"Please Re-Adjust Your Time: The Early Blues & Psych-Folk Years 1967-72" by IAN A. ANDERSON (November 2021 UK Cherry Tree 4CD 65-Track Anthology in a Clamshell Box Set with Four Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves, a 24-page booklet, Almost Six LPs Worth of Material Plus Three Previously Unreleased - Simon Murphy Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://amzn.to/4sObYNu

Overall: ****

Material: *** to *****

Audio: *** to *****

Presentation: *****

"...Singer Sleeps On As Blaze Rages..."

Taking its title from a song on his second studio album "(Royal York Crescent)" on his own The Village Thing Records – this 4CD 65-Track Anthology gives us a hefty overview of Somerset Folkie and Acoustic Guitar Virtuoso IAN A. ANDERSON (not to be confused with Tull mainman Ian Anderson). 

When I worked at Reckless Records in Islington and Soho as the Rarities guy (twenty years of RPM servitude) – Ian A. Anderson albums were thin on the ground throughout those two decades to say the least, and now as the decades have passed into five and half hence – they have started clocking up ghoulish price tags in places. There is a lot to unpack here, so once more my pirates of audio hazard waste unto the crazy fool mumbles of Stereo yore. Here are the Somerset details…

UK released Friday, 21 November 2021 - "Please Re-Adjust Your Time: The Early Blues & Psych-Folk Years 1967-72" by IAN A. ANDERSON on Cherry Tree CDTREEBOX025 (Barcode 5013929692503) is a 4CD 65-Track Anthology Clamshell Box Set. It contains four full UK Studio Albums on Liberty and Village Thing Records (June 1968 to December 1972), eight songs of a twelve-track fifth album on Fontana Records from April 1970, Exclusive 45-Single EP Tracks, a Sampler LP duo, Songs from a Collaboration LP with Mike Cooper (all on Saydisc/Matchbox Records), a Live September 1969 Folk Festival Rarity and three Previously Unreleased outtakes from 1973 (Anderson with his band Hot Vultures).
Housed in a Mini-LP Sized Clamshell Box Set, Each Card Sleeve is a Replica of the Four Original British Albums and each CD has Bonus Tracks. The 24-Page Booklet sports new liner notes by ELIZABETH KINDER (July 2021) and features input from Anderson about his formation of Village Thing Records and beyond. Project managed by JOHN REED of Cherry Red and approved by Anderson with Remasters are by SIMON MURPHY at Another Planet. It plays out as follows...

CD1 (76:14 minutes):
1. Get In That Swing [Side 1]
2. Litte Boy Blue
3. (My Baby Ain't Nothing But A Doggone) Crazy Fool Mumble
4. New Lonesome Day
5. Short Haired Woman Blues
6. Hot Times
7. Stereo Death Breakdown [ Side 2]
8. When I Get To Thinking
9. Way Up Your Tree
10. Bring 'Em Down
11. That's Alright
12. Baby Bye You Bye
Tracks 1 to 12 are the June 1968 UK Debut Solo LP "Stereo Death Breakdown" on Liberty Records LBS 83242E, Stereo only release credited to Ian Anderson’s Country Blues Band

CD1 BONUS TRACKS:
13. Put It In A Frame
14. Stop And Orange
Tracks 13 and 14 from the April 1970 UK Second Solo LP "Book Of Changes" by Ian Anderson on Fontana STL 5542 in Stereo (Musician Credits in Booklet) – see also CD2 for two more (Tracks 13 and 14) and CD3 (Tracks 11 to 14) for four further cuts from this LP (eight out of a total of twelve)

15. Louise
Track 15 is from the 1969 UK 5-Track LP-Speed EP "Anderson Jones Jackson" on Saydisc 33SD 25 in Stereo. Credited to Ian Anderson, Alun Jones and Elliot Jackson – it is a cover version of a Johnny Temple Blues song on Decca Records from 1946 originally called "Louise, Louise Blues" – Alun Jones would go on to be large part of the Cats Stevens band on Island Records

16. Cottonfield Blues
17. Big Road Blues
18. Tom Rushen Blues
Tracks 16, 17 and 18 are from the 1968 UK 4-Track 45-Single EP "Almost The Country Blues!" on Saydisc SD134 in Stereo. Credited to Ian Anderson with Elliot Jackson. The missing fourth track is "Shake Em On Down" which is Track 10 on the debut solo LP "Stereo Death Breakdown" credited as "Break Em Down" (see Track 10 above)

19. Friday Evening Blues
20. West Country Blues
Tracks 19 and 20 are from the 1968 UK Label Sampler LP "Blues Like Showers Of Rain" on Saydisc/Matchbox SDL 142 in Stereo – Anderson had two tracks featured on this famous Various Artists album

