"...Join Us In Our
Game..."
I
recently reviewed a slew of Bob/Anne Pegg and Nick Strutt solo albums from
1973, 1974 and 1975 for an e-book I've done called "Pick Up The
Pieces" (on 1974) and a Folk/Country book called "Both Sides
Now" (see my Author Page under my highlighted name). That reissue was May
2020's "Bob Pegg and Nick Strutt/Carolanne Pegg/The Shipbuilder/Ancient
Maps" on Beat Goes On BGOCD1413 (Barcode 5017261214133) which offers two
albums from 1973, one from 1974 and one from 1975 originally on Transatlantic
Records UK newly Remastered onto 2CDs.
Having
thoroughly enjoyed their quirky Ye Olde Dales Tales and their Acid-Folk
Folk-Rock vibes accompanied by their mandolin/guitar sparring buddy Nick Strutt
- I thought I'd reach back to the source. This single CD beauty (also from May
2020) is a companion volume to that Pegg/Strutt double.
Here
you get their previous band's two equally startling LPs from November 1970 and
January 1971 as MR. FOX - the self-titled debut and the follow-up called
"The Gipsy" (also on Transatlantic Records like the solo stuff). You
get new Remasters, new liner notes, the missing "Mendle" track from
"The Gipsy" album that was sloppily left off a previous CD release
now reinstated - and all of it re-presented in a natty lickety-split card
slip-case. The only thing missing is the 45 Transatlantic single from November
1971 of "Little Woman" (a Dave Mason cover) that is a different
band/version to the one on the second LP. But as you can see from a chockers
playing time of nearly 79 minutes – time constraints was probably an issue.
Still,
this is a tasty release of really interesting and rare material in any music
lover’s books. So let's get to the hanged men, the house carpenters and of
course, Elvira Madigan and her Aunt Lucy Broadwood (you know you want to)...
UK
released 22 May 2020 - "Mr. Fox/The Gipsy" by MR. FOX on Beat Goes On
BGOCD1412 (Barcode 5017261214126) offers their only 2LPs from 1970 and 1971
Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (78:41 minutes):
1.
Join Us In Our Game [Side 1]
2.
The Hanged Man
3.
The Gay Goshawk
4.
Rip Van Winkle
5.
Mr Trill's Song
6.
Little Woman [Side 2]
7.
Salisbury Plain
8.
The Ballad Of Neddy Dick
9.
Leaving The Dales
10.
Mr. Fox
Tracks
1 to 10 are their debut album "Mr. Fox" - released November 1970 in
the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 226. Produced by BILL LEADER (no US issue).
For
the debut MR. FOX was:
BOB
PEGG - Vocals, Organ, Melodeon, Tin Whistle and Terrapin
CAROLE
(ANNE) PEGG - Vocals and Fiddle
JOHN
MYATT - Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Bassoon
ANDREW
MASSEY - Cello
BARRY
LYONS - Electric Bass
ALAN
(Alun) EDEN - Drums
Lyrics
by ASHLEY HUTCHINGS on "Mr. Trill's Song"
11.
Mendle [Side 1]
12.
The Gipsy
13.
Aunt Lucy Broadwood [Side 2]
14.
House Carpenter
15.
Elvira Madrigan
16.
Dancing Song
17.
All The Good Times
Tracks
11 to 17 are their second and last studio album "The Gipsy" -
released January 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 236. Produced by BIL
LEADER (no US issue).
