"Deep In The Woods: Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring Fat Mattress, Knocker Jungle, Duffy Power, Meic Stevens, Paul Brett, Open Road, The Woods Band, Dando Shaft, Arrival, Jade Warrior, Linda Hoyle, Bridget St. John, Mellow Candle, Amber, Fuchsia, Miller Anderson, Heron, Sunforest, Friends, The Occasional Word, Alan James Eastwood, Wizz Jones, Zior, Yvonne Elliman, Linda Lewis, Bill Nelson, Jade, The Occasional Word and more (November 2022 UK Strawberry 3CD 54-Track Compilation with Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Woods-Pastoral-Psychedelia-1968-1975/dp/B0BF5NJDG1?crid=1NQBDENV2Q1UZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U-YBbh7a7O7TW8WYehcMOw.0IX1kgqVN2ANIyYUlRhtOCYT4MrXzWj-B2y5f63-XaY&dib_tag=se&keywords=5013929431232&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1731778247&sprefix=5013929431232%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1&ufe=INHOUSE_INSTALLMENTS%3AUK_IHI_3M_AUTOMATED&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=8260194879da4284cd640b86b18179c2&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

RATINGS 

Overall **** to *****

Presentation ***

Audio **** to *****

"...Face From The Past..."

Despite a lot of gushing 5-star reviews everywhere you look on the Net - initially, I had to dig in deep to actually like this themed mishmash from UK reissue label Strawberry (part of the Cherry Red label roster). It's more of a 4-star experience for me. But I'm glad I did. 

I kept replaying "Deep In The Woods..." because it's been collated by compilation-forming genius JOHN REED – a man of major pressed-trousers class who knows his onions like only a handful of others in the UK would do (John literally formed the first Record Collector Rare Records Price Guides back in the 90s day - all entries). John's knowledge is legend and Reed knows what collectors crave (John ran Sanctuary Records, formed probably in excess of 150 compilations from their vast catalogue, did liner notes, licensing, photos, unearthed unreleased etc). So you expect brilliance, and more often than not, thankfully, that's what you get. 

But it took me time to hear it and I suspect others of my dotage may feel the same. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of unknown and forgotten brilliance on "Deep In The Woods: Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975" for sure, but there's also evidence as to why many of these artists remained obscure. And the clumsy-to-touch dull-looking fold-out DigiPak-packaging with its strangely underwhelming lesser booklet is not doing "Deep In The Woods..." any favours either. 

This thing looks and feels clunky when it should ooze reissue-class like any number of 3CD Clamshell Box Sets from Grapefruit or Esoteric or Universal that I have reviewed and loved this last decade or so. Still, the Audio is uniformly great for such a disparate number of sources and there are tremendous discoveries worth owning - the kind of compilation that will inform and send you down paths you didn't know or have ignored. 

There's a lot to unpack, so here's to the Funky Folks, the Faces from the Past, the Wooden Ships that pass in the smoke-swirling night and your common-as-muck Sitar-driven right-on Faerie Lore...

UK released 18 November 2022 - "Deep In The Woods: Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Strawberry CRJAM012T (Barcode 5013929431232) is a 3CD 54-Track Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (I've provided release dates and catalogue numbers, not in the book):

CD1 (78:08 minutes):

1. Lady Jane - FAT MATTRESS (from their second and last album "Fat Mattress II", UK released October 1970 on Polydor 2383 025)

2. Not Even A Letter - KNOCKER JUNGLE (from the 1970 UK LP "Knocker Jungle" on Ember NR 5042)

3. I Need You - DUFFY POWER (from the 1973 UK LP "Duffy Power" on Spark SRLM 2205)

4. Face From The Past - MIKE HURST [ex The Springfields with Dusty Springfield] (from his debut solo LP "Home", US released 1969 on Capitol ST 619)

