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Product Description
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A highpoint from 1981, in Martin Carthy's long and illustrious recording career.
Martin Carthy, long-acknowledged as one of the leading figures of the British folk song revival, has continuously sought to rethink his approach to traditional song. Both the ominously chiming guitar chords of `Trimdon Grange' and the ingeniously borrowed melody of `King Henry' from this fine 1981 album exemplify his unceasing search for new ways to present old songs, a thread that runs all through this impressive recording. The album was produced by Ashley Hutchings (of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span fame).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sweet Wivelsfield is the album that followed "Landfall". This album was first released in 1974. Ashley Hutchings produced this really engaging and exciting album,
Sweet Wivelsfield is a classic Martin Carthy album and served as a benchmark recording for many other artists.
Martin Carthy had recorded many albums by this time and it would be easy to assume that he should have run out of steam by now. But far from it. This album has its own originality. It is a marvellous album that should be respected on its own merits.
This interesting album displays Carthy's unceasing search for new ways to present old songs.
All of the songs are credited as traditional and arranged by Carthy. There is the marriage of words from James Reeves with the traditional tune collected by Cecil Sharp on track two "Billy Ray" which works very well indeed. There is also another song from Dorset "Shepherd O Shepherd" track one, with the Morris jig "greensleeves". Also there is a wonderful tale of three highwaymen in "jolly sneaksmen", track three. Track four is about the Trimdon Grange colliery explosion in county Durham during the Victorian period. Evangelists have also used the tune as a hymn tune. "John Barleycorn" and "All in a row" are seasonal songs, both with good performance and arrangement here.
"The cottage in the wood" is an interesting piece where Carthy has combined more than one fragment from traditional songs to create this piece. "Mary Neal" is interesting too and the great "King Henry" gets a unique treatment with the ingeniously borrowed melody from the American tune "Bonaparte's retreat".
This album displays Carthy being brave enough to swap tunes, add tunes to words, add verses to some pieces and make a compilation of a song from various published source.
This is a fine album and easily one of the best albums from Martin Carthy. Martin has created a wealth of recordings and has made a fantastic contribution to English Folk Music. This album is both Traditional and creative and I highly recommend it.
Sweet Wivelsfield is a classic Martin Carthy album and served as a benchmark recording for many other artists.
Martin Carthy had recorded many albums by this time and it would be easy to assume that he should have run out of steam by now. But far from it. This album has its own originality. It is a marvellous album that should be respected on its own merits.
This interesting album displays Carthy's unceasing search for new ways to present old songs.
All of the songs are credited as traditional and arranged by Carthy. There is the marriage of words from James Reeves with the traditional tune collected by Cecil Sharp on track two "Billy Ray" which works very well indeed. There is also another song from Dorset "Shepherd O Shepherd" track one, with the Morris jig "greensleeves". Also there is a wonderful tale of three highwaymen in "jolly sneaksmen", track three. Track four is about the Trimdon Grange colliery explosion in county Durham during the Victorian period. Evangelists have also used the tune as a hymn tune. "John Barleycorn" and "All in a row" are seasonal songs, both with good performance and arrangement here.
"The cottage in the wood" is an interesting piece where Carthy has combined more than one fragment from traditional songs to create this piece. "Mary Neal" is interesting too and the great "King Henry" gets a unique treatment with the ingeniously borrowed melody from the American tune "Bonaparte's retreat".
This album displays Carthy being brave enough to swap tunes, add tunes to words, add verses to some pieces and make a compilation of a song from various published source.
This is a fine album and easily one of the best albums from Martin Carthy. Martin has created a wealth of recordings and has made a fantastic contribution to English Folk Music. This album is both Traditional and creative and I highly recommend it.