21. West Country Blues
22. Don't You Want To Go
23. The Inverted World
Tracks 21, 22 and 23 are from the 1968 UK LP "The Inverted World (The Country Blues Of Mike Cooper and Ian Anderson)" on Saydisc/Matchbox SDL 159in Stereo. A shared LP credited to Mike Cooper and Ian Anderson with seven songs to each artist on each side of the LP. The song "The Inverted World" is the last song by Mike Cooper on his Side 1, but it also features Ian A. Anderson in a song-writing credit and on Guitar. Three other songs (credited to Anderson) on Side 2 of that shared album were "Cottonfield Blues", "Big Road Blues" and "Tom Rushen Blues" – but these were also on the "Almost The Country Blues!" EP (Tracks 16, 17 and 18) so are not duplicated here. The final two songs on the shared "The Inverted World" LP by Ian Anderson are two Traditional Song cover versions called "Little Queen Of Spades" and "Beedle Um Bum" – both feature Anderson on Guitar and Vocals – but are not included in this set

CD2 (50:38 minutes):
1. That's No Way To Get Along [Side 1]
2. Please Re-Adjust Your Time
3. Goblets And Elms
4. Shining Grey
5. The Worm
6. Hero
7. Silent Night No. 2 [ Side 2]
8. Mr. Cornelius
9. The Maker/The Man In The High Castle/The Last Conjuring
10. Ginger Man
11. Working Man
Tracks 1 to 11 are the November 1970 UK Third Solo LP "(Royal York Crescent)" on The Village Thing VTS 3, Stereo only release credited to Ian A. Anderson. The Village Thing Records was formed by Anderson and part of the Saydisc group of labels from Gloucestershire specialising in Folk and Acoustic Blues

CD2 BONUS TRACKS:
12. Get Back Into Town (Live)
13. Sleepy Lynne
14. Internal Combustion Rag
Track 12 was recorded live at Farnham Folk & Blues Festival in September 1969 and first appeared on the May 2016 UK Expanded Edition Reissue CD "Almost The Country Blues: EPs And Extras 1966-1969" by Ian Anderson on Ghosts From The Basement GFTB 7050

Tracks 13 and 14 "Sleepy Lynne" and "Internal Combustion Rag" were recorded Autumn 1969 at Chapel Studios in London and appeared on the April 1970 UK Second Solo LP "Book Of Changes" by Ian Anderson on Fontana STL 5542 in Stereo (see also two tracks from that LP on CD1 and four more on CD3 - eight songs out of twelve in total)

CD3 (50:37 minutes): 14 tracks
1. One More Chance [Side 1]
2. Black Uncle Remus
3. Policeman's Ball
4. Edges
5. The Survivor
6. Well…All Right [Side 2]
7. Time Is Ripe
8. Wishing The World Away
9. One Too Many Mornings
10. Number 61
Tracks 1 to 10 are the December 1971 UK Fourth Solo LP "A Vulture Is Not A Bird You Can Trust" on The Village Thing VTS 9, a Stereo only release credited to Ian A. Anderson. The Village Thing Records was formed by Anderson and part of the Saydisc group of labels from Gloucestershire specialising in Folk and Acoustic Blues. All songs are Anderson originals except "Black Uncle Remus" which is a Loudon Wainwright III cover version, "Well…All Right", a Buddy Holly cover and "One Too Many Mornings", a Bob Dylan cover.

CD3 BONUS TRACKS:
11. Boof Changes
12. Anthem (You Can Go On Forever)
13. Mouse Hunt
14. Galactic Wings (And Other Tales)
Tracks 11 to 14 "Book Of Changes", "Anthem (You Can Go On Forever)", "Mouse Hunt" and "Galactic Wings (And Other Tales)" appeared on the April 1970 UK Second Solo LP "Book Of Changes" by Ian Anderson on Fontana STL 5542 in Stereo (see also two further tracks from that LP on CD1 and two more on CD2)

CD4 (50:30 minutes): 14 tracks
1. Hey Space Pilot [Side 1]
2. Marie Celeste On Down
3. Spider John
4. A Sign Of The Times
5. Paper And Smoke
6. Paint It, Black [Side 2]
7. Pretty Peggyo
8. The Western Wind
9. Out On The Side
10. Shirley Temple Meets Hawkwind
Tracks 1 to 10 are the December 1972 UK Fourth Solo LP "Singer Sleeps On As Blaze Rages" on The Village Thing VTS 18, Stereo only release credited to Ian A. Anderson. The Village Thing Records was formed by Anderson and part of the Saydisc group of labels from Gloucestershire specialising in Folk and Acoustic Blues. Les Calvert of Machine Gun and Graphite plays Bass and Organ. All tracks by Anderson except Track 6 which is a Rolling Stones cover version

CD4 BONUS TRACKS:
11. Baby Let Me Dance With You
12. Dan Scaggs
13. London Blues
14. You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover
Tracks 11 to 14 are Demos recorded by his band HOT VULTURES in 1973 – Tracks 12, 13 and 14 are Previously Unreleased – Ian A. Anderson on Guitar and Vocals with Maggie Holland on Bass – Track 12 is an Al Jones song, Track 13 is a Chris Thompson song while Track 13 is Willie Dixon cover version – the song most closely associated with Muddy Waters