5. I Wanna Stay Here - RAY FENWICK (from the July 1971 UK LP "Keep America Beautiful, Get A Haircut" on Decca SKL 5090)

6. Natural Gas - HARDIN & YORK [Eddie Hardin and Peter York] (from the July 1971 UK LP "For The World" on Decca SKL 5095)

7. Mother Earth - OPEN ROAD [Donovan's Backing Band] (from the August 1971 UK LP "Windy Daze" on The Greenwich Gramophone Company Records GSLP 1001)

8. Motherless Child On A Merry-Go-Round - PAUL BRETT (from his 1973 debut album "Paul Brett" on Bradley's Records BRADL 1001)

9. Noisey Johnny - THE WOODS BAND (from the December 1971 UK Debut LP "The Woods Band" on Greenwich Gramophone Company Records GSLP 1004 - featuring Gay and Terry Woods - Terry later with The Pogues, Gay with Auto Da Fe - and Tony Reeves of Colosseum and Greenslade)

10. Yorric - MEIC STEVENS (from the June 1970 UK Debut LP "Outlander" on Warner Brothers WS 3005)

11. You Just Can't Believe What You See - MARC ELLINGTON (from the July 1975 UK LP "Marc Time" on XTRA Records XTRA 1154)

12. Crystal Blue - ALAN JAMES EASTWOOD (from the 1971 UK LP "Seeds" on President PTLS 1037)

13. La Virra - ARRIVAL (from their debut LP "Arrival", UK released August 1970 on Decca SLK 5055)

14. Cold Wind - DANDO SHAFT (from their July 1970 UK Debut LP "An Evening With Dando Shaft" on Young Blood SSYB 6)

15. Hymn To Valerie Solanas - LINDA HOYLE [of Affinity] (from her November 1971 UK Debut Solo LP "Pieces Of Me" on Vertigo 6360 060)

16. Nova Sketch - NIRVANA (from the February 1972 UK LP "Songs Of Love And Praise" on Philips 6308 089)

17. Castle Sand - BRIAN DAVISON'S EVERY WHICH WAY [ex The Nice] (from the October 1970 UK Debut LP "Brian Davison's Every Which Way" on Charisma CAS 1021 - band featured singer Graham Bell, ex Skip Bifferty)

18. Yellow Eyes - JADE WARRIOR (from the December 1971 UK LP "Released" on Vertigo 6360 062)

19. Buffalo - WRITING ON THE WALL (June 1973 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 45251, Non-LP B-side of "Man Of Renown")

CD2 (77:36 minutes):

1. Wooden Ships - CHRIS (Christine) HARWOOD (from the March 1973 Debut (and only) LP "Nice To Meet Miss Christine" on Birth Records RAB 1 - a Buffalo Springfield cover version - features Dave Lambert of Strawbs, Roger Sutton of Jody Grind, Tommy Eyre of Joe Cocker's Grease Band and more)

2. Fly High - BRIDGET ST. JOHN (from the June 1972 third album "Thank You For..." on Dandelion/Polydor 2310 193 - John Martyn guests on treated electric guitar)

3. Rain - DANDO SHAFT (from their July 1970 UK Debut LP "An Evening With Dando Shaft" on Young Blood SSYB 6 featuring Polly Bolton, Martin Jenkins and Dave Cooper)

4. Lord And Master - HERON (from their November 1970 UK Debut LP "Heron" on Dawn Records DNLS 3010 featuring guitarist Gerald Moore later of G.T. Moore & The Reggae Guitars)

5. Silversong - MELLOW CANDLE (from the April 1972 UK Debut LP "Swaddling Songs" on Deram SDL 7 featuring Clodagh Simonds, Alison and David Williams, Frank Boylan and William Murray - "Silversong" was also on a UK 7" single in February 1972 on Deram DM 357, the B-side of "Dan The Wing") 

