Unhalfbricking
by Fairport Convention

Sandy Denny is, in my opinion, the greatest female singer / songwriter Britain has ever produced, though, if you think about it, the competition list is quite short. 'Who Knows Where the time Goes' is on this, so that would be reason enough by itself to include this album, but it also includes two great originals by Richard Thompson and some inspired Dylan covers. (Edited)

From Romanelli TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/11/2011 05:07 | #19111 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Fairport Convention formed in 1967, and are still playing today. There have been many personnel changes, which has hampered their popularity and consistency (only one original member remains today). Unhalfbricking is their 3rd album, feautiring guitarist Richard Thompson, singer Sandy Denny, and fiddler Dave Swarbrick, who would be the main players in their next and greatest album, Liege And Leaf.

Unhalfbricking features 2 Thompson songs, 2 Denny songs, a traditional tune, and 3 by Bob Dylan, whom the group became enamored with after hearing the unreleased Basement Tapes. "Si Tu Dois Partir" is Dylan's "If You Gotta Go" sung in French. The album is a classic without a single weak track as Fairport were becoming England's greatest folk-rock band. You can't lose with this one.

(Edited)

A very progressive interpretation of folk here. They combine their own compilations with some of Dylan’s (very much like the Byrd’s) to create a very nice and compact listen. Sandy Denny’s vocals are a particular highlight throughout, particularly towards the back end where she really comes into her own, she specifically sounds fantastic on” Percy’s Song” harmonising brilliantly with the backing vocals . Other highlights would be the opener “Genesis Hall”, “Autopsy”, “Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” and the very psychedelic “A Sailor’s Life”. (Edited)

One of the best albums from the classic Fairport Convention line up. Beautiful songs and textures, with, genesis hall, a sailor's life, and off course, who knows where the time goes, all great. The Dylan covers are fine too. Lovely stuff. (Edited)

This is really where it starts. Contains the band's only hit, "Si Tu Dois Partir", a French language version of an unreleased Dylan song, "If You Gotta Go, Go Now". There are two other unreleased Dylan songs on the album. Denny and Thompson provide the other songs, apart from one traditional English folk song, "A Sailors' Life". The performance of this song is quite remarkable - it has a meaty West Coast punch combined with Denny's ethereal vocals and album guest Swarbrick's folk-jazz violin. Best listened to with copious amounts of dope and joss sticks, it can also be enjoyed and respected stone cold sober. It is this track that really marked the change for Fairport, and put them as the leading folk act in the UK, and inspired others to emulate their blend of traditional English folk with modern instruments and a modern musical structure. The blend of folk, rock, and jazz is stunning, largely thanks to Swarbrick who would become a member of the band after the album was recorded. The track, at 11.20, is the longest not only of the album, but - with the exception of the concept album "Babbacombe" Lee - of the band's entire career. Side two opens with the clattering rocky "Cajun Woman", before returning to the sublime with one of the band's most respected songs - Denny's "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?". A very satisfying album indeed, aside from its historical significance. (Edited)