Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Pretty dang good stuff here!
And some people think Lulu was the only thing coming out of Scotland in the 60s. A lot of jangly indie guitarists in the 80s only had Roger McGuinn to fall back on. Johnny Marr also had Bert Jansch.
3.9 Wow. Great stuff. Amazing for '65. Could of sworn I was listening to Nick Drake in parts. The second half of the album really kicks off, the run of tracks from Do you hear me Now till the end is impeccable, after a somewhat slow start.
Smooth
The entire album was truly an excellent display of Bert Jansch's skills on the guitar. I feel like to fully appreciate it I needed to be sitting under a tree along the Mississippi Delta whilst smoking a pipe or something. So you can imagine my surprise when I found out Herbert was actually Scottish. Perhaps I should have listened to this whilst drinking scotch and watching a bar fight at some dodgy pub in Glasgow instead.
Nice.
I have a soft spot in my heart for English folk singers. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Acoustic ramblin type beat. Good stuff but a little repetitive. That’s sort of the nature of this type of music though
I don't normally like folk so much. Especially when it comes to vocals with minimal instrumentation, here just a guitar, I think of false campfire romance. It's different with this album, even though the key data is the same. I enjoyed this album. I hope Bert Jansch, who I've never heard of, also enjoyed it. I might listen to the album again later. As one reviewer rightly wrote? Handmade, not manufactured. 4/5
I’m glad to see Bert’s on the list. I don’t hear him discussed much and that’s a shame because he makes such beautiful music. This album, probably his best, is absolutely wonderful. His style of playing guitar perfectly complements his energetic, yet weary voice. His melodies are gorgeous and the whole of the songs are so well written. I only wish the instrumentals felt as finished as the others. Otherwise, love this album. 4/5
At the start I was worried Needle of Death would not only be the only song I knew starting out, but the only one I'd like by the end of the album, but luckily the album shaped up rather quickly, and although I'll admit almost every song I like off this album feels like a copy of Needle of Death, Bert Jansch's guitar picking mixed with his somber and soft vocal style allows many of this songs to shine through as personal ballads of a tortured yet satisfied soul. Not unlike Joan Baez's debut, many of the tracks are sold by the sheer talent at play in every facet of the album, and with artful lyrics in tow, this is just an extremely solid folk album some great instrumentals to really fill out the package.
Enjoyed this! Has a sound a lot like Jim Croce. Not quite as good, but definitely enjoyable
Really good folk music. Particularly liked Alice's Wonderland and Angie. You can definitely hear this guys' influence all over bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, and The Rolling Stones. Some songs feel like unfinished ideas, but you still get the full emotional punch he was going for. Just a solid, great folk album.
New to me and I like it
I thought this was really good - I liked this.
Some very good folk. Needle of Death was powerful. I also really enjoyed the acoustic Angie at the end of the album.
Simply produced (recorded in a friend's kitchen) this record sums up all that was good about the early/mid sixties folk scene. Bert Jansch was a mighty fine guitar player and his beautiful playing is the main attraction. The songs are mostly self written, no doubt inspired by Bob Dylan, have depth in the lyrics. His voice is pleasant but not exceptional. But it is a very good album worthy of inclusion in this list.
Loved this! Very easy and chilled, and not a hint of harmonica
pertti, painuppa kiltisti vittuun. mahtava kulttiseuraamus kuulemma. "Jonestown" oli syrjäinen asutusalue Guyanassa, jonka perusti Peoples Temple, amerikkalainen uskonnollinen liike Jim Jonesin johdolla. Jonestown tuli kansainvälisesti pahamaineiseksi, kun 18. marraskuuta 1978 yhteensä 918 ihmistä kuoli ratkaisussa; läheisellä lentoradalla Port Kaitumassa; ja temppelin ylläpitämässä rakennuksessa Georgetownissa, Guyanan pääkaupungissa. Asutuksen nimestä tuli synonyymi näissä paikoissa tapahtuneille tapahtumille. Siinä teikäläiselle pikku kulttiseuraajakunta. suosittelen miettimään yhdesti/kahdesti ennen kun ruvetaan intoilemaan liikaa! needle of death
pleasant folk
Such pretty guitar work
Ik moet bij Bert Jansch altijd denken aan een Duitse of Oostenrijkse piano componist die het net wat minder heeft gemaakt dan zijn Weense kameraden uit die tijd. Deze man kan echter gitaarspelen! En hoe, trouwens. Hij hanteert zijn six-string met fluwelen handschoen, wat vooral prachtig hoorbaar is in de intermezzo's zonder zang. Zijn stem is ook mooi maar misschien wat minder dan zijn ambtsgenoten van de andere kant van de grote plas. Echter vind ik het Brits een verzuchting tegenover het soms zo ontzettend irritant Amerikaans van zangers en zangeressen. Positieve verrassing op de zaterdagmorgen. 8/10 Highlights Oh How Your Love Is Strong Needle of Death Do You Hear Me Now
Nick Drake vibes. Super chill.