The Clamshell Box Set features four Mini LP Card Repro sleeves – the albums "Stereo Death Breakdown" (June 1968 – CD1), "(Royal York Crescent)" (November 1970 – CD2), "A Vulture Is Not A Bird You Can Trust" (December 1971 – CD3) and "Singer Sleeps On As Blaze Rages" (December 1972 – CD4) – with all four discs containing copious extras (as listed above). The rear of the card sleeves also mimic original rear cover art when they can. Unmentioned on the outside tracks lists, the fifth LP "Book Of Changes" has eight of its twelve tracks spread across three CDs (not pictured in the booklet) and as you can see from the lists above – the other extras practically represent a sixth LP in terms of sheer content. The 24-Page Booklet provides a seriously indepth overview of the five or six years dealt with – ELIZABETH KINDER providing photos, memorabilia (concert posters, trade reviews, fliers) and Album/EP artwork where possible as well as interviewing Anderson for this deep dive. Page 18 for instance has Anderson with friends gathering for the Royal York Crescent cover shoot in 1970 – another photo has him with Maggie Holland in 1974 when they were called Hot Vultures – playing acoustic in 1968 on the Serpentine river watching a circle of duffle-coated admirers and so on. The final pages give album credits, tracks, production, players etc for all 4 CDs – the whole project managed by longtime associate to Cherry Red and all-round-good-guy – JOHN REED (always a name associated with thorough releases). 

And as most of the recordings are Acoustic Guitars in varying 6-and-12 string guises (lots of slide), the SIMON MURPHY Masters do a stellar job at bringing out pings and things as you travel across the huge amount of material on the four discs. My only complaint (if you could call it that) is that the Psych-Folk label in the title is what Cherry Red know will appeal to punters - but there are very few tracks I could point to displaying anything that’s Psych-Folk!

Box Sets like this allow you to dip, dive and discover - "The Worm" for instance on his third album "(Royal York Crescent)" is the kind of three-minute-plus Bongo and Acoustic Guitar funky ditty that would have not looked out of place on a Led Zeppelin or Roy Harper LP as an inbetween instrumental. "Sleepy Lynne" (another instrumental) from the 1970 "Book Of Changes" LP features Slide Acoustic that will appeal to Bryn Haworth fans. His Funky Harmonica and Fast-Strummed Acoustic cover version of the Loudon Wainwright III briar patches classic "Black Uncle Remus" is very Area Code 615 circa "Stone Fox Chase". 

CD3 offers the excellent December 1971 album "A Vulture Is Not A Bird You Can Trust" – an accomplished set of songs that opens with the melodious "One More Chance". Keith Warmington provides the Lead Harmonica for the big chiming cover of "Black Uncle Remus" – a fast off the block take on a tune that would come to define Loudon Wainwright III. Straight up Acoustic Boogie Blues comes a sliding across your speakers with the manic instrumental "Policeman’s Ball". Pretty and substantial is what you would call the band-effort of the eco-vested "The Survivor" – ruins of cities – humans like a wayward child – crops failing. A cover of the Buddy Holly classic "Well Alright" is good rather than great. Better is the well-recorded "Time Is Ripe" – almost like an acoustic interlude song on a Jethro Tull album from 1971. I really like "Wishing The World Away" – a trying-to-write-this-song melody that our hero is struggling with (go away world). Dylan gets a cover in a truly lovely and simple acoustic guitar take on "One Too Many Mornings" with John Turner providing Double-Bass notes accompaniment. The equally quiet and slyly majestic "Number 61" talks of a long blond-haired woman he worships from afar. 
Recorded in 1969, the "Book Of Change" Acoustic songs (with very clean remastered audio) featured Al Jones on Guitar, John Turner on Double Bass, Keith Christmas on Bongos with Max on Flute. The Flute and Acoustics do battle in the lovely John Martyn-esque "Anthem (You Can Go On Forever)" while a very Gordon Giltrap set of virtuoso guitar runs opens "Mouse Hunt" – a song that jaunts like its title suggests. Earth man moves out to the unknown spaces in "Galactic Wings (And Other Tales)" once again features flute from Max. Speaking of this album…

For some reason eight of the twelve songs on the Second Solo LP "Book Of Changes" from April 1970 on Fontana Records are spread across three CDs without any real reference as to why or where the other four cuts are? (see Notes on CD1, 2 and 3 above for those eight songs). Shame too that the duo of missing cuts from "The Inverted World" shared LP with Mike Cooper and the four from the "Book Of Changes" LP are not here - because there was room to include the six (one can only presume licensing difficulties). Still, what you are getting from "Please Re-Adjust Your Time: The Early Blues & Psych-Folk Years 1967-72" by Ian A. Anderson is the guts of five very hard-to-find albums in the Acoustic Folk /Acoustic Blues/Folk Psych genres and some straggler EP change into the not-so-moneyed bargain. And all of it in more than tasty sound. 

