Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
1965
Album Summary
Bert Jansch is the debut album by Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch. The album was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder at engineer Bill Leader's house and sold to Transatlantic Records for £100. Transatlantic released the album, which went on to sell 150,000 copies. The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was voted number 649 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).The record includes Jansch's best-known tune - "Needle of Death", which was inspired by the death of his friend, folk singer Buck Polly.
WikipediaThe Guitar work on Smokey river is so good. This albums feels like would I listen to if I was a hobo drifting trains. But on a serious note, I feel like I can feel this albums influence on a lot of my favorite music. Needle of Death is just amazing honestly. I find it absoluely haunting. A proper rambling album.
Love this album considering the time of release and clear influences on musicians that followed. The songwriting is very good and the guitar playing in particular is amazing.
This one is also terrific. I'm surprised Bert has never come up during the Nick Drake renaissance since they are cut from similar cloth. Lots of small instrumental interludes in between longer songs.
This is so lovely. It's really understated, just a guy enjoying his guitar and a few songs. There are errors throughout, dud notes, something a bit off key, but that makes it better. It's like using something that's been handmade rather than manufactured. A log cabin in among a bunch of condos. Really relaxing, I like lots.
super cool, and kind of interestingly timeless. it certainly doesn't feel like anything i'd think of from an album from 1964. i really like that - and this is gonna sound maybe kinda pretentious, but here goes - it sounds like he's playing on old strings. like, on a lot of albums you can just about smell the new nickel, but these just sound like whatever he had on - no super tinny highs, not ultra-clean or anything, just a great warm sound.
Listened on Thursday when I was in a bad mood and this largely slid off my brain without leaving an impression. Listened again today when I was more receptive, and I had a much more positive experience. There are a few artists I love that have a similar guitar sound, but tend to be instrumental. Fave track " Instrumental Medley 1964" which is possibly a bonus track rather than being on the original album? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Never heard of Bert Jansch before. Very fitting sound for the 60's. Not bad by any means, but not an album I would seek out.
This was great. Love a guitar picker. I've never heard of Bert Jansch but I'm a fan now. This is how I hear myself when I pick up a guitar, just before I touch the strings...
Soy muy fan de Angie, el temazo que cierra este disco pero la verdad nunca me había clavado a escuchar un disco entero del viejo Bert. Qué tonto he sido. Un disco crepuscular, para ver el sol desaparecer y que pinte el cielo como sus arpegios pintan los espacios dentro de mi mente. Es mejor que un calmante psiquiátrico. Muy bonito. Hay varios momentos muy oscuros. Se agradece. Uno de los mejores guitarristas de la historia. Le dio una vida nueva a esa tradición de ambos lados del Atlántico. Country, blues, folk céltico, anglosajón, etc. Tradición que luego veo ecos, no sé si por casualidad, en los corridos actuales.
I loved it. Good melodies and very folky with great guitar playing. This is exactly my kind of jam.
Göttlich bodenständig vom ersten Ton - warum kannte ich diesen Namen bislang so gar nicht? Warm, virtuos, tief wurzelnd, wunderschön und lyrisch verfangend. Hierfür lernt man ein Instrument. So good so true. 4.7
Bert Jansch was a fantastic guitarist and is a personal inspiration. This album has that certain ”contained experience” which captures me tremendously
The guitar on this album is phenomenal, and songs in short snippets really sells it for me. I think an instrumental version of this elevate it even further, but it is still a fantastic folk work.
That was awesome. Not just good music, but inspiring. It made me want to pick up a guitar and try my hand at this kind of honest simple expression- which I have never done. That's a feat, if you ask me. Wonderfully evocative; I was listening while building spreadsheets in a corporate cubicle but it felt like I was strolling down that London highway right alongside him. What a breath of fresh air. And the range of quality is really quote tight here, not much difference at all between my favorite and least favorite songs here, and I struggle to pick any as a low spot. Maybe Courting Blues is a little half baked for its length? But oh well I was still tapping my foot and nodding along happily. Highlights: I Have No Time, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me Now, Angie Lowlights: Courting Blues
The album I'm listening to today is called "Bert Jansch" by Bert Jansch. A Scottish folksinger who looks to have influenced quite a long list of favorite artists with his mid 60s folk. It's pretty easy to connect Neil Young directly, which is to say I'm enjoying this. The confessional nature of the lyrics draw you in, and the guitar work is pretty dam spectacular. Reminds me of John Fahey with his guitar. It's a lovely album and I can see it ripple across many of my favorite folk artists.