This one is really pleasant to listen to. His voice is great and the simplicity of just him and his guitar really adds to the homemade feel. The instrumental tracks do a good job segmenting the album. Reminded me of Nick Drake. Favorite songs were Smokey River, I Have No Time, Needle Of Death, Running From Home, and Angie.
Solid 60s folk with some great guitar-playing.
Really surprised by how solid this debut from Bert Jansch is. I know him mainly by name but he sounds like one I just probably look into.
Ok, I'll do it. 4 stars. Tight arrangements and lots of talent. Instrumental tracks were highly enjoyable
Folky, Bluesy, old-school guitar picking. Surprisingly pleasant. 8/10
Hell yeah, best debut ever recorded in a kitchen if my memory serves me right. Would always way rather listen to Bert than Nick Drake. Songwriting and his voice simply has a bit more of the old verisimilitude or some such. Nothing like spending a grey day listening to Bert & Loudoun Wainwright III to get the heart pumping.
Nice surprise. I knew the name but not the music.
Really nice set of songs. Not my usual style, but very much a decent listen - especially for 1965!
Bert Jansch by Bert Jansch feels very raw, but I mean that in a good way. A way that folk music almost should be. You can tell this was just a man writing songs and playing his guitar at home, doing his own thing. The recordings are unpolished and he almost rambles on, but this is pure folk. The songs sound warm and cosy with how they have been made. They are very relaxing. I can understand why someone may not care for this album, but I appreciate it for what it is.
This was great. There are many different ways of playing the guitar and the way demonstrated on this album with just vocals and guitar is masterful. One of my favourite albums on the 1001 list from the 1960s.
Enjoyed this album by an artist I had never heard of. The complex guitar work with good stories made for an entertaining listen, especially using headphones to really hear it.
Клевый альбом, слушал перед экзаменом в автошколе, приятная музыка, грустноватая и спокьйоая
I had never heard this one before. Pretty solid album, especially considering how it was recorded. This was a pleasant surprise.
Had a certain raw charm
Some great guitar parts. Can't remember the timing, but of course reminded me of Nick Drake, if a bit more straightforward. Good stuff.
It was a chilled out album, I enjoyed it
Lo fi beautiful acoustic folk with stunning guitar. Echoes of Nick Drake.
Very nice guitar playing. I liked the simplicity of just voice and guitar, it was chill and relaxing. 3.75/5
I'm not usually a fan of folk, but I loved this. It felt warm and put me in a good mood. The guitar playing was definitely the stand out for me Favorites: "Smokey River", "I Have No Time", "Needle of Death", "Casbah", "Angie"
Album 525 of 1001 Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch (1965) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Some pretty awesome guitar work. Good folk music. You could say he is another guy's Bob Dylan. Don't know that I'm saying that...but you could.
Great guitar playing
Jansch was a 10/10 guitarist but a 6/10 singer and songwriter. You'd really need to be at least 8/10 in all three to properly make it as a solo artist, so Jansch was probably at his best as a member of Pentangle. This is still a good album though, and so is Jack Orion.