6. Murdoch - TREES (from their February 1971 UK Second and Last Studio Album on CBS Records S 64168 - featuring Celia Humphris, David Costa, Tobias 'Bias' Boshell, Barry Clarke and (Stephen) Unwin Brown)

7. Foothills - KEITH CHRISTMAS (from his October 1974 Fourth UK LP "Brighter Day" on Manticore Records K 53503 - featuring Ian McDonald of King Crimson on Keyboards, Pete Solley of Paladin on Synths with Production by Greg Lake of ELP)

8. Morning Way - TRADER HORNE (from the March 1970 UK Debut LP on Dawn Records DNLS 3004 - featuring Jackie McAuley of Them and Judy Dyble of Fairport Convention with Guests Ray Elliott of Them and John Godfrey

9. Shadows 'Cross My Wall - MILLER ANDERSON (from the June 1971 UK Debut LP "Bright City" on Deram SDL 3 (Anderson was later with The Keef Hartley Band) - featuring Guitarist Neil Hubbard of The Grease Band and Juicy Lucy, Lyn Dobson on Flute with String Arrangements by Junior Campbell of Marmalade)

10. Time Is My Enemy - THE GHOST (from the 1970 UK Debut (and only) LP "When You're Dead - One Second" on Gemini Records GME 1004 - featuring Paul Eastment of Velvet Fogg, Terry Guy of The John Bull Breed and Jazz Vocalist Shirley Kent) 

11. Flowering Cherry - KEVIN COYNE (September 1972 UK 45-single on Dandelion 2001-357, Non-LP B-side of "Cheat Me")

12. Hangin' On An Eyelid - SECOND HAND (from their April 1971 UK Debut LP "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" on Mushroom Records 200 MR 6 - featuring Ken Elliott and Kieran O’Connor later with Seventh Wave)

13. Shoes And Ships - FUCHSIA (from their November 1971 UK Debut LP "Fuchsia" on Pegasus Records PEG 8 - featuring Tony Durant of Punchin' Judy and Madeline Brand)

14. Place In The Country - MIKE HURST (from his June 1971 UK Second LP "In My Time" on Capitol ST 21819 featuring Ray Fenwick of Quiver)

15. Swan In The Evening - AMBER (1971 UK recording issued 2000 on the Limited Edition 10" LP "Pearls Of Amber" on Shagrat Records ENT 008 - featuring Ray Cooper of Elton John's Band, Julian McAllister, Mac MacLeod of B.B. Brothers with Keith Relf Producing)

16. The Inevitable Fate Of Ms. Danya Sox - GLOBAL VILLAGE TRUCKING COMPANY (from the March 1975 UK Debut (and only) LP "Global Village Trucking Company" on Caroline Records C 1516 featuring James Lascelles and Jon Owen)

17. Jug Of Love - MIGHTY BABY (from their second and final studio album "A Jug Of Love" - released October 1971 in the UK on Blue Horizon Records 2931 001 - Produced by Mike Vernon - band featured Ian Whiteman, Martin Stone, Alan 'Bam' King (later with Ace), Michael Evans and Roger Powell)

CD3 (76:24 minutes):

1. Magician In The Mountain - SUNFOREST (from the Debut (and only) LP "Sound Of Sunforest" released January 1970 on Deram Nova DN 7 (Mono) and SDN 7 (Stereo) - Stereo Mix Used)

2. Crying To Be Heard - CHRISTINE HARWOOD (from the March 1973 Debut (and only) LP "Nice To Meet Miss Christine" on Birth Records RAB 1 - a Traffic/Dave Mason cover - features Dave Lambert of Strawbs, Mike Maran, Peter Banks, Ian McDonald of King Crimson, Jeff Matthews of Design, Peter York of Hardin & York)

3. City Of The Angels - WIZZ JONES (from his June 1972 UK fourth LP "Right Time" on CBS Records S 64809 - featuring Pete Berryman of Famous Jug Band, Andy Fernbach and John Renbourn of Pentangle)