After the first two CDs of purely Folk-Acoustic and Blues - those looking for the Psych-Folk genre casually thrown into the title will be wondering when that genre shows – truthfully, I think for the most part it doesn’t. The fourth LP "Singer Sleeps On As Blaze Rages" (from December 1972) for instance with story songs like Dave Peabody’s "Spider John" and Anderson’s own "A Sign of The Times" are purely Acoustic – Jug Band at times – little Bluesy in the playing – but it sounds more Ralph McTell or John Martyn than Trees or Mellow Candle. Only on Mike Cooper’s "Paper And Smoke" does something resembling a band show – Bill Boozman on Leslie’d guitar with Mike Cooper on Slide – but again it’s more Folksy Faces than anything like Psych. There’s even a Country ye-ha shuffle to his jaunty cover of The Rolling Stones classic "Paint It, Black" – not too far from Mungo Jerry on Dawn Records. Bryn Haworth slide twelve-string fans will dig the Bluesy Traditional "Pretty Peggyo" – a tale of a Captain who falls in love with a local Louisiana beauty (Anderson is accompanied by Maggie Holland on Guitar). Even better is the echoed speaker-panned 12-string bottleneck of "The Western Wind" – a swirling number Anderson describes as a ghost story – great playing with muscular audio. Acoustics dance across both speakers for the noisy-human-race song "Shirley Temple Meets Hawkwind" – a witty ditty on travelling to Venus with the child actress possibly never flying back home.

The three 1973 Hot Vultures demos featuring a Slide 12-String Blues Traditional in the shape of "Baby Let Me Dance With You" (very professionally recorded) followed by three Previously Unreleased - a slightly rough-edged cover of the Al Jones song "Dan Scaggs" and two excellent Acoustic and Bass Guitar tales in "London Blues" (by Chris Thompson) and the Willie Dixon Chess Records R&B classic "You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover" turned into a race-past-the-post Acoustic. Lots of great moments…

Somerset’s Ian A. Anderson (more than a few times confused with Tull’s mainman) continued in the late 70s with Folk-Blues groups like Hot Vulture, and into the Eighties with The English Country Blues Band and Tiger Moth. He even teamed up with his old mucker Mike Cooper in 1984 for the "The Continuous Preaching Blues" LP on the obscure Appaloosa Records.

But this dinky 4CD 65-Track little bruiser from Cherry Tree (part of Cherry Red) is where his journey started. "Please Re-Adjust Your Time: The Early Blues & Psych-Folk Years 1967-72" by Ian A. Anderson will not be for everyone, but those in love with Folk, Acoustic Blues and a few genre side-dishes along the way will eat it up. Top marks to all involved…

"Unpentangled: The Sixties Albums" by JOHN RENBOURN of Pentangle featuring Duet Albums with DORRIS HENDERSON and BERT JANSCH – Including "There You Go!" with Dorris Henderson (February 1966), "John Renbourn" (November 1965), "Bert And John" with Bert Jansch (September 1966), "Another Monday" (November 1966), "Watch The Stars" with Dorris Henderson (February 1967) and "Sir John Alot Of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & Ye Grene Knyghte" (June 1968). Includes Bonus Album Outtakes and Non-Album Single Sides. Guest Musicians include Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox of Pentangle (May 2019 UK Cherry Tree Records 6CD Mini Clamshell Box Set with Six Albums and Eleven Bonus Tracks Featuring Various Remasters from 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2005 Further Mastered In 2019) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review And 225 Others Is Available In My AMAZON E-Book 

BOTH SIDES NOW - FOLK & COUNTRY 

And Genres Thereabouts

Your Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

For the 1960s and 1970s

All Reviews In-Depth and from the Discs Themselves

(No Cut And Paste Crap)

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"...The Time Has Come... "

In July 2020, it's easy to be blasé about these British John Renbourn 60ts albums (originally on Transatlantic and Fontana Records) and their digital availability (most of his Solo LPs outside of Pentangle have been in the CD marketplace as Remasters since 2001 and 2002).

But I worked as a Rarities Buyer and Mail Order Manager at Reckless Records in Soho for near 20 years servitude and while you would occasionally see "Bert And John" or "Another Monday" or maybe even "Sir John Alot..." – the two Dorris Henderson album collaborations never ever showed up. Both are listed in the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide at high three-figure sums – if you can find copies. His first album debut too from March 1966 has always been legendarily hard to find.

So this dinky little mother load from Cherry Tree of the UK (part of the Cherry Red Group of labels - Cherry Tree deals mostly with Folk) that rounds up six-albums plus eleven bonuses is astonishingly good value for money for any newcomer to this giant of British Acoustic Folk. And it sounds the biz-snitz too. So once more ye Grene-horns unto the Merrie Knyghte and his Musyk Thyng...