For
their second album MR. FOX was:
BOB
PEGG - Vocals, Organ, Melodeon, Tin Whistle, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Electric
Bass (on "House Carpenter") and Bass Drum
CAROLE
(ANNE) PEGG - Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Fiddles and Tom-Tom
BARRY
LYONS - Vocals, Electric Bass, American Dulcimer, Sopranimo Recorder and
Tambourine
ALAN
EDEN - Vocals and Percussion
Chorus
on "All The Good Times" by The Grindley Tabernacle Choir and
Orchestra
The
outer card slipcase always lends these BGO reissues a classy look and the
16-page booklet reproduces the rear sleeve liner notes of the debut album and
the cartoons Caroleanne did for the inner gatefold of the second. Long-standing
musicologist for Beat Goes On JOHN O'REGAN gives us new March 2020 liner notes
that reference many sources (online and printed) filling us in on the hybrid
music of Fairport Convention, Amazing Blondel, Steeleye Span and Pentangle -
all of which are contained with the Yorkshire Folk lore traditions, gothic
horror and Velvet Underground ramshackle uninhibited recordings of MR. FOX (the
debut was done live to tape and feels fresh and dangerous for it). The Audio
care of ANDREW THOMPSON is fantastic - their variant of Folk Rock pinging out
of your speakers with shimmering Morris Dance intent. To the records...
A
lone tin whistle wails as the three-minutes of "Join Us In Our Game"
begins - soon to be a flute-driven Steeleye Span-like tale of singing in the
trenches as Bob and Anne trade vocals. Dressed neatly as a young man - our hero
tickles the eyes of the local fancies as he walks towards the village pathway
where many "The Hanged Man" met their swinging end. A threatening
doom-laden guitar notes opens "The Gay Goshawk" - the nearest the
album gets to English 13th century Psych. Coal fields, unforgiving mountains
and withered flowers trouble "Rip Van Winkle" - another harmonium
fable of olde. Side 1 doesn't end well with "Mr. Trill's Song" - a
jolly fellow 1895 romp that will likely make many cringe.
Side
2 of the "Mr. Fox" debut opens with a Folk cover of Dave Mason's
"Little Woman". Transatlantic obviously thought the tune had legs so
released a UK 45 of it with the album in November 1970 with the album opener
"Join Us In Our Game" as its B-side (Big T Records BIG 135) - but as
explained earlier that 7" version was done by a different band and is not
the same as the album cut. "Salisbury Plain" and the accordion romp
of "The Ballad Of Neddy Dick" continue the olde thyme tunes, the
album ending in what I think is the best track - the smartest fellow "Mr.
Fox" whose come-a-courting with his silver tongue and sly smile. As
Caroleanne sings of caves in a clearing where Foxy hits one woman and pulls the
hair of another - it's clear that her character assessment of this bloody
monster was a smart one.
If
the debut was an 'acquired taste' - they seemed to have improved their musical
pallet by leaps and bounds for the far better second album "The
Gipsy" from 1971. "Mendle" is seven minutes and thirteen seconds
of creepy lyrics accompanied by moaning melodeon and harmonium drones - itself
surpassed by the near thirteen-minutes of "The Gipsy" that ends Side
1. A tale of Mary Lee with the roving eye - our hapless lovestruck fool
traipsing around the Dale during the day whilst supping ale and wine in the
evenings. It's a long narrative - very Fairport Convention meets Steeleye Span.
Side 2 opens with drums and multiple vocals where we're told that birds have
dropped logs on Aunt Lucy leaving the poor biddy to die by the wood. Prettiest
by far is "The House Carpenter" - an Appalachian Mountains song done
on a Dulcimer with Alan Eden whacking Tom Toms - I've put this peach on
Folk-Rock CD-Rs as an example of 'cool' Folk. "Elvira Madigan" is a tunic
and regiment tale of deserters and lovers looking for shelter while the
finishers "Dancing Song" and "All The Good Times" are
straight up Morris Dance romps.
Originally
with Trees, Barry Lyons would later join the ranks of Celtic purveyors Five
Hand Reel and the fiddle and stone Pegg duo would go on to many solo albums
that at times even stretched into Prog Folk by 1975.
For
sure this is the kind of Olde English Folk that does folks heads in (I know
many who can’t stand it). But I like the points in-between where Mr. FOX made a
sound uniquely their own. A clever reissue that won't be for everyone, but
those willing to explore may find the music of the stars ringing in their head
while the rivers gurgle below in the mysterious shimmering bed...
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