mine Disaster" these are songs which resonate with all the human emotions with a clarity that is mostly lost in more modern, over-orchestrated renditions.

The other tracks are: High Germany, The trees they do grow tall, Sovay, Ye mariners all, The queen of hearts, Broomfield Hill, Scarborough Fair, Lovely Joan, The barley and the rye, The wind that shakes the barley (one of the most moving Irish revolutionary ballads), The two magicians, The handsome cabin boy.

This is the debut album from the great Martin Carthy. It was released in 1965. There is no doubt that this is a great folk album.
Martin began work as an actor and then skiffle guitarist and singer with the Thameside four. Then made a solo recording on a collection of folk songs in 1963. He then became resident at London`s top folk club the Troubadour where he taught visiting americans including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. They later adapted "lord Franklin" and "Scarborough fair"(track eight) into their own repetoir.
By this time Carthy was very experienced in a wide repetoir of folk songs particularly from england and he was an experienced performer.
The wide experience shows on this album in terms of both the wonderful guitar work and vocals, and also in style and originality. This lovely album came at a strong point during the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s. It also paved the way for a very succesful recording career.
Martin Carthy shows his ability to give prime importance to the words he is singing. His phrasing helps to push the lyrics forward to tell their traditional story. And this is never in conflict with the rhythm of the guitar. He has a unique ability for guitar accomaniement. Even when this is to complement his own voice.
He has become a champion of English traditional folk songs and this first album is a fantastic example of the richness and beauty in our musical heritage.
The performance is magical and proffesional. And the sound is clear and full bodied. And there is a wonderful simplicity in the over all sound that seems like a perfect way to interpret these songs.
We have the purity of the voice that delivers the words and on some tracks, to add colour we get this very interesting guitar playing as well.
All of the songs are from the English Tradition except for track six "The spring hill mine disaster" a song written by Ewan McColl. This song sits well here since it sounds like a traditional song and it talks of the sort of thing that a folk song might well talk about. The song is the true story of the mine disaster of 1958 when an accident in one of the deep pits meant that some miners were trapped underground for five days until they were rescued.
The song "broomfield hill" deals with a Maid`s use of "broom", a herb, to escape the clutches of a Knight. And there is supernatural goings on in the song "Two magicians". There is strong performance on songs such as "Scarborough fair", "the barley and the rhye", "Queen of hearts" and "ye mariners all". Also the song "Lovely Joan" is a highlight of this album.
Also of note is that this album also features the fiddle playing of Dave Swarbrick. He was not so well known at the time of this album and acts as a session player. The fiddle playing is excellent and adds colour to the programme. By the time of the second album that followed this one, he gets propper crediting but on this first album he is not mentioned apart from the credit as shared arranger of the songs with Carthy.
We now know that Swarbrick went on to become an important figure in the folk revival just as Carthy did. He performed as a duo with Carthy on many recordings and was a lead member of Fairport Convention.

The debut album "Martin Carthy" is an excellent example of traditional english folk music.

By the time Martin Carthy made this debut, he'd been around a few years, long enough to meet an emerging Bob Dylan and show Paul Simon how to play 'Scarborough Fair.' This release sets out his manifesto: the collection of traditional songs from the previous generation of performers. By recording them he ensures that a rich part of our heritage survives. With no accompaniment save for his own guitar and the occasional support of Dave Swarbrick's fiddle, Carthy lets the full impact of the songs have their way. Handed down and adapted over centuries, these are vivid and engaging tales.
'High Germany' is a reminder of the effect of war on domestic life; 'The Trees They Do Grow High' is so matter-of-fact in its hard-hitting revelation about a youth; 'The Barley And The Rye' is ruthless in its portrait of a farmer who sees himself cuckolded. There are strong heroines, as in 'Broomfield Hill' and 'Lovely Joan' and a touch of the occult in 'Scarborough Fair.'
Traditional music suffers in the public eye from its archaic vocal styles and a misguided perception that most songs are about shipping disasters. Once you've heard a few of Carthy's performances, however, you'll probably wonder why you thought the likes of Bob Dylan were the last word. This album is the beginning of a great service that Carthy and many of his contemporaries have done us in the last forty years.