Jansch er jo en helt for alle som spilte akustisk gitar på 60-tallet. Nick Drake, Paul Simon, Donovan, og mange andre har så godt som kopiert hele sin sound og spillemåte fra ham, og dette albumet. Bakdelen med dette er at det er utrolig vanskelig å høre dette albumet i et vakuum. Enten vurderer man det for høyt fordi det var en så stor influens på så mye bra musikk, eller så blir dette for kjedelig siden det finnes så mye mer komplekst musikk som kom ut ifra denne. Uansett synes jeg mange av sangene er kule, og det er ingen tvil om at det er bra spilling. Må bli en svak 4.
L'he escoltat amb presses, queda pendent una escolta amb més profunditat. Folk de la vella escola, delicat i amb missatge. Bona execució amb les guitarres i un grapat de temes interessants.
Muy melancólico. Tampoco es como que sea mucho estilo el folk y tenga mucho que decir, disfruté la guitarra acústica. Mood: día sad en una milpa gringa.
pretty good actually! I liked it more than I expected, and the vibe it gave off really reminded me of the canadian national film bureau movies I was watching
Pleasant folk album. Songwriting was good overall and I really liked the guitar work in some parts. However, it got samey and i definitely found myself getting bored towards the end. 7/10
He’s a really good guitar player but not quite as good of a singer. It was still pretty good even if the songwriting didn’t blow my mind. Even the instrumental songs were pretty engaging though and there weren’t any songs I disliked although some of the vocal performances I didn’t love all that much. Overall the album feels very comforting and even on sad songs it feels hopeful to me. Favorite songs: Smokey River, Oh How Your Love Is Strong, Needle of Death, Rambling’s Gonna Be The Death of Me, Running From Home, Angie Decent 8/10
Pretty folk rock, I like his voice, the way it moves and flows from softer moments into more upbeat and rocking. skillful player as well. will come back
Travis picking, great guitar playing. Very Nick Drake like, must have inspired him a lot. Nice album.
I’m not generally a folk fan, but I enjoyed this album. There was a propulsive quality to it that carries each song into the next, and I very much enjoy that. Nice find
Excellent guitar work, the styling reminds me of Nick Drake and Donovan. Interesting voice too, as it's far from perfect, but seems to produce an image of a rambling guitar player, someone you might see playing your local pub on a Wednesday night.
It was a lot better than I was expecting. Made me wish I was sitting with friends around a campfire.
Disco que se escucha fácil, ideal para un viaje tranquilo en coche o un paseo de desconexion.
- vibrato is controlled but a little trying - strong genre album, variety and atmosphere are good - no standouts but consistent
This was a solid album, lovely to listen to.The guitar work is absolutely gorgeous, like a sunny autumn day in musical form. Jansch has a really interesting voice, like he just teleported in from a distant time. The songwriting is eloquent and surprisingly pointed at times, like on the scathing "I Have No Time" and the mournful "Needle of Death." Fave Songs: Angie, Alice's Wonderland, Smokey River, Needle of Death
I had never heard of Bert Jansch before but this was a lovely album to listen to on a quiet morning. Lovely voice and guitar work. 4/5 stars
I've heard this name before but can't remember any songs. This is a fantastic singer-songwriter album, like a folksy-er version of Nick Drake or John Martyn. Not quite Bob Dylan folksy but close. Really love how intricate the guitar work is on here. I'm a huge fan of albums like these, this was excellent. Favorite tracks: I Have No Time, Veronica, Needle of Death, Alice's Wonderland, Courting Blues. Album art: Pretty simple, black and white portrait, the likes of which we've seen a hundred times now. It's a good reminder here though that this is an old album, mid-'60s. I guess the budget was probably low for a debut too. 4.5/5
This kind of album really is not my thing normally, but I'll gladly make an exception for this one from here on out. This might be one of the best folk albums ever written. What a stunning and heartfelt album.
