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Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
1969
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!Simply, the apogee of British folk rock. Possibly the genre's greatest ever album. Opener aside, everything else comes from the archives of Cecil House but Fairport Convention play the material as if it was their own. Sandy Denny is at her peak here - variously gentle, imperious, confiding and raucous. Listen to the way she inhabits each character as if an actor on both 'Matty Groves' and the most remarkable of all, 'Tam Lin'. I grew up on this stuff.
I am generally pretty wary of folk music but I think that mostly applies to American folk music with it's tendency towards an often forced twang. This, however, works for me. I don't know if it's just being that much closer to the source or if it is that it actually rocks pretty damn hard when it wants to. I think alot weighs on the power of Sandy Denny's voice and Richard Thompson's guitar playing.
The band slaps hard and Sandy Denny's voice, both beautiful and otherworldly carries the melodies superbly. There's a ton of subtext and depth to the songs and arrangements, leant an extra level of emotion due to the personal tragedy and upheaval the group went through around (or just before) the time they met to record the album. Blending the ancient with the supernatural and turning it into something distinctly modern yet timeless this is the ultimate folk-rock record.
N'étant pas un grand fan de techno, cet album m'a tout de même donné envie d'avaler trois cachets d'ecstasy et de passer une nuit entière en rave party au milieu d'autres personnes baignées dans leur sueur.
Loved it. What a great way to communicate folk music. There's clearly a tradition here I haven't come close to tapping. That is, I liked playing folk forms at one point and am intrigued by some contemporary avant-garde approaches to old tunes, but felt like the pop-folk approaches were mostly cheap. I was wrong.
Reynardine is a hell of a way to scare the listener off. Get past that and enjoy the folk impurism on offer. Thompson's guitar and Denny's drugged-out voice are too rock for chastity lullabies and keep the spectre of let's-go-back-to-purer-times idealism-cum-conservatism at bay.
Actually quite enjoyed this style. Would love to explore more of this British folk rock.
Only on 'Reynardine', but I'm really feeling this. Sandy Denny has a gorgeous voice. I'm leaning 5 stars on this one, I'm such a big fan of this electrified yet traditional folk vibe.
This taps into my childhood memories of going to the Kent State Folk Festival. Love British folk. Need to be an independently wealthy white woman.
Loved this! An overlooked folk classic!! My favorite track was Medley: The Lark in the Morning!
I think I liked Unhalfbricking a little more, but this record still felt like a time capsule into a fantastical past, and I loved it.
i was surprised the first time i heard them and realized i really really liked them. i hadn't thought i would, but here we are. this album is no exception - i really enjoyed it, especially the droning, washing guitar. huge soft spot for richard thomson after vincent black lightning.
I tried to get into Fairport Convention when I was a teen after hearing the lady that sung on The Battle of Evermore was in the band. But since they had 20+ albums and Sandy Denny only sang on three of them I was more confused than anything. I wish I had heard this one back then. Absolutely amazing.
A great folk album. It might've been the moment I listened, but this is one of the first albums I listened front to back in this project. The vocals really took me on a journey that I didn't mind being on, the execution of the ideas on this album are wonderful and made me feel very serene.
Fairport in their Heyday here with the wonderful voice of Sandy Denny sadly for the last time with the band. Some lovely songs on this hugely influential album that some see as the first proper English "Folk-Rock" album. Love "Tam-Lin" and "Matty Groves" which winds up the volume. Rightfully on the list.
Come all ye rolling minstrels And together we will try To rouse the spirit of the air And move the rolling sky
The songs are really chill, everything is slow paced and calming. I could put this on anytime as background music.