A very straightforward album. I dug it. Hard to believe it is almost 60 years old. The instrumentals were really good as well. I don't think I needed them all medleyed at the end. And "Angie"... I did not need a live version, although it was interesting to hear it different than the acoustic version. Recording on it was bad as well. It reminded me a bit of Nick Drake, but I found myself enjoying this more than that. Not sure why. Will definitely come back to this. Top tracks: "Strolling Down The Highway," "Needle of Death," "Veronica"
È così semplice e puro, davvero bello. A volte stona un po' ma va bene così. Un uomo e la sua chitarra soli contro il mondo a creare magia
i keep getting this beautiful Relaxcore music and honestly thank you the first week back at school is very stressful 8/10
Very fine tuned brittish fingerpickin' folk and blues
Sparse, intimate sound with just Bert and his guitar and that's pretty much all you need. Obviously, comparisons to Dylan or Paul Simon are expected, but Jansch has his own voice and his talent as a songwriter and guitar player are evident. I've only heard bits and pieces from Bert and everything I've heard is brilliant.
I don’t know why, but I really enjoyed this.
Definitely a mood album. Very depressing themes and super interesting melodies and instrumental breaks as well. Great album
This was lovely, nice and relaxing, perfect for a Sunday morning. It wasn't quite good enough for 5 stars, but it was pretty close.
Beautiful recording and a beautiful record overall.
Pretty good, saw a review that said this was similar to Nick Drake, and I have to agree. Just the acoustic guitar and some vocals, for the most part.
This was really, really good. Excellent guitar work. Vocals just okay. Angie is phenomenal.
Like John Denver, Jose Gonzales and the Soggy Bottom Boys all had a child (don't ask how that works...) I really really enjoyed it and would probably listen to it again sometime.
Some ol’ classic folk.
Good album. Honest, real. 4/5
Pleasant and endearing sound to it, there are a few issues with the production and peformance that mostly add to the character of the album. It feels like a precursor to something like Nick Drake.
first listen so much character and culture to both the content and quality of these recordings
Can imagine how influential this was. I get a lot of Nick Drake and everyone that followed. Enjoyed it! 4
I give his guitar work is great. I like the quality of his voice over all but I don’t like his vibrato. I’m picky, yes. I love the feel of the album overall. 4
Great
needle of death and the instrumental tracks were my favourite
Really quite nice! And an absolute L for whomever sold this for 100£. 8/10
I think I might've just been really in the mood for this, but I found it very enjoyable
I love the idea of Bert Jansch. And I love folk music. But the pieces don’t totally come together here.
I found this to be very intriguing. It bounced off a little on first listen, but then started to sink in. There are some very interesting/strange acoustic guitar flourishes, and some songs that feel influential on a lot of music that I value. I'll be back to listen to this one.
Nice guitarplay, reminded me of the dwarf fortress soundtrack.
This was genuine pleasure to listen to. Great acoustic guitar chops.
Lots of really nice stuff here, really pushing the limits of Some Guy With A Guitar. Great guitar work, great songs, somehow sounds a bit ahead of its time despite being a folk album from the mid 60s.
Enjoyed it. A sparse record, but a lot to unpack. Mind boggled at it being bought by the record company for 100 Pounds and went on to sell 150,000 copies.
Sweet guitar. Gentle morning background music.
💖 needle of death 🗣️ 7️⃣
Nice quiet music
This is lovely.
Really enjoyed the softer acoustic sounds and the soulful energy that comes through
come sottofondo niente male devo dire, mi piace il fatto che sia solo chitarra e voce senza troppi arzigogoli
È così semplice e puro, davvero bello. A volte stona un po’ ma va bene così. Un uomo e la sua chitarra soli contro il mondo a creare magia
The best of the “just a guy and his guitar” albums so far.
The first few songs sounded like this could be an alternate sound track to Into the Wild. Really nice mellow guitar with a subtle voice to go with it. I actually really enjoyed this album, much more than I do normally with folk
Goed album, mooie stem,
A perfect dinner party, background music album.
Such a beautiful, enchanting and dark acoustic album. Can't believe I didn't know it before, great to know now. I need to find it on vinyl!
Some really beautiful tunes
I don't much like his voice, but there's no denying his spectacular guitar skills. 'Angie' is the defining standard for folk/acoustic guitar afficianados. Needle of death is also great. Shame this album doesn't contain Black Waterside as well, then it would be worth 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this album, and I am not a folk music fan. His guitar prowess was impressive, very natural; I felt like I was listening on a front porch because of the mood, but his playing was amazing and heartfelt.