UK released 31 May 2019 - "Unpentangled: The Sixties Albums" by JOHN RENBOURN (with Bert Jansch of Pentangle and Dorris Henderson) on Cherry Tree CRTREEBOX023 (Barcode 5013929692305) is a 6CD Mini Clamshell Box Set with Six Albums, Eleven Bonus Tracks, Mini LP Card Sleeves and A 24-Page Booklet. Featuring First Generation Master Tape Remasters from 1999, 2001 and 2005 Mastered in 2019 by OLI HEMINGWAY - it plays out as follows:

CD1 (49:42 minutes): Doris Henderson and John Renbourn – "There You Go!"

February 1966 UK LP on Columbia SX 6001 in Mono (Tracks 1 to 17)

1. Sally Free And Easy [Side 1]

2. Single Girl

3. Ribbon Bow

4. Cotton Eyed Joe

5. Mr. Tambourine Man

6. Mist On The Mountain

7. The Lag's Song

8. American Jail Song

9. The Water Is Wide

10. Something Lonesome [Side 2]

11. Song (Falling Star)

12. Winter Is Gone

13. Strange Lullaby

14. You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

15. One Morning In May

16. A Banjo Tune

17. Going To Memphis

BONUS TRACKS:

18. The Leaves Are Green

19. The Hangman

Tracks 18 and 19 are the non-album A&B-sides of a May 1965 UK 45 Single on Columbia DB 7567. It was first issued digitally January 1999 in the UK for the CD reissue of "There You Go!" on Ace/Big Beat CDWIKD 186 (Barcode 029667418621). The 1999 Remaster for this whole album is licensed from Ace Records.

CD2 (54:20 minutes): John Renbourn – "John Renbourn"

March 1966 UK LP on Transatlantic TRA 135 in Mono (Tracks 1-15)

1. Judy [Side 1]

2. Beth's Blues

3. Song

4. Down On The Barge

5. John Henry

6. Plainsong

7. Louisiana Blues

8. Blue Bones

9. Train Tune [Side 2]

10. Candy Man

11. The Wildest Pig In Captivity

12. National Seven

13. Motherless Children

14. Winter Is Gone

15. Nosh And Rabbit

BONUS TRACKS:

16. The Wildest Pig In Captivity (Alternate Version)

17. Can't Keep From Crying

18. Blues Run The Game

19. Lucky Thirteen

Tracks 16 to 19 first issued November 2001 in the UK as Bonus Tracks for the CD reissue of "John Renbourn" on Castle Music CMRCD 359 (Barcode 5050159135929). Track 19 "Lucky Thirteen" also from the Bert Jansch UK album, "It Don't Bother Me" – December 1965 on Transatlantic TRA 132 in Mono (it's written by Renbourn and he plays second guitar on it too). The Remaster from 2001 is used for this CD.

CD3 (30:15 minutes): Bert Jansch and John Renbourn - "Bert And John"

September 1966 UK LP on Transatlantic TRA 144 in Stereo (Tracks 1-12)

1. East Wind [Side 1]

2. Piano Tune

3. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

4. Soho

5. Tic-Tocative

6. Orlando

7. Red's Favourite [Side 2]

8. No Exit

9. Along The Way

10. The Time Has Come

11. Stepping Stones

12. After The Dance

BONUS TRACK:

13. The Waggoner's Lad - from the September 1966 Bert Jansch UK LP "Jack Orion" on Transatlantic TRA 143 – John Renbourn plays Second Guitar on this album opener. 

CD4 (27:59 minutes): John Renbourn – "Another Monday"

November 1966 UK LP on Transatlantic TRA 149 (Tracks 1 to 12)

1. Another Monday

2. Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe

3. I Know My Babe

4. Waltz

5. Lost Lover Blues

6. One For William

7. Buffalo [Side 2]

8. Sugar Babe

9. Debbie Anne

10. Can't Help From Crying

11. Day At The Seaside

12. Nobody's Fault But Mine

All tracks written by Renbourn except 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 which are Traditional Songs and Blues covers.

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11 are instrumentals

Renbourn sings Lead Vocals on Tracks 3 and 8 and duet vocals with Jacqui McShee [later with Pentangle] on Tracks 5, 10 and 12

CD5 (41:16 minutes): Dorris Henderson with John Renbourn – "Watch The Stars"

February 1967 UK LP on Fontana STL 5385 in Stereo (Tracks 1-15)

1. When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin' [Side 1]

2. It's Been A Long Time

3. 30 Days In Jail

4. No More My Lord

5. Watch The Stars

6. There's Anger In This Land

7. Mosaic Patterns

8. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

9. For Lovin' Me [Side 2]

10. Come Up Horsey

11. God Bless The Child

12. The Time Has Come

13. Poems Of Solitude: Poems Of My Heart/Eighteen Tedious Ways/Magic String

14. Lonely Mood

15. Gonna Tell My Lord

BONUS TRACK:

16. Message To Pretty - March 1967 Non-Album A-side of a UK 45 on Fontana TF 811 ("Watch The Stars" album track was the B-side). "Message To Pretty" first issued as a Bonus Track in September 2005 for the CD reissue of "Watch The Stars" on Fledg'ling Records FLED 3055 (Barcode 5020393305525). The 2005 Remaster is used for all of this CD.