Very simple but beautiful folk album. Lovely. Impressive how much a guitar and a voice can do! Enjoyed sitting back and relaxing to this.
Never heard of this guy, but I'll listen again. It was simple and sad. I really enjoyed his guitar playing - something about it was just really beautiful. Plus, I like the story of this album - recorded it in his friends living room, sold it to the label for $100, and then sold 150,000 copies. That's bad ass (and bad business).
He has a very calm soothing voice and a very good story teller. I enjoyed this album very much.
Yeah Ok, so i have to say most of it washed over me somewhat as nice enough folk noodlings at first, until Do You Hear me jumped out, and enjoyed "Ramblings..." The guitar playing is obviously excellent throughout. Casbah is superb. Went back to relisten to Needle of Death. Am getting it now, need to settle into it, it's not a one listen wonder. Can see how influential this would be, as a big Robyn Hitchcock fan I knew the name, but had never heard before.
Fantastic, masterful guitar playing, recording in a way that's crisp and clean. A breath of fresh air.
This is one of those albums that you didn't realise had such an influence. I can hear Simon and Garfunkel and Nick Drake getting better just from hearing it. It's sad, and beautiful, and a bit angry. I'd heard the name, but never discovered him. A glad win from this endeavour.
Jansch's work is new to me, which surprises me as I just learned he was a big influence on Jimmy Page. His influence on this album is easily seen on Page and other familiar names in rock and roll. Pleasant listen. 4/5.
I can see hear where Jimmy Page got alot of acoustic playing from. this was a nice listen.
First thought: Darn! Not another Folk music album I'll have to give a one star rating. However, turns out to be a pleasant surprise, great guitar works, nice singing, really great album. Best "folk" album so far.
Nick Drake was apparently a big fan of Bert which is clear to see listening to this album. Technically a brilliant guitar player whom Neil Young dubbed the Jimi Hendrix of acoustic guitar. I really enjoyed this. Needle of Death might be one of my favourite songs ever. Sad, morose and beautiful. Highlights: Needle Of Death, I Have No Time, Do You Hear Me Now, Rambling’s Gonna Be The Death Of Me, Alice’s Wonderland, Running From Home, Angie
This looks like it's gonna be folk music. Yep, acoustic but not country really... ok according to Wiki it's Scottish though (I was expecting American). Guitar work is really cool, but it's hard to judge otherwise - feels too old-timey. 3/5.
Pretty solid folk album. Nice atmosphere and I love that there are some purely instrumental tracks. His playing was as good as his writing.
I had only heard "Angie" from this album before listening to the whole thing. Overall, album is OK. "Angie" is the best song on the whole thing.
Nice album, good sound, obviously knows his way around the guitar. Glad I listened, reasonable background music, but otherwise there's nothing here to pull me in.
I really enjoy this style of guitar playing. His influence is big, but from the perspective of 2021, the album is not bad nor great as no song stands out, other than the legendary Angie.
Este álbum lo dejaría sólo en moods muy específicos, para no decir que me aburrió de repente. O sea, mmm, la mayoría de las canciones es como el wey que en la fiesta saca su guitarra cuando todos están pedos o drogados. Su voz se me hizo medio meh y las letras 2-2. Creo que prefería las instrumentales, acaso "Veronica" y "Casbah" sean las que me gustaron y eso como música de fondo. No lo volvería a escuchar y pues no me emocionó como para buscar más de Bert Jansch (que vi, además, tiene un chingo de material). 6/10
Interesting. I wouldn't have listened to this otherwise. I wonder what the rest of folk music was like at the time? (1965) Not sure if how unique / different it would have been. Can see it / him as a big influence in modern guitarists.
This is a really robust and enjoyable folk record. I really love his guitar work. I can hear some John Fahey, but perhaps a little less intricate. Favourite song: Finches 3.5/5
I listened to the re-mastered version of this album. It is folk-y and old school guy. Acoustic guitar noodling. Single is called Angie, which is excellent. The rest of the album is good!