Pretty damn good folk for something that was recorded on a reel-to-reel bought for 100 pounds.
I’m feeling a 4. There’s just something nice about this album to me; maybe it’s the more intimate nature of the production, and the ability to so clearly hear both him and his guitar in a way that just enhances both. It could be the fact that there are occasionally audible “flaws” on this album that just add to that sort of intimate nature. I think the weakest part of this album is its vocals, but I don’t think they’re ever bad; sometimes they’re just kind of plain or not as melodic as the guitar or the lyrics are asking for, but there are moments where it all clicks together super nicely. That guitar playing is kinda crazy though; it’s just fun to hear the strumming at work without the usual percussion or other instruments to cover up the more nuanced and technical parts to actually make it sound like that. Just some really nice acoustic stuff here, and it worked really well for me.
Not really my kind of music but an obviously talented musician and interresting music and lyrics.
I love these 60s folk picks. This one is a gem.
blues e folk, un uomo con la sua chitarra
Ja näyttävä teos.. Tulee mieleen MTAN tunti.. vanha oppilas vanha opettaja.. soitanta...
Really nice bit of guitar playing from this lad
Reminds me a lot of Terry Reid who may have been influenced by Jansch. A good album for a rainy day in the woods. I'll be coming back to this one
Cool, jazzy acoustic guitar. 4/5
Introspective folk singer-songwriter. Reading up on the legacy of Bert Jansch really makes me wonder why I have never heard his name thrown around given how many legends were inspired by him. I guess he's the folk "favorite musician's favorite musician". Amazing guitar skills and songwriting all throughout the album. His vocals were a perfect fit for every song, and I quite liked how occasionally he would kinda struggle to hit a note. It's a very "real" album in that sense. Classic of the genre. Would maybe revisit, but would also like to hear his other works.
A first-time listener here. This album seems to be one of those hidden folk jewels from the 60s. Its organic sound, thrust by the hypnotic voice tone and mesmerizing guitar, makes the album a fantastic piece of work. Somehow, it reminded me Jeff Bukley's Grace. One of the great records I got to know thanks to this list. Thank you!
Reminds me of Nick Drake, though I still like Drake better. It might be worth checking out some of his other work. The album is OK. Worth listening to. But it didn't make it into my rotation.
Haven’t listened to much “singer-songwriter” music from this era, but I’m really liking this one. The singers voice is beautiful. Feels like a 1960s Elliot Smith
This was a pretty enjoyable album. Folk is definitely not at the top of my list when it comes to music I enjoy, but this was way better than a good majority of the folk I’ve heard in the past.
4.0
Beautiful acoustic guitar 🎸
It was surprising how much it reminded me of Americana folk music.
One of the folk greats! Jansch influenced so many musicians of that era (most notably Neil Young). Undeniable talent. "Needle of Death" is absolutely bone chilling. Excellent writing and performances. 4/5
I’ve never heard of this guy before and I wish I had! What a raw and potent songwriter His mix of blues and folk feels simplistic and deep. Glad i got to find this one 4
Amazing guitar playing. Preferred the instrumentals.
I loved the playing and couldn’t quite meet the voice. An exceptional talent and an album I’m glad has a place on this list. Will be returning to Bert Three and a half. Fave track: Rambling’s Gonna Be the Death of Me
Hauntingly beautiful. The imperfections like the difference is volume mixing between songs makes it feel even more comfy and personal. Thoroughly enjoyed.
pretty sweet, great guitar, country/bluegrass. 3.8.
Great, poetic album, Nick Drakey calmness.
Somehow I’ve never heard of Bert Jansch before. Quite interesting album, before even reading more about him I thought „sounds a bit like Donovan“ whom he influenced, according to Wikipedia. I understand why it is on the list and am happy to have discovered this artist!
If Tom Bombadil ever gets a TV series, this is the soundtrack. Rambling across the English countryside vibes.
Unique folk exposition by the master guitar player. A seminal moment in 60s music.