4. Lady Of The Lake – JADE WARRIOR (from the December 1972 UK Third LP "Last Autumn's Dream" on Vertigo 6360 079)

5. Oh To Be Free – KNOCKER JUNGLE (from the 1970 UK LP "Knocker Jungle" on Ember NR 5042)

6. Silver Coin – BRIDGET ST. JOHN (from her June 1972 third album "Thank You For..." on Dandelion/Polydor 2310 193 - written by Terry Hiscock of Hunter Muskett - Gordon Huntley of Matthews Southern Comfort plays Pedal Steel Guitar)

7. In The Morning – FRIENDS (1972 recording originally only on a commercially unreleased Acetate Album called "Fragile" – finally CD issued 2005 on Acme ACLN1007CD – band featured Bill Aitken, Peter Howell and John Ferdinado)

8. Lotus Child – ALAN JAMES EASTWOOD (from his 1971 UK Debut LP "Seeds" on President Records PTLS 1037 – issued as "Alan James Eastwood" in the USA on Bang Records BLPS 225)

9. Bun – THE DEVIANTS (from the June 1968 UK Debut LP "Ptooff!" on Impresarios IMP 1 – featuring Mick Farren)

10. Amongst Anenomies – JADE (from the August 1970 UK Debut (and only) LP "Fly On Strangewings" on DJM Records DJLPS 407 – featuring Marianne Segal and Dave Waite, James Litherland of Colosseum, Pete Seers (later with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship) with Terry Cox of Pentangle)

11. The Death Of Don Quixote – PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE (from their August 1969 UK Debut LP "Soundtrack" on Dandelion Records S 63752)

12. Hawaii – YVONNE ELLIMAN (from her November 1973 UK LP "Food Of Love" on Purple Records TPS 3504 - Produced by RUPERT HINE - guest musicians included Pete Townshend of The Who, Mick Grabham of Bandit and Cochise, Simon Jeffes of The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Caleb Quaye and Ray Cooper of Hookfoot and Elton John's Band, Peter Robinson of Quatermass and Brand X, Ann Odell of Blue Mink, Chopyn and Roger Glover's Band with Rupert Hine of Quantum Jump)

13. The Evil Venus Tree – THE OCCASIONAL WORD (from the 1969 UK Debut (and only) LP "The Year Of The Great Leap Sideways" on Dandelion Records S 63753)

14. Goblets And Elms – IAN A. ANDERSON (from the November 1970 UK LP "Royal York Crescent" on The Village Thing Records VTS 3)

15. Rejoice – BILL NELSON (later Be-Bop Deluxe) (from his November 1971 UK Debut Solo LP "Northern Dream" on Smile Records LAF 2182)

16. Time Is The Reason – ZIOR (from their early 1973 German LP "Every Inch A Man" on Global/Interchord Records 26009-1 – had been called Monument and their debut LP "The First Monument" was released October 1971 in the UK on Beacon Records BEAS 15)

17. New Horizon – CURTIS KNIGHT with ZEUS (from their 1973 Debut (and only) German LP "Sea Of Time" on Philips 6305 208)

18. Reach For The Truth – LINDA LEWIS (from her October 1972 UK Second LP "Lark" on Reprise Records K 44208)

Co-ordinated and Project-Managed by JOHN REED and RICHARD NORRIS - the 28-page booklet nestles in the left flap and has photos of the artists and bands that have always hovered around all-things Folk-Rock, Acid-Folk, Funky-Folk, Pastoral-Psych and so on. Not surprisingly the three to four-figure album names are here – Mellow Candle (an advert for their lone Deram LP on Page 4), Trader Horne and their "Morning Way" album on Dawn, an orange-label CBS original of "Right Now" by Wizz Jones. There is a scene-setting preamble by RICHARD NORRIS (written August 2022) that recalls CND marches, LSD popping, getting it together in the country in children-of-the-soil-communes, the London UFO club, the cultural explosion that started in 1967 with the Flower-Power Summer Of Love and all that Transcendental Meditation searching for meaning in an increasingly violent world.