CD6 (37:47 minutes): John Renbourn - "Sir John Alot Of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & Ye Grene Knyghte"

June 1968 UK LP on Transatlantic TRA 167 in Stereo (Tracks 1-10)

1. The Earle Of Salisbury [Side 1]

2. The Trees They Do Grow High

3. Lady Goes To Church

4. Morgana

5. Transfusion [Side 2]

6. Forty-Eight

7. My Dear Boy

8. White Fishes

9. Sweet Potato

10. Seven Up

BONUS TRACKS:

11. The Earle Of Salisbury (Alternative Version)

12. Transfusion (Alternative Version)

13. Forty-Eight (Alternative Version)

Tracks 11 to 13 are Album Outtakes first UK released digitally in November 2002 for the CD reissue of "Sir John Alot..." on Castle Music CMRCD 597 (Barcode 5050159159727). Terry Cox of Pentangle plays percussion instruments on the album and outtakes. The 2002 Remaster is used for this CD.

As you can see from the detailed list provide above – all six have been out on CD before with Remasters licensed from Ace, BMG (who handled Sanctuary) and Fledg'ling Records. Dating from 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2005 – all are newly mastered in 2019 by OLI HEMINGWAY for Cherry Tree. The Sanctuary, Ace and Fledg'ling reissues were all remastered from original Mono and Stereo tapes and as fans will have known for years – the audio is gorgeous – Bill Leader and his original production values shining through. Each of these albums is filled with a mixture of Sixties UK Folk, Acoustic Folk, Acoustic Blues, World Music, Acoustic Old Timey Country, Ancient Instrumentals and Traditionals of all sorts. This is lovely music to listen to on CD and at about four-quid an album – amazing value for money too. 

You know you're in the presence of class when the 24-page booklet features the Royal Festival Hall poster for 27 May 1967 where Marquee Productions invite you to an evening of the Blues with the first appearance from 'The Pentangle' – Bert Jansch and John Renbourn on Guitars, Jacqui McShee on Vocals, Danny Thompson on Bass and Terry Cox on Drums. Many of these band-mate troubadours would of course join Renbourn on these solo albums. With an essay by DAVID WELLS that acknowledges COLIN HARPER (a world authority on Pentangle and Solo releases) – the booklet compliments the text with double-page spreads of period stuff - trade adverts for gigs, the Sir John A lot LP release, pictures of the beautiful Dorris Henderson and a smiling Jacqui McShee, LP labels on Transatlantic and Fontana, demo copies of the rare 45s and so on. The CD label designs reflect the original Transatlantic and Fontana British LP colourings where relevant and the Singular Mini LP sleeves give full track lists (including bonuses) and discography info on the rear. It's all very tasty and thoughtfully done...

It opens on the very Joan Baez meets Judy Henske meets Doris Troy vocals of Dorris Henderson as she goes booms her way through "Sally Free And Easy" - a Cyril Tawney cover accompanied by the quiet Simon & Garfunkel acoustic guitar of Renbourn. They then go after three Traditionals - "Single Girl" (with leaking shoes), "Ribbon Bow" (own true love) and "Cotton Eyed Joe" (came for to show you my diamond ring) - before hitting the American Folk Man of the moment - Dylan and his hey "Mr. Tambourine Man". Other goodies include the beautiful Traditional "The Water Is Wide", a welcome acoustic Blues of Robert Johnson's "You're Need Somebody On Your Bond" while a convict sitting in the buck house playing guitar dreams of "Going To Memphis" - Renbourn's playing fabulous.

Future Pentangle cohort Bert Jansch plays on two tracks of John Renbourn's self-titled solo LP issued in March 1966 - "Blue Bones" and "Noah And Rabbit". Produced by Transatlantic's main man Nathan Joseph – the styles are mixed and genre cool. We go from Blind Boy Fuller's sugar woman in "Beth's Blues" through a John Donne poem put to music in "Song" – the American lonesome cry "John Henry" ballad done in bottleneck style - while Iain Matthews of Matthews Southern Comfort (after he left Fairport Convention) would name his 1972/1973 band after the gorgeous instrumental "Plainsong". The two Jansch collaborations feel so much better for the duelling guitars especially "Noah And Rabbit" and amongst the Bonus cuts is the truly gorgeous early Paul Simon song "Blues Run The Game"  - a tune Jackson C. Frank would cover of his Paul Simon-produced debut album in 1965 on Columbia Records. It never featured on an officially released S&G LP but an outtake of this fab little acoustic roller turned up on the Simon and Garfunkel "Old Friends" and subsequent "The Collection" Box Sets (Frank and S&G are both reviewed in this e-book). Hell even the collaboration instrumental "Lucky Thirteen" from the Bert Jansch December 1965 album "It Doesn't Bother Me" tagged on to Disc 2 as a Bonus is exactly that - an actual worthy extra.