Favourite songs: Needle of Death, Angie, Rambling's Gonna Be The Death of Me, Smokey River, Running From Home, I Have No Time, Oh How Your Love Is Strong, Finches, Veronica, Alice's Wonderland, Dreams of Love Least favourite songs: Do You Hear Me Now 4/5
All folksy acoustic. Bert's a talented musician and a decent singer. All the songs are fairly short. I liked the last two songs on this record the best.
I really liked this, great acoustic guitar singer songwriter album. His fingerpicking guitar work is great. His singing at times reminded me of James Taylor. The musical style was similar to Nick Drake and Alexi Murdoch. I can hear how this could have influenced these artists. I've never previously heard of this artist or any of his songs. This album was a real surprise
angie
very nice finger-style guitar picking, and so-so vocals. I like the song-writing as bridging the folk music revival with the politically-minded music emerging in the late 60s.
That was pretty neat! I prefer the instrumental numbers, but it’s a good time through and through, solid folk music. C+
Some nice folk. Enjoyed this.
As an avid fan of the first few Tallest Man On Earth records, this was like finding a musical missing link. I love the minimalist style and superb production (there’s nothing quite like hearing guitar from the 60s sounding so warm and full), and Bert’s voice and lyrics are full of spirit and passion. As a whole I feel there’s a bit of inconsistency on the album (it’s tough to employ a ton of variety with such a stripped-down setup) but I remain very happy for this to hit such a specific itch I wasn’t aware I was missing so much. This is a very strong 4, just short of a light 5.
This was created in a lab to appeal to me, I love stripped-down acoustic folk. It does run a little long and get a little monotonous, but overall this is exactly the kind of music I want in the background when I’m chilling out.
a sweet little folk album
Chill med litt country 3.8
A finger-picking virtuoso. Bert Jansch barely needed to prove anything to anyone. A handful of simple folk songs, beautifully performed. Jansch does not have the best voice, but his guitar dances along with incredible grace. This style of guitar playing would go on to influence the likes of Simon and Garfunkel and their own folk sound. Simple yet elegant. Easy to recommend.
Loved it, played it twice! 4 stars
Solid guitar playing my man
4th September 2023 Listened during the day while having a chilled one. Really liked this, classy blues folk with some absolutely delicious guitar playing.
Nice folksy guitar album.
Never had heard this guy before. It's nice stuff. Apparenly "Needle of Death" is his best known song, and it's easy to see why. That song hits hard.
Good, mellow folk style introspective music.
Well Beer, you were a staple of my folkie mother, and we're an enjoyable listen, but I won't go into depth about this, well mainly as I didn't feel a huge amount. Passable, mildly pleasurable.
jangly guitar but I liked it
The songs are meh, but this is the best acoustic guitar playing I've heard. If there were instrumental versions of these, I could listen to them all day.
Usually not a huge folk fan but I really liked this one
Albums like this make following this list worthwhile. I'd never heard of Bert Jansch before and really got into his Scottish take on delta blues. Also impressive was his lyricism which made me think of Leonard Cohen at times. I will be listening to this again and exploring more of his work when I get the chance
Nice, relaxing-- I loved this
très bien !!
The instrumental tracks are the best. What beautiful guitar work. Soothing and cozy on a gray, rainy day.
Two worst tracks by far that I thought I was going to opine opine about…turns out they are bonus tracks. Score. I like the primitive feel of this album. It being recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder at someone’s house comes through. I hear hints of Nick Drake and José Gonzalez in this music. Big fan.
This was nice and would be even better in the right atmosphere
Really love his guitar work here. He was a vocalist and guitarist on Pentangle and I loved that album when generated a few weeks ago. He has that same entrancing vocal and flowy, rustic guitar style. Some forgettable tracks but a lot of memorable moments, doesn't even need the vocals for most of it to leave an impression. Favorites: Smokey Highway, Oh How Your Love Is Strong, Alice's Wonderland, Running From Home, Courting Blues, Angie
Not quite my thing by wow these songs are pretty. Definitely a preference for the instrumentals, but those alone are worth the ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cool country blues acoustic music.
Smokey River, I Have No Time, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me Now, Running from Home, Courting Blues, Dreams of Love and Angie. Great guitar solos and beautiful voice. Nice and simple.
