"Meet On The Ledge: An Island Folk-Rock Anthology" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (May 2009 Universal/Island 3CD Clamshell Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD 

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"Meet On The Ledge: An Island Records Folk-Rock Anthology” is a Mini Box Set offering you 44 tracks across 3 CDs and compliments its Reggae equivalent "War Ina Babylon" (see separate review) - with both have been released to celebrate 50 years of Chris Blackwell's Island Records label (1959-2009).

Having lived with "Ledge" a few days now - its both brilliant and infuriating in equal measure (with the good far outweighing the bad it should be said). Here are the Matty Groves…

UK released May 2009 – "Meet On The Ledge: An Island Records Folk-Rock Anthology" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Universal/Island 531 834-1 (Barcode 0600753183410) is a 3CD Mini Clamshell Box Set with Booklet of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (67:56 minutes):

1. Cocaine - JOHN MARTYN ("London Conversation", October 1967 Debut LP on Island ILP 952 in Mono)

2. She Moves Through The Fair - FAIRPORT CONVENTION ("What We Did On Our Holidays", January 1969 LP on Island ILPS 9092)

3. Withering Tree - TRAFFIC (September 1968 UK 7" single on Island WIP 6041 - Non-LP B-side to "Feelin' Alright")

4. Seven Black Roses - JOHN MARTYN ("The Tumbler", December 1968 LP on Island ILPS 9091 in Stereo)

5. A Sailor's Life - FAIRPORT CONVENTION ("Unhalfbricking", July 1969 LP on Island ILPS 9102)

6. The Ocean - JOHN and BEVERLEY MARTYN ("Stormbringer!" February 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9113)

7. Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal - DR. STRANGELY STRANGE  ("Kip Of The Serenes", November 1969 LP on Island ILPS 9105)

8. Living In The Past - JETHRO TULL (April 1969 UK 7" single on Island WIP 6056)

9. Matty Groves - FAIRPORT CONVENTION ("Liege & Lief", December 1969 LP on Island ILPS 9115)

9. John Barleycorn (Must Die) – TRAFFIC ("John Barleycorn Must Die", July 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9116)

10. Banks Of The Nile – FOTHERINGAY ("Fotheringay", March 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9125 - featuring Sandy Denny and other members of Fairport Convention)

11. One Of These Things First - NICK DRAKE ("Bryter Layter", November 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9134)

12. Sir Patrick Spens (Live) - FAIRPORT CONVENTION ("Full House", July 1970 UK LP on Island ILPS 9130)

Disc 2 (72:06 minutes):

1. Dirty Linen - FAIRPORT CONVENTION ("Full House", July 1970 UK LP on Island ILPS 9130)

2. On The Road To Find Out - CAT STEVENS ("Tea For The Tillerman", November 1970 UK LP on Island ILPS 9135)

3. Late November - SANDY DENNY ("The North Star And The Grassman", September 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9165)

4. Flowers Of The Forest - MIKE HERON ("Smiling Men With Bad Reputations", April 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9146)

5. Spring Season - AMAZING BLONDEL ("Evensong", November 1970 UK LP on Island ILPS 9136)

6. Time Slips Away – BRONCO ("Ace Of Sunlight", June 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9161 - featuring JESS RODEN and ROBBIE BLUNT)

7. The Man Who Cannot See Tomorrow's Sunshine - CLAIRE HAMILL ("One House Left Standing", 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9182)

8. Siege Of Yaddlethorpe - AMAZING BLONDEL ("Fantasia London", 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9156)

9. Dear Old Battlefield - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND ("Liquid Acrobat As Regards The Air", October 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9172)

10. Dark Eyed Lady - ROBIN WILLIAMSON [of THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND] ("Myrrh", April 1972 UK LP on Island HELP 2)

11. Poor Ditching Boy - RICHARD THOMPSON ("Henry The Human Fly", June 1972 UK LP on Island ILPS 9197)

12. The Nutting Girl - MORRIS ON ("Morris On", 1972 UK LP on Island HELP 5 - featuring John Kirkpatrick, Barry Dransfield, Ashley Hutchings and Richard Thompson)

13. Bushes And Briars - SANDY DENNY ("Sandy", September 1972 UK LP on Island ILPS 9207)

14. Black Jack David - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND ("Earthspan", October 1972 UK LP on Island ILPS 9211)

15. Sailing - SUTHERLAND BROTHERS ("Sailing", 1972 UK LP on Island ILPS 6136)

16. Over The Hill - JOHN MARTYN ("Solid Air", February 1973 UK LP on Island ILPS 9226)

17. Things Behind The Sun - NICK DRAKE ("Pink Moon", February 1972 UK LP on Island ILPS 9184)

18. Haste To The Wedding/The Triumph/Off She Goes - ASHLEY HUTCHINGS & CHUMS ("The Complete Dancing Master", June 1974 UK LP on Island HELP 17)

Disc 3 (65:32 minutes):

1. Hanged I Shall Be - THE ALBION BAND ("Battle Of The Field", April 1976 UK LP on Island HELP 25)

2. Eibhli Ghail Chiuin Ni Cheabhail [Instrumental] - JOHN MARTYN ("Inside Out", October 1973 UK LP on Island ILPS 9253)

3. Withered & Died - RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON ("I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight", April 1974 UK LP on Island ILPS 9266)