Imagine one part traditional Celtic folk music, one part American west coast bay area psychedelia, and one part progressive rock, and voila: Fairport Convention, one of the greatest groups I’ve never heard. American folk rock emerged in the mid-1960s combining the energy of electric rock music with the lyrical depth of acoustic folk music- the Los Angeles quintet, The Byrds, being a prime example. Bob Dylan, who many crowned the King of folk rock when he went electric, hated the term himself, rebuking any attempt to define his new sound with this genre. But it stuck nonetheless, and off it went, spawning groups like the Mamas and the Papas, and the Lovin’ Spoonfuls. All that is to say that American folk rock is one thing, while folk rock emanating from the UK is a whole other matter. 'Liege & Lief' is one of the first major folk rock LPs from this tradition. Most of the songs are free adaptations of centuries-old British and Celtic folk material, containing a wide range of lyrical themes- werewolves seducing maidens, lovers’ rescued from the Queen of Fairies, humans in the form of ravens whose true identity is revealed in death- but delivered in such a way that any reasonably intelligent American with no knowledge of UK history would be able, easily, to follow the plot. One does not have to know that ‘The Deserter’ is concerned with Britain’s Recruiting Act of 1703 to understand the song’s general meaning. Musically, every member of the group possesses talent and passion, yet not without skilled restraint. The ‘jams’ are never over-prolonged, the vocals carefully synched, the arrangements tasty and tasteful. If there were any rogue egos at work here, I didn’t hear ‘em. Fairport Convention plays as a cooperative unit. Here’s the bonus, though: Fairport Convention manages to retain the authenticity of the original ballads while at the same time infusing them with a bit of Jefferson Airplane (NOT Starship, please). And then, to make things really interesting, from time to time they even toss in some changing time signatures, ala prog rock. ‘Tam Lin,’ a traditional Scottish ballad, is a great example. I doubt the bagpipers of old ever changed back and forth from 3/4 to 4/4, with a little double time 6/8 throw in for good measure. On the third cut, ‘Matty Groves,’ just when you think the downtempo ballad has come to an end, the band breaks into an uptempo jam, an electric hoedown, Grateful Dead style, but also seasoned with the flavor of Jethro Tull. Don’t hold me too tightly to any of this, though. It would be a mistake to affix any permanent boundaries defining Fairport Convention, at least on 'Liege & Lief.' This LP rambles over hill and dale, and down many winding roads. ‘So come all ye rolling minstrels,’ invites lead vocalist Sandy Denny on the opening number (and one joyfully extended, encouraged even, to you and I to become part of the chorus, a surprisingly clever technique that draws the listener in immediately), ‘and together we will try to rouse the spirit of the air, and move the rolling sky.’ That’s a tall order, lads and lasses. And Fairport Convention serves it up throughout this terrific LP, at times steaming hot like a plate of corned beef and cabbage, and other times creamy cool like a foamy pint of Guinness. An eight course/track delightful and satisfyingly filling meal.
Super Stimme! Die Fiedeln mit der E-Gitarre sind eine coole Mischung! Bin vielleicht noch zu sehr auf dem RDR-Trip, aber es erinnert mich auch an die frühe Joni Mitchell und Loreena McKennitt gekoppelt mit Heron Valley oder Hò-rò. Letztere sind wahrscheinlich sogar von Fairport inspiriert. Mir auf jeden Fall vorgemerkt, um näher erforscht zu werden.
Ooh this is very nice. Beautiful folk stylings with just a touch of rock. Odd pacing at times but great overall.
Had a touch of Irish to it. I thought to myself, "Dad would have liked this." Then I looked up the band's bio and lo and behold, Richard Thompson was one of the the guitarists. Thompson was one of dad's favorite musicians. It felt like learning something about Dad from beyond the veil.
Pretty fun early folk rock with some medieval vibes to boot. Sometimes a bit repetitive and whiney, but mostly a good time.
A band and album i had never heard of. I was pleasantly surprised with the folksy rock.
Oooo I wonder if Katie would like this? Matty Groves is a good tune. yea this is cool as a 60's acid rock folk album
Ooh, something I've never heard of! This was very interesting. Felt somewhat modern too. Would listen again, and buy the vinyl if I found it.
A beautiful album that made my hairs stand on end, even on the 3rd or 4th listen. Highlights include Reynardine and Matty Groves. The arrangements are brilliant and the vocals are gorgeous. An album that took me completely by surprise and one that I will revisit often.
This is an album I would consider part of a trilogy along with ‘What We Did On Our Holidays’ & ‘Unhalfbricking’. Outside of that my knowledge of Fairport Convention is nil. They are a great folk rock band of seriously talented musicians however it is Sandy Denny’s voice that makes Fairport unique. Standout track is Matty Groves but it is all enjoyable.