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Dating back to 1981, 'Sweet Wivelsfield' is typical of this period in Carthy's discography, a mix of upbeat, downbeat and love song with Carthy playing alone, whereas his early records tend to be dominated by tales of tragedy. Three six-minute tracks take up more than a third of this album. 'Trimdon Grange', a colliery disaster song, is the first. Carthy's playing on this is strikingly different to usual, perhaps the nearest you'll get to powerchording on an acoustic guitar. The second is the love story of 'King Henry', on which the guitar work is nimbler and faster. The third is the final track, which has a similar feel.
Carthy almost always features at least one particularly chilling track on his albums and here it is 'Mary Neal'. The singer tells of how she springs him from jail and they sail away together, only for tragedy to visit them. As usual, Carthy's trademark rhythmic guitar lines are superb and the songs well-chosen. My only disappointment is a difficulty in following some of the songs. For me, there are places where Carthy's phrasing seems to lack clarity, but it is a small point. Otherwise, you can file it on the A-shelf with the rest of his catalogue.
Carthy almost always features at least one particularly chilling track on his albums and here it is 'Mary Neal'. The singer tells of how she springs him from jail and they sail away together, only for tragedy to visit them. As usual, Carthy's trademark rhythmic guitar lines are superb and the songs well-chosen. My only disappointment is a difficulty in following some of the songs. For me, there are places where Carthy's phrasing seems to lack clarity, but it is a small point. Otherwise, you can file it on the A-shelf with the rest of his catalogue.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Excellent! As always...
31 Jan 2002
Format:Audio CD
Unlike other British folk guitar heroes such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Davey Graham, who were tremendously influenced by blues, jazz and other American music forms, Carthy based his guitar style on British music traditions. Borrowing from concertina, fiddle and bagpipe music, he virtually re-invented the instrument. His impact reaches beyond Britain, you can hear his influence in the playing of French guitarists such as Pierre Bensusan, Paul Simon got Scarborough Fair from Carthy, Richard Thompson has acknowleged him as a singularly essential influence, and Bob Dylan is among those who have borrowed from this masterful musician.
Pop musicians such as Jethro Tull and folk rockers like Steeleye Span(except when Carthy is in the band) cannot hold a candle to this guy.
This is just one album out of a catalogue of stunning material produced during an unmatched carreer.
Pop musicians such as Jethro Tull and folk rockers like Steeleye Span(except when Carthy is in the band) cannot hold a candle to this guy.
This is just one album out of a catalogue of stunning material produced during an unmatched carreer.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
+ 1/2 Stars...Charming British Folk
9 Dec 2000
Format:Audio CD
I discovered Martin Carthy through Steeleye Span, a band he played in off and on throughout the Seventies. Carthy's work with that band, however, did not entirely prepare me for this solo album first released on Rounder in 1974. It is truly a solo recording with Carthy accompanying himself only on guitar--and on two numbers he sings a capella: "Mary Neal" and "John Barleycorn," the latter in a version that will not be recognizeable to those who know it only by way of Traffic or Jethro Tull. Carthy is an accomplished British folksinger/guitarist and while he may not display the same virtuosity on guitar as Bert Jansch or John Renbourn in terms of fancy fretwork, each of these ten traditional songs have a warmth and charm about them. [If ten tracks seems a bit short, three of these songs run in excess of six minutes each.] For those who like their folk music traditional and uncomplicated, this will satisfy you more than adequately. RECOMMENDED
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Always Enjoyable
17 May 2006
Format:Audio CD
Martin Carthy is, simply put, the real thing. If you've been looking for English folk music with substance, here it is. I have never heard a Martin Carthy record that wasn't enjoyable. Forget his work with Steeleye Span, the Albion Country Band, and concentrate on his solo work instead. And this album, "Sweet Wivelsfield" is as great a start as any. May all of his discs continue to be reissued again and again. The beauty of Carthy's work is that apart from being a great musician and singer, he also is a great researcher of songs, finding inspiration from the most traditional of Child ballads to the most eclectic combinations of Mozart and e.e. cummings.
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