"East Wind" opens with rattling strings as acoustic guitars do battle – the instrumental actually feeling like the ebb and flow of its title. But there is lay a problem. Reviewers had heard this type of short strummers album before and had deemed that neither Jansch nor Renbourn possessed a voice decent enough to carry a tune (I'd disagree). But, despite its mainly instrumental pieces being described at the time as "...a pleasant unmemorable record... " by some such reporter – softly-softly melodies contained within tunes like "Song" and "Along The Way" and their September 1966 simplicity - feels like a breath of acoustic Folk air in the clutter of July 2020. In much the same way, "Stepping Stones" string-pings out of your speakers with a subtle muscularity – great playing that is still musical. I love it. And how cool is it to hear the lovely Anne Briggs ballad "The Time Has Come" be given such a sympathetic rendering. The singular bonus is a genuine gem – "The Waggoner's Lad". The opening cut to the Bert Jansch solo album "Jack Orion" is a banjo-driven strummer like say 1970's "Gallows Pole" that I'm sure Jimmy Page 'borrowed' (instrument and all) for some Zeppelin song somewhere down the line. Simple, sweet and subtle - "Bert And John" is an album worth rediscovering in my book.

At a piddly twenty-eight minutes, Renbourn's official second solo album "Another Monday" is hardly guilty of Prog excess when it comes to playing time, but it does '...throw its arms around you like a circle around the sun...' as the great man sings in "I Know My Babe". Platter no. 2 "Another Monday" is a beautifully even-handed album - a cool breeze listen all the way through and I for one love his voice even though there were those at the time that slagged it off and would have paid him good money to never open his gob again (one went ballistic generous, taking all of his might to describe JR as a 'pleasant enough singer'). That cruel assessment was balls IMO because when you listen to his three duets with future Pentangle leading light Jacqui McShee on "Lost Lover Blues", "Can't Keep From Crying" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - the combo of their voices produced magic to my ears. Throw in the instrumental "One For William" where he accompanies himself on Oboe of all things using the ponderous pseudonym 'Jennifer d0e Montforte-Jones' and you get some trippy Acid Folk moments that also touch on a slight Jazz vibe.

It opens with two short instrumental originals - "Another Monday" and "Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe" - loveliness that flows over you sweetly (he revisited "Ladye..." on "The Nine Maidens" album in 1985). Renbourn sings "I Know My Babe" - a Blues Traditional that James Taylor based "Circle 'Round The Sun" on when he covered it too on his 1968 Apple Records debut "James Taylor". Renbourn's picking, his warm-toned vocal delivery and the "...sun's gonna shine..." lyrics all combine to make a fast-paced Acoustic mini masterpiece out of "I Know My Babe". But of all the instrumentals on the LP - his own "Waltz" is by far the most hair-raisingly brilliant - feeling like some lost Blues Speeder on some forgotten Folkways LP of the early Fifties (and you can so hear where Page nicked a few licks for Zeppelin). A cover of Blind Boy Fuller's "Lost Lover Blues" becomes the first of three featuring Jacqui McShee on duet vocals with Renbourn - sure ain't got no lovin' baby now. Combined with Renbourn moonlighting as the po-faced pseudonym Jennifer de Montforte-Jones the 'Oboe' player - the Acid Folk instrumental of "One For William" ends Side 1 on a high.

"Watch The Stars" is even harder to locate than their first Henderson & Renbourn LP outing but is a much better album, so consequently listed for more (£200 and higher). Henderson still had the Judy Henske stomping-woman power in her vocal range but had wisely paired it back and the unplugged feel to the songs comes courtesy of Danny Thompson of Pentangle being the only other musician on the LP (playing his Double-Bass). Rod Stewart would cover the gorgeous Bob Dylan song "Tomorrow Is A Long Time" on his 1971 masterpiece "Every Picture Tells A Story" – maybe he heard the delicate Henderson and Renbourn rendition on this February 1967 LP. The pretty continues with Henderson's own "Lonely Mood" – a hugely accomplished ballad (why hasn't someone covered this?). Amongst the covers she tackles Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" – her tremulous voice sweetly controlled. She lets it rip a tad with the Gordon Lightfoot cut "For Lovin’ Me" while she slurs drunk and dirty on the incarceration tune "30 Days In Jail". Her beliefs get her most passionate vocal for the Side 2 finisher "Gonna Tell My Lord" – wake the dead – while the stand-alone single "Message To Pretty" sounds like a Mamas & Papas pop-song outtake with harmonica fills from a different time. Don't need you to help me find my way...sounds great too.