Remember when electric instruments in folk music would freak people out? And then by the end of the 60s, that attitude was ridiculously quaint. I honestly think folk rock pushed things a bit too far in the rock direction, and this album strikes a really cool balance, because these songs just sound so trad. I love it. Favourite track: “Come All Ye”
I was familiar with Sandy Denny through her performance on Led Zeppelin IV, but this showcases her vocals in a new way. This album is very interesting in that it approaches folk rock from a undeniably British perspective. Great storytelling, and compelling music.
Now THIS is more like it, especially after the Tim Buckley disappointment. Had me right at the start with "Come All Ye". Reminds me of the New Pornographers in a lot of ways, and The Decemberists in other ways. Fun bonus fact: Turns out Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny sang with Robert Plant on "The Battle Of Evermore" on Led Zeppelin IV. That little fact obviously helps the latter album's rating more than this one's, but it's worth noting. Listen to her voice on this album and you can hear why Plant was so taken with Sandy Denny.
Actually really enjoyed this one, I like the story-based lyrics and the instrumentals are great. Reminds me of the folk festival I used to go to when I was younger
Solid voice and instrumentation. Taps into a different reality it feels like. It's just feels and sounds like something really old. But really old in an interesting, and not outdated and boring way. I liked it alot actually.
A very generous 4. I do like this airy fairy folky shit, but too much can be a bad thing😄
I believe this is our first double-LP. I love double LPs. People hate on them. I think they usually represent a band's peak, regardless of critical or commercial agreement. And, based on the fact that this was one of three Fairport Convention releases in 1969, I'd proffer they were at a peak of sorts...ha. Gotta say, I was surprised to hear a female vocal first. I expected nerdy prog music with dudes singing about elves and moonbeams (which I also love). Not sure why I assumed this was a prog band. Have never heard. But this is another one that I really loved and was surprised by. I think it's cool that this band prioritizes arrangements and proficiency over psychedelic theatrics. I also like "discovering" a band that seems to have a huge catalog. Very excited to listen to more...
British folk rock??? As I pressed play, fully ready to toss this album in the trash with the rest, I was transformed. I realllllly enjoyed this one. While many of the songs begin to blend together, it is the style and voice that kept me listening. Reminded me of Joni Mitchell or Jefferson Airplane. I was hooked. I loved Come All Ye and Quiet Joys of Brotherhood among many others. While the album cover isn't very flashy, and I'd never have listened to this before, I'm really glad I did.
Stunning album, beautiful vocals and incredible musicianship. Transportive, transformative and avoids the label of twee which bedevils much folk music. What a joy.
Good stuff. Favorites: Farewell, Farewell, The Lark In The Morning, Crazy Man Michael.
The only thing I really knew of Fairport Convention was Sandy Denny guest vocal for Led Zeppelin. It occurred to me I kind of mixed them up with Pentangle in mind. As folk rock goes I thought this was pretty first rate.
Typical 60s folk soft rock vibes sung by girl with a beautiful voice and renaissance era stylings. Loved some of this; some was a little tedious, but overall a solid 3.6. The kicker is the guitar work - reminded me a bit of Stephen Stills. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I started listening it with low expectations, and disliked a lot the second track (Reynardine), BUT starting from the third track (Matty Groves), the album turns into a masterpiece! Super fun to listen to! Favorite tracks: * Matty Groves * Medley: The Lark In The Morning * Tam Lin
Heard of, but was unfamiliar with the music of Fairport. Really interesting work, a combo of traditional and original English folk tunes. Definitely worth a listen. Added and will explore more.
Sandy Denny's amazing vocals and the band grinds, chugs and sweeps over the folk material, updating it for modern times in ways that feel energizing and innovative on the one hand, and spiritually respectful and true on the other. There are dark and haunting moments, too, that add to the richness.
I was almost going to skip this album today. Had a super stressful day and was burned by the last few folks albums I had got on this list. This though? It’s an album that a bunch of hipsters could put out now and Pitchfork would go crazy for. This is really good. I’m amazed that it seemly is one of the freshest sounds I think I’ve got from this. Yes, it does start going into some songs about medieval-age battles (?) but the driving force behind escpecially the first few songs it’s so modern. I put this on while walking around downtown Toronto for the first time in 2 years. Felt like a king.