I love country music and all my friends agree. smokey river, veronica, courting blues, angie
sad and wonderful! just the way i like! 4.5
I had not heard of Bert Jansch prior to this project, but I found this album to be an enjoyable listen. His guitar playing is sublime and it makes each instrumental on the track list intriguing. While I wasn't blown away by t he lyrical content I found his voice to be a good compliment to the arrangements. This is an album I will explore again.
The arrangement of instrumentals elevates the rest as a breeze. The voice is young; How young unclear. Be mistily sad is the lesson.
folk
Great folk album. The guitar instrumentals steal the show.
I like the way he pluck and twang. Good stuff.
Solid folk album, I listened to this twice in a row because I didn't feel like I absorbed it properly the first time through. It's simple and beautiful music, pretty much just a nice voice singing pretty words with some nice guitar playing. Can't complain about this one at all tbh, it's a 4 for now!
A lot of my favorite music wouldn’t exist without this. Pretty neat
Har alltid velat gilla Jansch, mest för att namnet var roligt att säga. Hörde för längesen om dethär albumet i nåt lo-fisammanhang och att han lånat ihop allt och spelat in det hemma. En riktig jävel på gitarr och några ok låtar. 3,5, men jag är ju snäll.
Very good
This is a good discovery! I loved the Pentangle album we listened to and now I see that Jansch was part of Pentangle. Really enjoyed this album. I can clearly see how he might have inspired people like Johnny Flynn and been an integral part of the 60s British folk revival. Scottish folk too, what's not to love. It has that real Scottish fairytale mystical sound to it. I think Running From Home is maybe the only track I already knew before this and it's such a beautiful song. The lyrics are gorgeous and the guitar is mesmerising. Another highlight is Alice's Wonderland. This has made me definitely want to listen to more Bert Jansch and Pentangle!
4 Love it
Huh. Kind of Nick Drake, kind of Bob Dylan, kind of Fred Neil - I guess comes with my untrained ear for the folk genre - maybe not as great as some of the work of these three, but comes quite close. Nice find.
There's so much dynamics and expression in the playing. It's so nuanced, in terms of inflections and rhythms, and you can feel the love of the instrument in the tunes. His singing isn't great, but it's fine, and again, his enjoyment and conviction comes through. He also takes a number of the songs in harmonic and tonal directions which are completely beyond the call of duty for the genre that's in it. I had a feeling listening to it that he might have been a musical godfather I hadn't been aware of before, and a quick Google search showed up Neil Young, Nick Drake, Jimmy Page and others as having been influenced by him - I'm not surprised
Enjoyed this one! It's a cross between folk and classical guitar. Easy listening - reminds me of a guy we once saw playing a guitar in the park in San Francisco. Great for working to!
This was just a perfect pleasant discovery. I love my some singer-songwriter with fantastic finger-picking. It hits right in that sweet spot of relaxing music. A great discovery and what this list is great since I'd never have heard of this guy otherwise.
Quite enjoyable, although a little mellow. I tend to favour higher bpm's but this was a good listen that I would most likely not have had otherwise. A 3.5 for me, but I enjoyed it more than dislike so its a 4!
Yeah I dig it mellow chill
Good job Bert
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
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.
I can see hear where Jimmy Page got alot of acoustic playing from. this was a nice listen.
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.
This is like Leonard Cohen by way better. It's very acoustic and simple.
Would like to revisit, cool vibe
reminded me of Nick Drake. Fit my mood when i was listening to it.
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.
Fantastic, masterful guitar playing, recording in a way that's crisp and clean. A breath of fresh air.
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.
Fuck yeah! This dude can plaaaaaay.
He has a very calm soothing voice and a very good story teller. I enjoyed this album very much.
Never heard this dude but he can play the hell out of a guitar. But I had heard his name a few years ago when Blur's Graham Coxon released a solo record of mostly acoustic music and cited Jansch as a significant influence. Maybe I listened to a song or two then but never followed-up. That's too bad this is great! Infinitely more listenable that American "folk" of the time, IMO. Also, "Chapelle Show...Chapelle Show..." Haha.
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).
Get getsch
Wha-
Great guitar and very chill.
