When the birds chirp, the muse blossoms
Guy Gillor | 12/01/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 2CD set is truly fantastic. A relatively unknown folk band from England with acoustic guitars, keyboards, and the occasional harmonica and acordian. This is a group of hippies with beautiful voices who made just beautiful music. Nothing to change the foundations of music, but the sunshine and the love for the song is oozing out of this beauty.
Appearently, after the band had got a recording deal, they went into a studio to record a single, and hated the experience. They were used play in much more relaxed and organic settings. So to record their album, they got a mobile recording unit and some good friends and family members, and have set out to record an album in a field on a sunny day. This album, self titled, was released in 1970, and sounds like a timeless classic. Imagine Bert Janech's Pentangle recording with Devendra Banhart circa Nino Rojo, using Crosby Stills and Nash circa their first album for the harmonies, and the aesthetics of Simon & Garfunkle circa Parcley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
You can defenitely hear that this was recorded out in a field and not in a studio. the sound is dirty in all the right places, and includes the sounds of birds chirping.
The first CD of this anthology includes this beautiful album, a 4-song EP from 1971, and some nice outtakes. The 2nd CD contains the group's sophomore and final album, Twice The Nice & Half The Price (the album's title reffers to it being a double album, which was sold for the price of one). It was also recorded in a field, but with a less acoustic setting. There is an extra guitarist, who plays a "clean" electric (plugged straight to the amp with no distortion), and in some songs, there are even some basic drums. This album defenitely holds some precious pearls as well, and is a truly beautiful sunday music, even if it falls a bit short comparing to the pure and simple magic of the first album.
This anthology, 2 CD's which includes the band's two albums, their EP and some outtakes (including the first recordings in the studio), and is the complete output of this short-lived, long-forgotten, but magestically simplistic and timeless band. Many years later the original band members have returned to that field and played a reunion concert which was recorded and released, though I still haven't heard it."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1