I like this quite a bit. This is folk with some modern instruments added. It flows nicely. I will listen to this again. 3.5/5
Very beautiful and interesting music, which was very clearly a big influence on a lot of artists. Closer to a 3.5
Very very folk-music stuff. That isnt very descriptive. It was fine, but I think it is really some story-telling music that may not be my thing. Worth listening to again.
I should like this album more than I do, as it has a bunch of themes and sounds that are firmly in my wheelhouse. Something about it just didn't click very well for me, though. I'd listen to it again, but it's only a weak 3 stars for me.
This sounds like a band that people in a 60s cult would like. I did enjoy it but it got a little tiresome by the end.
This is really relaxing. It mostly faded into the background as a soothing presence, but occasionally that beautiful voice broke through and poked at my senses. This album is a really nice listen, it feels comfortable, like spending time with the type of friend where silences aren't awkward. Just sit and enjoy, no effort.
The dreaded folk rock banjo returns. Was prepared to hate this but was pleasantly surprised by a couple of songs. The Lark in the Morning was way too much though.
I am not a huge classic folk fan, I had no listened to any of this band before. They have 26(!!) studio albums, so they have been going for a long, long time. For me, nothing in here is "bad", but listening to recordings does absolutely nothing for me. Listening live might be more fun. The vocalist is good, but very cookie-cutter "good singer' for me, I typically like "flawed vocalists".
Haven't heard of this group before so had no expectations but was pleasantly surprised.
"And you will strike the very first blow And strike it like a man I will strike the very next blow And I'll kill you if I can" (Matty Groves) "And will you never return to see Your bruised and beaten sons? "Oh, I would, I would, if welcome I were For they loathe me, every one"" (Farewell, farewell) Un disco para volver a escuchar un día que no tenga ochomil cosas que hacer, buena música para escribir. ¡¡Por fin una señora!!
Another nostalgic album from roadtrips with the fam. Really like the first tune. Doesn't go very far as an album but enjoyed going down memory lane.
Quite a range of sounds/genres on here. Really like some of it, not so keen on some too. Enjoyed it though.
Folk country rock? I dunno what this is. Female lead, very 60s sound, like Jefferson airplane.
I had low expectations after reading about the traditional origins of this album, but I enjoyed some of these songs quite a bit. The instrumentation is definitely more interesting than anticipated.
I think there's a lot to recognize about the importance and value of British Folk music from this era - Pentangle as well as these guys. It can feel a bit over the top in a white hippy renaissance faire kinda way at times, but it also took the folk revival of the 60's (all the bands that were inspired by Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music) in a new direction for the psychedelic era. Honestly, I find most of it too boring to listen to a full album of in any given sitting, but there's some gems of tracks in there that work well on a mix tape / playlist for sure, and I think these records and the musicians on them ended up seeding some pretty interesting directions in music over the decade to come.
I would enjoy listening to Liege And Lief more in a pub, but its a bit bare if you just sit down and see what's being offered. Sandy Denny's voice sounds terrific and fortunately does not overwhelm the instrumentals, and it reminds me a tad of some classic tracks from the Velvet Underground at times. Besides Matty Groves, I do find that the majority album lacks energy and is monotonous. 3/5.
awesome instrumentation, super interesting phrases. the vocals were about as formulaic as they come, though she has a nice voice.
“Liege and Lief” by Fairport Convention (1969) Well, this is a minor jewel. British folk rockers doing what they do best. Mostly traditional songs, telling tales well told and well worth telling, with your usual chord structures and folk stylings. These are songs that are easy to play and hear, likely performed in pubs and coffeehouses by a whole generation of youngsters in the 70s who would ultimately aspire to quality punk. And it’s good. If the female lead vocalist sounds strangely familiar, it’s Sandy Denny, who has been heard by hundreds of millions of music lovers in duet with Robert Plant on the “The Battle for Evermore” (Led Zeppelin IV [1970]). Her voice has a purity and sensitivity that is not quite Judy Collins or Loreena McKennitt, but is fine nonetheless. Easy on the ears. Listen carefully for the electric guitar blues riffs in “Come All Ye” for a nice stylistic synthesis that makes the music more progressive than simple “traditional” folk. There’s a very nice up tempo extended outro arrangement on “Marty Groves” that shows what fiddle and guitars can do with a lot of manual dexterity (and rehearsal). And the well arranged “Medley” on track 6 anticipates the fine work of The Pogues and other successful Celtic punkists. This album is a good example of how rock is transformative—taking musical traditions (Celtic, blues, jazz, country/western, etc.) to new levels of creativity and innovation. Definitely worth a listen. 3/5
Come All Ye - This definitely feels fresher than I expected. The lyrics are a little goofy because they're going for this Gaelic folk thing, but from the first track, I got the feeling that this could fit right in with modern day independent folk. Matty Groves ROCKS! The rest was pretty repetitive but jaunty. I am mostly impressed with their instrumentality and vibe. The songs are secondary. But Matty Groves stands out!