Spare and simple. Warm and mellow. Pretty. Very nice!
Very simple but beautiful folk album. Lovely. Impressive how much a guitar and a voice can do! Enjoyed sitting back and relaxing to this.
Liked it
Just some good old folk
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.
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
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
Relaxing and soothing; could have been recorded any time between 1965 and now.
the music is really nice. (•‿•)
Echte Entdeckung!
Country, singer songwriter Dylan achtig maar beter verstaanbaar
Ingetogen album. Wel leuk
4,5
Well this is great.
Love Burt Like the later things more … Avocet for instance
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
- vibrato is controlled but a little trying - strong genre album, variety and atmosphere are good - no standouts but consistent
Disco que se escucha fácil, ideal para un viaje tranquilo en coche o un paseo de desconexion.
It was a lot better than I was expecting. Made me wish I was sitting with friends around a campfire.
Usually not a huge folk fan, but I really enjoyed this album!
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.
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
Folk
Travis picking, great guitar playing. Very Nick Drake like, must have inspired him a lot. Nice album.
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
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
A twangy and catchy album. 0RS
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
Didn't quite finish. Enjoyed it but didn't love it. 7
Not bad! Folksy, with some Gordon Lightfoot vibes.
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
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.
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.
It sounds like every other singer-songwriter album. 7
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.
I very much enjoyed the instrumental tracks. Amazing artistry.
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.
Folksy and mellow. Very nice.
Amazing acoustic album. Will definitely listen to it again
Enjoyable album, reminded me a lot of Nick Drake's Pink Moon
I SLEEP
If nothing else, Bert Jansch is an incredible fingerpicker. There are so many great little melodies and chord progression he pulls off with just his fingers. His style is a mix of blues and traditional English folk, combined with a very sparse and isolating atmosphere that makes for a surprisingly emotionally affective listen. The only instruments present here are his guitar and his voice, so it's a testament to his skill that he's able to keep this album as compelling as it is. That being said, he's not that impressive as a lyricist or a vocalist. He certainly is competent, and those aren't as important to this album's quality as his guitar playing, but it does hold this album back from being truly great. I typically preferred the few instrumental tracks, since those gave him more space to experiment with his guitar. That being said, this was still a good album, and I could see how it would influence a lot of other great artists down the line, although I do think a lot of them improved on the base he built here.
62
Very cool chill album. Great instrumental work.
Guitarist from Pentangle, makes sense, the playing is very unique but there's too many instrumentals I don't care about
Acoustic folk, in the British tradition. "Angie" is a banger, and this features some good guitar work; although some of the songwriting is not so inspiring.
Never heard of this guy, went in with no expectations and while it's listenable there's nothing amazing about it.
6/10
I'm sure this gets referred to as 'Britains Bob Dylan' and i can see why. The intimate recording if one man and his guitar, the folk stories and the earnest delivery. Its good and i enjoyed it. But it lacks some of the passion, the anger and the story telling that made Bob great and should be treated as a good not great album
Perhaps I need to listen to this a few more times to appreciate it.
Pleasant, folky, I get the Nick Drake comparisons. Excellent finger-picking.
Relaxing folk, sounds like it could be more modern amyhan the 60s tbh. Couldn’t listen all the time but it’s good for what it is
50+ Albums in and Needle of Death is one of the best tracks I've heard so far, definitely the best track id heavier heard before. Unfortunately the rest of the album didn't quite live up to that height but it is still and enjoyable listen. 3.5* Rounded down to 3*
7/10
A gentle acoustic experience. Some very technically proficient guitar playing. He’s clearly got chops. He’s a solid vocalist and he has some great lyrics. Smokey River, Needle of Death, and Do You Hear Me were the standouts, but not much stands out on this album in general. It’s nice, but ultimately it’s a guy playing an acoustic guitar by himself. There’s a ceiling to that kind of thing.
This was a really good folk album. I haven’t heard a lot of intentional Scottish folk, and it’s quite good. I suppose any place with enough institutional oppression and historical trauma makes good folk music. Angie and the Needle are particularly good.