Beginning on Page 9, Norris then does artist-by-artist paragraphs as they appear on the compilation (it can mean that when there are two tracks by bands like say Dando Shaft, Bridget St. John, Knocker Jungle and more - you must flick back to the details which is a bit of a pain). Every entry though has some kind of representation of the artist - a photo woven alongside the text – the Duffy Power album by promo photos of say Tim Renwick or Paul Brett or Welsh folky Meic Stevens. There’s a collage two-page spread in the centre pages that shows you stuff like a Hastings Pier gig for Global Village Trucking Company or the rare Euro LP artwork for the Curtis Knight with Zeus LP. Although some will no doubt say this is perfectly acceptable - I still think unfortunately that Strawberry should avoid using this DigiPak Card Flap format for future releases because it feels naff and flimsy when the effort involved warranted something more akin to a Clamshell Box Set with three individually pictured card sleeves. The Audio by SIMON MURPHY – a name very familiar to us that buy these things – is shockingly good given the disparate sources. To the tunes…

CD1 kicks off with the Noel Reading Polydor Records vehicle Fat Mattress talking about wearing no shoes and walking down leafy lanes where he stumbles upon a girl with a ribbon in her hair (top class audio). The Acoustic Folk-Funk starts proper with the Knocker Jungle LP from 1970 on Ember Records – their "Not Even A Letter" full of strangulated vocals and lingering flute. Uptempo a notch with Duffy Power – great audio on his by-my-side "I Need You" – but the plinking-plonking clavinet pastoral stop-and-start Mike Hurst is trying to be groovy and just about getting there (lyrics from it title this review). The compilation then throws up its first real gem in my books - "I Wanna Stay Here" by Ray Fenwick of The Spencer Davis Group and Quiver (later with The Sutherland Brothers) – the acoustic strums lining you up for a cool flanged chorus – sort of like Terry Reid on a six-string tip. 

Time to rightly Funk things up with Hardin & York (Eddie Hardin and Peter York) searching for "Natural Gas" – a very sexy and cool groove – gonna make it on one of Funky-Funky CD comps with a bullet. Continuing a slightly Santana-does-Latin vibe – the backing band for Donovan called Open Road give us "Mother Earth" – a call-to-arms for a planet hurting – environmental sun sinking down into the sea. Guitarist Paul Brett (worked with Strawbs, Al Stewart, Roy Harper and many more) utilizes Mike Piggott on Violin (good track rather a great one) while a huge array of acoustic instruments fill your living room for The Woods Band instrumental "Noisey Johnny" – gorgeous audio. Time to go Sitar, Tabla and Flute tripping-out with what has to be one of the musical prizes offered on "Deep In The Woods…" – Welsh folky Meic Stevens and his highly sought-after "Outlander" on Warner Brothers – his "Yorric" sounding astonishingly contemporary a full 54-years after the event. More gorgeous guitar and even better production values for Marc Ellington sounding uncannily like Mark Knopfler in 1975 (American Ellington living in the UK at the time was a backing vocalist on the Fairport Convention album "Unhalfbricking"). His "You Just Can't Believe What You See" is surely another highlight on this 3CD set.

Compiler Norris cleverly slows things down with the lovely acoustic-funky jaunt of "Crystal Blue" by Alan James Eastwood [ex Brumbeats and Exception] – the first of two tracks from his sought-after "Seeds" LP of 1971 on President Records. Finally we get proper Pastoral-Prog meets The Nice with the Arrival instrumental "La Virra" -a jagged brute that comes complete with Beefheart jerky beats and yes – a Bass solo. Huge audio for the first of two superb Dando Shaft tracks – the first being "Cold Wind" – that signature acoustic sound they made courtesy of Martin Jenkins with vocals from Kevin Kempsey and Dave cooper (Jenkins would later duet and work with Bert Jansch on the "Avocet" album from 1978). Great stuff. Taking no prisoners either lyrically or musically – Linda Hoyle of Affinity takes on all-comers with her men-out-to-trap-you funk-boogie track "Hymn To Valerie Solanos" – a wee beastie of a song dedicated to the leader of SCUM (The Society For Cutting Up Men) – and in a business dominated by dogy men – you can so hear why Linda dug the rage in this song. 