I thought I was gonna get some pretty sick elf music based on the cover but instead I got mixed results with pagan folk weirdos. singer's voice owns and exactly half the tracks on the album kick ass... but then the other 4 are boring as all hell. best song: matty groves
It's not exactly the same thing, but listening to Liege & Lief had me thinking about the Stray Cats and their anachronistic, throwback sound. On this record, Fairport Convention feels like a late 60s rock band that got lost on the way to a show, ended up at the local Renaissance fair, and liked it so much that they just started living there. The opening track manages to channel your typical are-you-ready-to-rock album openers and a bard's song at a medieval pub simultaneously, and that's pretty impressive. It's far from my wheelhouse, but I have to admit that it's a pretty interesting record, and Sandy Denny's voice is stunning. Key Tracks: Come All Ye, Matty Groves, The Deserter
This album was alright They're edging on occult rock or early doom, but they refused to accept Satan into their heart and that was a mistake
Apres plusieurs dizaines de minutes passées à écouter cet album, je commençais à ressentir de violents maux de tête, dûs à la voix absolument insupportable de Joan Baez sur cet album. Je m'empressais donc d'aller verifier sur Wikipedia la longueur réeelle de cet album, car je ne pouvais tenir 1h30 dans ces conditions. Fort heureusement, Wikipedia me précisait que seules les 8 premières pistes de cet album faisaient partie de l'album original, le reste n'etant que rajouts destinés à faire revenir le buzz au centre de cet album. Malheureusement, mon collegue d'ecoute le trépidant robornière n'a pas eu la présence d'esprit de vérifier la longueur de l'album. Il est actuellement dans un coma profond, jonglant entre la vie et la mort. Je vous tiens au courant des conséquences de cette erreur sur la suite de notre groupe d'écoute dès que rob se retrouve définitivement hors d'état de nuire.
I gave the more popular songs a second listen and it earned 3 stars. They're British but it reminded me of Ireland
Interesting listen. Listed as Pop on Apple Music so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I would describe as Irish psych-folk? I don't know if that's a thing. It's kind of cool though, an interesting blend of genres for sure. Not too much on here that I'll return to, but a pretty good album nonetheless. It's a shame that we get so many '60s psych-rock type albums, I can't believe I'm saying that. I love that style, but hearing so many iterations of it diminishes my interest a bit. Favorite tracks: Tam Lin, Reynardine, Matty Groves. Album art: Very plain. The kind of plain that wouldn't suggest psychedelic music, but at the same time I've come to expect that from '60s albums that look like this. 3.5/5
As a Scot, the idea of english folk music sounds a bit strange to me - who do they sing about being oppressed and invaded by? Or do they sing about doing the invading and oppressing? Turns out it's like Scottish and Irish folk music, but with less politics and more soap opera stories! Tunes are good though, and I enjoyed the album even though I would probably never have chosen to listen to it. Matty Groves and Crazy Man Michael were my favourite tracks.
Nisam bio skoncentriran na album jer sam peglo roket ligu, ALI OČITO JE DOBAR JER SAM UZ NJEGA UŠAO U JEBENI CHAMPION AJMOOOO
Naziv benda im jako paše uz cover albuma. Sweet folk from Britain. A sad me ispričajte, odoh se razbacat ko đubre po britanskoj livadi dok je sunce vani na drugom dijelu pjesme Matty Groves i cijele pjesme Medley: The Lark in the Morning.
Enjoyable at times and at times I felt like I was transported back in time to watch Robin Hood duke it out with friar John. So maybe enjoyable all around, if that’s what you’re into.