I can hear how this album influenced Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, etc. Great acoustic guitar playing, and great folk music.
Hard not to like. It was nice. None of the songs really stood out to me, but I enjoyed it. I don't know why this album made the list when there are hundreds just like it. I hope to listen again but not sure if I would seek it out to listen again.
This definitely has a 60's folk vibe. It's mostly soft folk with a few instrumentals. It's great to just put on repeat and have as background music. My favorite song was Needle of Death.
i think the first song is fantastic but i quickly lost interest for the vast majority for the rest of the album. the songs were not bad but did not do enough to garner my full attention. the runtime is quite short though which makes it relatively acceptable. 2.5 to a 3/5
Acoustic voice and guitar folk. It's fairly well done with some amazing guitar playing. Sadly I just find his voice quite dull and there's nothing to really grab me.
I'd like to believe that the Coen Brother's "Inside Llewyn Davis" is based on this chap. This is literally just a dude and his acoustic guitar, but said dude can play! I hear a lot of The Beatles' "For You Blue" on the first song. I hope Bert at least had a cat hanging around the studio like Llewyn Davis would.
nice songs accompanied by acoustic guitar, some songs in de middle are kinda of lacking in diversity and a different dynamic, angie is nice altough i wonder what kind of lyrics theme it would fit
Folking hell. For folks sake. Un-folking-believable. Have you seen that video where Haaland balances three balls on each other and hits a target? Yeah, I've got nothing else to say.
This album didn't really do much for me. He has a nice voice, and the tone on the guitar was captured well, but I'm not really into this style of folk music 3/5
Schon arg überstrapaziert, dass uns Ahnungslosen da als Referenz immer als erstes Nick Drake einfällt, ne? Vor allem, weil diese hier schon lange vier Jahre vor Five Leaves Left rausgekommen ist. Man könnte - auch hier wieder gesegnet mit Ahnungslosigkeit - den Sound des frühen Drake über weite Strecken sogar für deutlich angelehnt an Mr. Jantsch halten, viel mehr als zB immer nur an Donovan. Aber sei‘s drum. Das hier steht für sich, und es steht sehr schön. Bisschen haunting, deutlich in sich ruhend, wunderbar sparsam und trotzdem dicht gewebt. Beim ersten Durchgang besonders im Gedächtnis geblieben - weil stärker heraus ragend aus dem doch oft auch homogenen Sound: Casbah und Do You Hear Me Now. Werd ich gern noch öfter hören und vergebe erstmal 3,4 - beim nächsten Mal vielleicht mehr. Wobei: Drake wird - weil für mich halt der erste - schon auf Anhieb mehr bekommen. So ist das eben.
I had never heard of Bert Jansch. He has a wonderful voice on this album. I liked how there were some instrumentals - when one loves playing guitar, I assume sometimes one just wants to play, and do their best to express something with the instrument. Glad to have been introduced to this artist.
Guitar was really good. Preferred the instrumental tracks over the songs with his voice. Finches and Alice’s Wonderland were my favorite. 3.5/5
The guitar work on this album is pretty amazing. The singing/lyrics leaves much to be desired though. They sort of even each other out. This musical style isn't really my cup of tea but gotta give it up for that guitar playing. 3.5 stars
Great guitar player. In his field completely untouchable. The album was a bit one dimensional.. bit that ain’t Bert’s fault!
Bon album, mais je sais que y'a des meilleurs albums de folk et des meilleurs albums de Bert Jansch que celui-là. Prefs: Smokey River, Finches, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me Now?, Casbah, Angie Moins pref: Oh How Your Love Is Strong
Folking hell. Superb guitar playing singing classic folk songs. Distinctly British. Best Tracks: Needle of Death; Running From Home; Angie
Some real nice stuff here. I often like folk music, and I also happen to like fingerstyle guitar, so this album has some solid tracks on it because Bert Jansch can really play well. So expressive and flowing. This genre was massive in the 60s, so it's a little hard at times not to hear it as part of that large catalog produced in the 60s folk revival, and this album has a lot of elements common to that movement, but to my ear, he's good enough to stand out a bit from that crowded field.