The run of CD1 ends with some very cool inclusions – first up being a 1:50 minute Piano-and-Tabla funky instrumental by "Nirvana" called "Nova Sketch". Post their Island Records full-on hippy albums, this dinky insert features members of Jade Warrior so is more Trippy-Prog. Next up is Brian Davison and his band Every Which Way (ex The Nice) who managed one LP on Charisma Records in 1970. Sounding not unlike Traffic getting their harmony-vocals together in a Sussex cottage – the flute and guitars play off each other as the tune-amble heads towards six minutes. Back to pretty Prog-Pastoral (complete with gorgeous audio) – Jade Warrior give us more Flute and Acoustic in their "Yellow Eyes". CD1 closes with a huge band on the scene – Writing On The Wall – and their obscure 1973 B-side they did called "Buffalo". All doom-laden Mellotron and Tambourine backbeat – the bass booms before the echoed vocals start – but good as it is – beware - it's very hissy and sounds like it's been dubbed off a well-used record. 

CD3 improves over CD1 and 2 immediately. The very epitome of Funky-Folk - "Magician In The Mountain" by the Vic Smith produced Sunforest turned up on the May 2008 Decca/Deram 3CD Clamshell Box Set "Strange Pleasures: Further Sounds Of The Decca Underground" as an overlooked gem (see separate review for that excellent box). You can so hear why the Christine Harwood album "Nice To Meet Miss Christine" is sought after - a very cool trippy blend of layered Rotary Connection-type voices over a Funky Sax and Piano groove that you might hear in a hip West End cafe bar then rush to the counter wanting to know where this Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity track has been all your life. Superb third-track follow-up comes in the brilliant six-minute shape of Wizz Jones (produced by Pentangle's ace guitarist John Renbourn) on how his lady-chasing trip to Los Angeles went while sounding like a Funky-Acoustic guitar showcase version of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with Graham Nash singing lead. Fantastic stuff.

Track 4 on CD3 then goes Prog-mellow with strummed and treated guitars floating over a Tabla beat and a hippie-swirling flanged vocal for "Lady Of The Lake" from Vertigo darlings Jade Warrior. I kinda like the Mungo Jerry-ish 'oh to be free to do what I want to do' vibe in Knocker Jungle's "Oh To Be Free" (a good discovery for me) but it's whomped by the genuine beauty of a second Bridget St. John contribution to the compilation - "Silver Coin" - an aching ballad about words and good men written by Terry Hiscock of Hunter Muskett with Gordon Huntley of Matthews Southern Comfort playing Pedal Steel to her Nico-voice. Rare and taken from a Remastered Acetate - the Friends track "In The Morning" lets the side down a tad – a forgotten song lost to time for a reason. But then an immediate pick-up in the strings-and-acoustic-acid feel to "Lotus Child" by Alan James Eastwood – our Al getting all Eastern mysticism on our Western Tabla-toned asses. CD3 winds down towards Soulful types like Yvonne Elliman and the ever-popular Folk-Soul of Linda Lewis and her "Lark" album right through to early Prog Rock soundscapes of Bill Nelson pre-Be-Bop Deluxe.

I initially struggled a little with "Deep In The Woods: Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975" - but on repeated listens - the battle very definitely paid off. There is so much to discover here and I'm glad I persevered. Nice one boys - but next time - go for the pride of a Clamshell Box Set because this much effort deserves it…