Great Sunday morning album. Last song my favorite. Would never have had this album in my collection. Like Sandy Denny better w Led Zeppelin
Miellyttävä yllätys! Kaunista musisointia ja mielenkiintoisempaa kuin mitä odotin. Tähän yhtyeeseen voisi palatakin.
Undeniably it’s a great folk album. Modern arrangements, astute rhythms and the two harmonising voices. (6/10) FT: Matty Groves
3.4 + “Do you remember the 1960s? It was a decade we learned to party (Woodstock footage), to stand up and be counted (protest footage) and to love (footage of hippies walking arm-in-arm). But most of all, the 1960s gave us the most amazing music! In honor of that incredible decade, Time Life Warner Classics has created “Liege & Lief.” For $19.95, this collection of timeless and beautiful songs can be yours on two CDs or two cassette tapes for a limited time only. This collection is not sold in stores and won’t be around for long, so act now! Operators are standing by.”
This is something else! Gives a Middle Ages feeling with the sound and lyrics of the songs. I liked it! Favourite song: - Matty groves
started listening to it then kinda got randomly distracted by david guetta and never came back
I like the Celtic influences, but man does this entire thing feel very bland and one-note. Zoned out kind of hard, despite trying to keep with it. Favorite tracks: "Come All Ye", "Matty Groves"
Great at first, but the arrangements tend to grow a bit stale after 4-5 minutes of repetition
This is a kind of hippies-taking-themselves-to-seriously brand of music that doesn't appeal to me. I was reading about them and their nickname was "The British Jefferson Airplane" - that kind of sums it up for me.
Fand ich grundlegend ok. Ich finds erstaunlich, dass das Album hier ist, weil ich es nicht ansatzweise besonders fand. Wahrscheinlich hat es in seiner Zeit irgendwas bewegt oder so, ähnlich wie Lou Reeds Album eine Art Impact auf die Musikszene gehabt. So fand ichs ok, aber langweilig.
Perfectly fine light background music for when I’m writing a script with a fantasy element. It’s a pretty narrow window of opportunity, but Fairport Convention crawled right in and kept it propped open with a lute.
Not my cup of tea. Wasn't really a fan but I can see why people would be interested in something like this. Interesting sounds and music but not what I enjoy listening too.
Far too much folk and country music in this. "Most Influential Folk Album of All Time"? I'll take your word for it. I'll give it an extra star for that. 4/10
Given the release year (1969), I can hear how this album influenced others that followed. It's good music, sung and played well, and a good representation of the style. Not one I'll listen to again. Nothing against it; it's a style I've heard done so many times in so many ways that due to the passage of time it's too hard for this album to stand out for me.
Not completely un-likeable, but definitely not my thing. I like a lot of folk and this has some good grooves and chilled bits, but it's a bit TOO folk. It sounds like Maypoles and dancing in circles on LSD.
This feels like somewhat similar to Irish music with British lyrics. I can't get behind this tomfoolery
Dare I say it's too folky? I had never heard of them and did enjoy parts, but I'm not buying this as a must-hear album.
I like the vocal - a real Allison Krause-y thing going on. I was also sucked in by some of the cool bass lines in a few of these songs. Overall, really great musicianship. They did the Irish folk, story-telling thing about as well as you can do it. It's just not really for me. I had a lot of trouble getting into it.
Without sounding too dismissive this album sounds incredibly beardy. Folk music obviously has its place and this is a way of updating songs written in the 1600's but listening to it in 2021 you can almost hear the scratchy jumpers and people drinking cider that was in some guy's shed using a bin.
I felt like I was unwillingly transported to middle England to hear some depressing tales. They say the weed wasn't strong in the 60s, but this proves otherwise.
I kept imagining Celtic hippies, like a mix of Jefferson Aeroplane and Clannad. Interesting, but not currently interested.
The name rings a bit of a bell but i've definitely never heard before. I don't mind some folk but this isn't really for me.
oh god, it's a double album? no, sounds like something that plays while you're getting a massage, and you wish they'd skip it
Eh musica de festival medieval com gordo nerd usando armadura e espada de papelao, falando M'lady e ficando bebado em hidromel
Classic