Apart from a slew of originals, Renbourn tackles Booker T. & The MG's and their "Sweet Potato" on his wittily titled "Sir John Alot..." - the name of the album actually all run into one word on original Transatlantic LP labels. He co-writes the excellent "Forty-Eight" and "Seven Up" with Drummer Terry Cox of Pentangle while "The Trees They Do Grow High" is a ye-olde Traditional. Amidst the Bonus cuts my fave 'Alternative Version' is that of the Side 1 opener "The Earle Of Salisbury" – clever playing.

Dorris Henderson would join Eclection while both Jansch and Renbourn would enjoy long and prosperous solo careers outside of Pentangle into the Naughties. 

True Renbourn loons will already have all six of the previously issued CDs, but those wanting to know why British Folk created so much excitement back in the day (and dare we say it, was even cool) should look no further than this ample bosom of Merrie Acoustic John-tasticness - one of only a handful of artists to release four albums in one year (1966). Brilliant and then some... 

"Hello" by MARC BRIERLEY (September 2014 Cherry Tree UK CD 'Expanded Edition' Reissue and Remaster) - A Review By Mark Barry...

"…The Presence I Am Seeking…"

UK folky MARC BRIERLEY and his rare debut album - 1968's "Welcome To The Citadel" on CBS Records - has been treated to a luxurious and expanded CD remaster by Cherry Tree in September 2014 (Cherry Tree is part of Cherry Red Records). "Hello" is his second album from the summer of 1969 and again it's received a genuinely great upgrade. Here are the dewdrops and dodgy beards...

UK released September 2014 - "Hello" by MARC BRIERLEY on Cherry Tree CDTREE014 (Barcode 5013929691421) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as follows (79:08 minutes):

1. Sunny Weather [Side 1]

2. Lady Of The Light

3. Today I Feel Like Leaving You

4. O Honey

5. A Presence (I Am Seeking)

6. The Room [Side 2]

7. Byrd Lives

8. Hello

9. Lookin' Around The Room

10. When Mother Comes

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Hello" - released August 1969 in the UK on CBS Records S 63835

11. Be My Brother

12. If You Took The Bandages Off Your Head (You Wouldn't Be So Blind)

Tracks 11 and 12 are A&B-sides of a November 1970 UK 7" single on CBS Records S 5266

13. The Best Part Of The Night

14. In This Hour Of Love

15. One Fine Morning (You Will Wake Up)

16. Screaming Schizophrenia Blues

17. Abide With You

18. Brown Ships

19. For People Who Are Parted

20. Sweet Summer

Tracks 13 to 20 are 'Island Records Demos' recorded in 1973

21. Be My Brother

Track 21 is a 'Rehearsal Demo'; Tracks 13 to 21 are all Previously Unreleased

The 12-page booklet combines his own recollections on the recording of the album with cool photos of Demo CBS 7" singles, a trade advert, a facsimile CBS Press release, period photos, outtakes from the album shoot and a Discography at the rear. Simon Murphy's CD Remaster at Another Planet Music is superb - very clear and at times - breathtaking. Players included Graham Todd on Organ, Dudley Moore guesting on Piano, Harold McNair provided Flute while the rhythm section consisted of John Fiddle on Bass with Tony Carr and Dougie Wright on Percussion and Drums respectively.

Musically his debut "Welcome To The Citadel" was a Folk record with Nick Drake, Al Stewart and Mick Greenwood leanings (hence its £400 Price Guide cost) - "Hello" at a mere £100 is far more poppy (seeking hits) and the lesser for it in truth. It opens with the irrepressibly cheery "Sunny Weather" which is almost vaudeville and not great. "Lady Of The Night" was coupled with "Sunny Weather" in October 1969 as a Uk 7" single on CBS Records S 4632 bit it tanked. Far better is the gorgeous acoustic/strings of "Today I Feel Like Leaving You" where you feel he was finding his own sound. "O Honey" is more slapstick with lyrics like "it could be so groovy..." but Side 1 ends with the album's masterpiece - the near seven-minute "A Presence (I Am Seeking)". It's gorgeous with Nair's flute complimenting the acoustic strum and spiritual lyrics - it's surely ripe for a cover version by someone with taste...

Side 2 opens with "The Room" - another quietly lovely tune while "Lookin' Around The Room" gets all zippy for all the wrong reasons. But "When Martha Comes" rescues your faith. The single "Be My Brother" is excellent - very much in keeping with the love and peace of the time (should have been on the album).

But as with the "Welcome To The Citadel" CD - there comes a shocker - a flurry of Previously Unreleased Demos made for Island Records in 1973 that show amazing songwriting maturity. They're hissy for sure but shockingly good. Songs like the lovely "In This Hour of Love" and "Screaming Schizophrenia Blues" are brilliant - but it's "One Fine Morning (You Will Wake Up)" that impresses most. Someone needs to make this tune famous too...

Robin Lent (who was involved in the original recording) writes in the liner notes that Marc Brierley deserves to be held up like RODRIGUEZ as a lost artist worthy of major reassessment and rediscovery. Is it a Sixto Rodriguez type situation - not really - but at times I tell you he gets damn close...