With just his voice and a very skillful guitar playing, Bert Jansch composed a rather unique Singer-songwriter album for its time, and yet it can be a bit lackluster. As mentioned, the most impressive and interesting aspect about it is the very agile guitar playing, specially in the instrumental tracks, as it fills the gap of the voice by being more complex and interesting. Speaking about the voice, I think it is fine. I don't find it to be very emotional or appealing, but at least is not grating. And that's about it. The album is very straight forward in terms of sound, being folk inspired Singer-songwriter with just voice and guitar, so there isn't really much more worth talking about. Actually, I haven't mentioned the lyrics, but that's because I don't get anything out of them, so my point of not having things to discuss still stands. Ultimately, I think it is fine. Not something I'm crazy about and sometimes it even gets close to being boring, but it manages to be decent and interesting enough.
Старина сильно долбит по струнам
It's a dude with an acoustic guitar. Cool
Yeah, why not. British folk's great
Perfectly nice folk, but it really makes me appreciate the less affected vocal delivery that developed in the late 60's.
A beautiful folk rock collection of songs. The guitar is bright and vibrant, and Bert had some interesting things to say. 3.4/5.
It was fine. I feel like maybe I would have dug this more in a different headspace. But as it was, it's perfectly adequate.
kinda messed with it. i’d give it a 3.49
Not bad
This would be at its best on an old phonograph. In HD on a modern streaming service, it's alright. 2.7/5 -> 3/5
Great artist.
2.5/5 Very calm, almost like you’re traveling through nature. Not bad, but probably wouldn’t listen to it again. I’ll do 3 stars cause if it played somewhere I wouldn’t mind. Cant really give it 2 cause it was not bad at all.
Første tanke: Hold kæft noget svedigt guitar. Jeg forstår godt hvorfor man sætter pris på, men når alt kommer til alt, så bliver det altså også en smule kedeligt. 3
Jeg har ikke meget hverken godt eller ondt at sige om dette. Det gør ingen skade, men det siger mig heller ikke alverden. Jeg har det med dette, som mange har det med jazz - det er fint til baggrunden. Det fader lidt for meget ind og ud af de samme sange til, at jeg kan differentiere det fra hinanden Mit lyse sommerhumør lader det lige akkurat snige sig op på en: 2.8 Havde det været vinter, var det en 2'er.
ret lækkert - omend tangerende til det lidt kedelige en gang i mellem. Kan godt se mig får løst til at høre dette album i bestemte situationer, men ikke revolutionerende nok til at trække mig over 3 stjerner, selvom jeg mistænker den nemt kunne komme højere, hvis/når jeg får tid til at fordybe mig i både lyden og teksterne
Nice album of folk songs, I really liked the instrumentals. The lyrics and vocals can be melancholy. This would have been better to listen to in colder months than during a hot July. Favorite songs: Courting Blues, Smokey River, Casbah, Angie
Solid
I'm generalising this as the kind of music an aging hippie, who's taken up art and moved to Cornwall might reach for. I'm not digging it. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ most Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆(5/10) Total reviewed : 372 Already owned : 81 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 268
I get nervous when the singer sounds out of tune. Thankfully, it got better! Easy listening, very folksy. Some activist songs here. I like "I have no Time" and "do you hear me now?" Very mellow, even during the more passionate songs
Rentoa kesäistä akustistafolkkia, tosi mökkikamaa. Tuosta laulajan äänestä tulee toinen folkkilaulaja mieleen, mutta en saa mieleen kuka. Mukana myös instrumentaali kappaleita. Parhaat: Running From Home, Angie
A very quiet and mild folk album. I like the guitar playing and some of the songs, but it’s hard to feel too strongly about it.
Really lovely! Soothing and swift, in and out, and I appreciate it. Nothing jumped out, unfortunately, but it was worthwhile.
Underappreciated folky 60s bloke is a classic archetype of the list and Bert is a good example. Like similar artists, I like a lot of this album but not enough to consider another listen. A very 'live' sounding recording, some nice guitar parts and a good voice, would be nice in the background on occasion. No clear standout bangers that would make me want to repeat though.
This guy seems pretty chill. What’s up Bert Jansch? Bert Jansch: Ah you boys here for the boat? The rest is history
Good guitar play.
An easy-going folk album; not much going on in. