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43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Fairport in a good-value package, 8 Mar 2003
This was Fairport's third album, recorded in the early part of 1969 and, in what was fast becoming a tradition, it emerged during a period of personnel changes. Ian Matthews was on the way out (but sings on "Percy's Song") and Dave Swarbrick was on the way in (making guest appearances on "Si Tu Dois Partir", "A Sailor's Life", "Cajun Woman" and "Million Dollar Bash" prior to joining as a permanent member). The core band here comprises Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings, Simon Nicol and Martin Lamble (killed in the van accident before the album was released).
In its original form the tracks comprised three Dylan covers and a 'trad/arranged', with the balance being original compositions by band members Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny. The album thus exemplifies the three strands of Fairport repertoire at the time. The Dylan songs are representative of the early reliance on American material, while to choose to sing one in French shows the Fairport trait not to take themselves too seriously. In contrast, songs like Thompson's "Genesis Hall"and Denny's "Autopsy" are early evidence of the songwriting skills that were to blossom fully in solo careers.
Amongst all these good things, however, for me two tracks stand above the rest in showing how this band collectively was more than the sum of its members. Fairport take the traditional "A Sailor's Life" and give it the epic treatment, with the whole band rocking together in a superb performance that matches the song perfectly. In my view this stands above anything on "Liege and Lief". The performance of "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" is sublime, with gentle acoustic guitar, bass and drums complementing the interplay between Richard Thompson's electric guitar and Sandy Denny's voice.
This is essential Fairport and, having bought it on vinyl when originally released then replaced when it was reissued on CD, what did I get for my money this time? The first CD version included minimal packaging, but here we have a booklet with notes by Ashley Hutchings and illustrated with numerous photos. I'm no expert on remastering, but the sound is crisp and fresh (complete with the perfectly-timed broken bottle in "Si Tu Dois Partir") and the original tracks still sound as exciting as when I first heard them. Then there are the two bonus tracks. Dylan's "Dear Landlord" was recorded in the same sessions as the rest of the original album and has been released twice before, on Volume 1 of Ashley Hutchings' "The Guv'nor" and more recently on the "Fairport Unconventional" boxed set. This differs from both those in that the backing track includes piano - presumably played by Sandy Denny although this is not stated. The last track is an unexpected gem, a beautiful rendering of "The Ballad of Easy Rider" which, although recorded by the "Liege and Lief" line up, is very much in the style of the early Fairport. This is a good value package and worth five stars.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fairport Transition, 17 Sep 2006
As Ashley Hutchings says in the notes, this 3rd Fairport album contains various different styles that somehow, by luck?, hang very well together.
It`s an album that ends the beginning era of the band. With the following album "Liege and Leaf", also released in 1969, Fairport Convention established themselves as pioneers of English folk rock.
On the this album there are still clear influences from American country, pop and rock`n roll. Songs like "Cajun Woman" and "Million Dollar Bash" would not have fitted later Fairport releases.
This is an album of transition. The last to feature drummer Martin Lamble, who sadly was killed in a car-accident, and singer Ian Matthews.
Longtime member Dave Swarbrick appears here for the first time, though only as studio musician on four songs. But his influence cannot be overrated; check out "A Sailor`s Life" . New drummer Dave Mattacks also appears for the first time, though only on one of the bonus tracks, which is actually an outtake from "Liege and Leaf"
Sandy Denny contributes classics like "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and "Autopsy".
Richard Thompson`s best song here is "Genesis Hall".
My favourite is Dylan`s "Percy Song" with it`s beautiful vocals and great building up!
The band`s only hit record "Si Tu Dois Partir" is also there. It's a free-and-easy cover of Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"
Both bonus tracks a good, fit the rest of the album fine!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fantastic Album, Now Even Better., 1 May 2007
The problem with this album is that it always seemed to suffer, slightly, when compared to "What We Did on Our Holidays". Stylistically the albums form a natural pairing, but whereas its predecessor is a near perfect album, with every track complimenting each other perfectly, it always seemed to me that "Unhalfbricking" was by comparison a rather fractured affair with its various parts pulling the listener, a little too sharply, in different directions. In an odd way, it always felt as if it was only half a great record, but saying which bits are lacking is hard, as they all seem good or great when taken in isolation.
On the other hand the quality of most of its parts (if not the sum) is at a level most artists can only dream of. I should also point out that none of the above prevented this from becoming, and remaining, one of my best loved albums.
I believe that with the release of this version, the album has finally attained the balance it always needed, with the addition of the bonus tracks added for this release. They give the album that little more time required to absorb its disparate elements. With the addition of 'The Ballad of Easy Rider'(the best version of this song I have heard) the album finally has the majestic closing number it always needed and acts as a counterweight to the mighty 'A Sailor's Life' which seemed overly dominant at the center of the disc .
I already owned the previous CD version so it was with some reservations that I bought this one (only, in the end, because I needed to hear Sandy Denny's take on 'The Ballad of Easy Rider'), but I am glad I took the gamble. I always loved this album but now it's better than ever.
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