Fairport Convention

Compiled from Universal Music’s extensive selection of studio albums, packaged together in a new slim-line slipcase. Fairport Convention - 5 Classic Albums includes: Fairport Convention, What We Did On Our Holidays, Unhalfbricking, Liege and Lief and Full House.

Unhalfbricking is the third album by British folk rock band Fairport Convention, released in 1969. It is seen as a transitional album in their history and marked a further musical move away from American influences towards more traditional English folk songs that had begun on their previous album, What We Did On Our Holidays and arguably reached its peak on the follow-up, Liege & Lief, released later the same year. In 2004 Q magazine placed Unhalfbricking at number 41 in its list of the 50 Greatest British Albums Ever, and in the same year The Observer, describing it as "a thoroughly English masterpiece", listed it at number 27 in its Top 100 British Albums. The following year, 2005, it was included in Robert Dimery's "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

The best British folk-rock band of the late '60s, Fairport Convention did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the folk-rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional British folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the group members were also (at least at the outset) talented songwriters as well as interpreters. They were comfortable with conventional harmony-based folk-rock as well as tunes that drew upon more explicitly traditional sources, and boasted some of the best singers and instrumentalists of the day.

Fairport Convention have had their fair share of anthologies, but the double-disc set Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975) is arguably the best yet, rivaling the classic Fairport Chronicles, which was released just as the classic lineup was splitting apart. Meet on the Ledge is more exhaustive than that collection, and it also boasts a number of rarities, including the previously unreleased "Bonny Bunch of Roses" and "Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman." Undoubtedly, those will be of interest to collectors, but the 32-track set is still primarily targeted at neophytes and casual fans. Happily, it fulfills its goal of offering a flawless introduction – not only does it provide a concise history of the band, but it's also tremendously entertaining. Which means that even if it satiates some appetites, it will whet others. But the best thing is that the compilation works well enough to remain entertaining, even if you know the albums inside out.

The presence of Sandy Denny raises expectations for the group's first released live album. Recorded on the band's 1973 world tour, it features songs such as "Matty Groves" and "Sloth," as well as the Swarbrick instrumental "Fiddlestix," their then current single "Rosie," and a nod to the group's origins as interpreters of American rock & roll and folk-rock, in the form of Dylan's "Down in the Flood" and Chris Kenner's "Something You Got." Denny's solo abilities are showcased on "John the Gun." The problem is the uneven quality of the recording, from three different venues, each seemingly lacking intimacy and warmth. This may explain why it was never released in America, and why Island released the superior Live At the L.A. Troubadour/House Full just two years later. As the only live document of Denny with the band, however, this record is vital to Fairport completists. ~ Bruce Eder & William Ruhlmann

Digitally remastered edition of the 2nd Fairport Convention LP and the first to include the presence of Sandy Denny was recorded in 1968. It showcases a young group taking pleasure in singing and playing whatever took its' collective fancy, and doing this with surprising sensitivity, authority and musicality. Also evident is the trademark unpredictability and wacky sense of fun which marked their live concerts . Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em puzzled; that was early Fairport. Includes 3 Bonus Tracks. "Throwaway Street Puzzle" was released as the b-side of the "Meet On The Ledge" single. "You're Gonna Need My Help" is a rare BBC Radio recording from 1969 and features a virtuoso slide-guitar performance by Richard Thompson. "Some Sweet Day" was originally recorded to be released as a single but was shelved in favour of "Meet On The Ledge".

Nine is the ninth album by the British folk rock group Fairport Convention, released in 1973. 2005 Remastered re-issue. Bonus Tracks include 'The Devil in the Kitchen' (Fiddlestix), 'George Jackson' (Live), 'Pleasure and Pain' (Live) and 'Six Days on the Road' (Live).

The best British folk-rock band of the late '60s, Fairport Convention did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the folk-rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional British folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the group members were also (at least at the outset) talented songwriters as well as interpreters. They were comfortable with conventional harmony-based folk-rock as well as tunes that drew upon more explicitly traditional sources, and boasted some of the best singers and instrumentalists of the day.

Liege & Lief is the fourth album by the English folk rock band Fairport Convention. It is the third and final album the group released in the UK in 1969, all of which prominently feature Sandy Denny as lead female vocalist. (Denny did not appear on the group's 1968 debut album). It is also the very first Fairport album on which all songs have either been adapted (freely) from traditional British and Celtic folk material (for example "Matty Groves", "Tam Lin"), or else are original compositions (such as "Come All Ye", "Crazy Man Michael") written and performed in a similar style. By introducing songs of this genre into the group's repertoire Denny, who had previously sung and recorded traditional folk songs as a solo artist, was instrumental in this transformation. Although Denny quit the band even before the album's release, Fairport Convention has continued to the present day to make music almost exclusively within the traditional British folk music idiom, and are still most strongly associated with it.