Good folk rock and great guitar playing - reminds me of a whole album of Beatles’ “Blackbird”
Ok album. Some songs felt like quintessential folk songs from the 60s. The album was enjoyable however it felt like there’s been stronger albums of the same style. In 65 this may have been viewed better but to me it’s just ok. 5.7/10
Super guitar picking. I prefer the blues pieces to folk. Jansch's version of "Angie" has long been a favourite, so although the album really doesn't pull me in, I am inclined to give it another listen a medium mark for Angie and for the amazing guitar picking.
Genre: Folk Baroque 3/5 I do admit, I've never heard of the guy, and that when I got this album in my queue, I giggled very hard. Bert Jansch, while certianly not the most unfortunate name around, is certianly giggle-worthy. Tangent aside, Bert Jansch seems to have been the dude who preceded the folk heavy-hitters. As soon as the album began, I heard George Harrison, Brian Wilson, Donovan, the good parts of Bob Dylan, and even some of what Taylor Swift has been up to over the past few years. This was a really cool listen from that viewpoint, that this is one of those albums that contemporary songwriters were clearly influenced by. Other than that, this is fairly bland folk-pop, which is not altogether my favorite type of listening experience. What he was saying was way prettier and way less cringy than Bob Dylan, and his guitar playing was sweet and fit the mood, but it certainly lacks energy. Influential to many, but a bit too stale for my tastes. I'm sure, though, this will please plenty of listeners looking for more quiet projects. Not bad.
Alluring folk music that could have undoubtedly scratched a persistent itch in the time that it came out, mediating between short guitar noodling and thoughtful, lyrical performances. Favorites: Strolling Down the Highway, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me Now, Running From Home, Courting Blues, Casbah, Angie.
Some foundational folk stylings here. A really solid group of songs for the most part, with some real standouts. However, the whole thing is so homogenous that it gets a little tired by the end, even as the songs get better, and it just didn't suck me in like some others of the same vibe like Nick Drake.
Listened to on 6/24/2022 3.5/5 Favorite song: Veronica The guitar playing in this album is so beautiful and continually impressed me - very easy to listen to in the background and enjoyable
Kind of cute British Folk. I liked it more at the start but it became a little same-y by the end. Not bad though.
Some of the guitar playing was really nice but the songs didn't really stick out to me
I liked the last few songs a lot but then it turns out the album had finished and I was listening to Waggoner’s lad from a different album.
I don't know that I would ever listen to this album again but it was neat to hear a 1960s take on blues.
Very fun listen. The guitar „solos“ in between the songs are a nice „pause“ that are also just fun to listen to. Couldn‘t really determine a highlight since the entire album flows really well while also working if you jump in at any point. Not my favourite kind of music either but I enjoyed this more the longer I listened to it.
Just boring. Sure, it's folksy and unoffensive, lyrics are interesting... but 15 songs in 40 minutes of the same tones and finger picking. It just sounds the same. Blah.
Overall not my style of music. A couple pretty instrumental guitar songs but not a fan of the rest.
I really didn't like the music -- it all sounded the same to me -- but I feel bad about it this time because I feel like he was really talented at playing the instruments.
Meh..... Maybe Bert was da shit back then but now he be just background filler. I give him two and a half Ernie's
I started off thinking this was ok but it didn't really keep my attention. Got a bit bored after a few songs.
Stellenweise ziemlich Pog Akustik Guitar Parts Aber sonst etwas zu ruhig und zu viel Folk
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, its like soft acoustic folk music. Thought I was gonna hate it. Prob worth a 2.5
The debut album from Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch. The music was peaceful and a joy to listen to because it didn't sound so mainstream, but it's not my type of music. Fun fact: This album was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder at engineer Bill Leader's house and then sold to Transatlantic Records for £100. The album then went on to sell 150,000 copies.
I've heard this album a few times in the past. Possibly over 10 years ago. Opinion is the same. It's very niche folk, instrumentals are better than the vocal tracks and the last track Angie is an outstanding bit of acoustic guitar work but not enough to carry the whole album.