4. Spencer The Rover - JOHN MARTYN ("Sunday’s Child", January 1975 UK LP on Island ILPS 9296)

5. Darlin’ Cory - BRYN HAWORTH ("Sunny Side Of The Street", May 1975 UK LP on Island ILPS 9332)

6. The Never Shines On The Poor - RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON ("Hokey Pokey", March 1975 UK LP on Island ILPS 9305)

7. Stone - RONNIE LANE & SLIM CHANCE ("Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance", July 1975 UK LP on Island ILPS 9321)

8. Dimming Of The Day/Dargai - RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON ("Pour Down Like Silver", November 1975 UK LP on Island ILPS 9348)

9. Upton-Upon-Severn Stick Dance - ASHLEY HUTCHINGS & CHUMS ("Rattlejohn and Ploughjack", April 1976 UK LP on Island HELP 29)

10. Calvary Cross (Live) - RICHARD THOMPSON ("Guitar/Vocal", May 1976 UK 2LP compilation on Island ICD 8)

11. I’m A Dreamer - SANDY DENNY ("Rendezvous", May 1977 UK LP on Island ILPS 9433)

12. May You Never (Live) - JOHN MARTYN ("Live At Leeds", September 1975 UK (Mail-Order) LP on Island ILPS 9343)

13. Meet On The Ledge - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (November 1968 UK 7" single on Island WIP 6047, A-Side)

First up is the complaint that there's too many familiar tracks and therefore doesn't warrant buying - you'd be wrong. The 2009 remastering by DENIS BLACKHAM on the tracks you already own is truly fantastic. I felt every song sounded like an upgrade and the obscure tunes you don't own are well chosen and worth your attention - many seeing CD light of day for the first time.

The sound quality needs some explaining. Take track 2 on Disc 2, "On The Road To Find Out" by Cat Stevens - it's a superlative lesser heard gem tucked away on Side 2 of his "Tea For The Tillerman" LP from 1970. Most fans will probably have the 2000 remaster of the album, but this version is almost certainly off the Deluxe Version from 2008 because the sound quality is STUNNING - absolutely gorgeous. The instruments just leap out of the speakers with wonderful clarity. The same applies to "Living In The Past" by Jethro Tull on Disc 1 - I adore this tune and have various remasters of it - but this is without doubt the best-sounding version I've ever heard.

There's also clever track choices - a badly needed new remaster of the live version of Richard Thompson's slow bluesy "Calvary Cross" from the 1976 double "Guitar, Vocal" rather than it's 1974 studio original, the stripped down BBC Sessions version of John Martyn's beautiful "May You Never" with just him and his guitar from 1977 [lyrics above] and the truly affecting 1987 "Real Time" version of "Meet On The Ledge" by Fairport Convention (again instead of the 1968 7" original) which finishes the box off and brings the musical journey full circle. Cool stuff.

On the rock side too, there's the inclusion of Bryn Haworth's lovely "Darlin' Corey" from his 1975 album "Sunny Side Of The Street" (he was the guitarist in the 60's psych act Fleurs-De-Lys") and even better is Bronco's "Time Slips Away" from their 1971 album "Ace Of Sunlight" - a fantastic choice - Jess Roden's soulful vocals backed up by Robbie Blunt's tremendous guitar work [he later played for Robert Plant's band]. The annotation is good too - the 32-page booklet featuring a biog on each artist (photos too) with the whole set has been curated and researched by DAVID SUFF with skill.

If I was to point out a real downside it would be the omissions - with playing times of 67:56, 72:06 and 65:32 - it's hugely disappointing that more tracks weren't used - how about "Say No More" by Smith Perkins Smith (1972), "Whims And Ways" by Bryn Haworth (1974) and "The Sea” by Fotheringay (1970) to name but a few. And as rocking as Richard Thompson is, do I really need the full 11 minutes of "A Sailor's Life" - no. And the liner notes mention “The Chieftains 5” album on Island from 1975, but then don't include them - on a Folk box?

Still there’s too much good stuff to be churlish here – take Richard Thompson’s hugely moving "The Poor Ditching Boy” – a young lad who has taken a lass deep into his blood (storm and winds are no match for his passion) – Andy Roberts of Grimms and Plainsong playing guest Dulcimer while Barry Dransfield of The Dransfields plays Fiddle. Its typical of the kind of song that Island Records seem to throw out at an alarming rate – gorgeous, affecting and deeply beautiful – us old types still weeping to them some 45 to 50 years later (if you get a chance, check out Andrew Murray’s cover of the tune on his September 2005 CD album “Hell Or High Water” – he’s the deep guttural vocalist with De Danaan). Time, what is that...

Niggles aside, what’s on offer here is stupendously good and sounding absolutely spiffing. I've enjoyed hearing this box so much and I suspect it will send many folk and rock music fans scurrying back into second-hand record shops trying to hunt down original palm-tree label LPs – those things we adored so much - all those years ago.

Despite some reservations - this is a top job done and recommended big time, especially given the upgraded sound and those wondrous discoveries that await the wide ear and open heart...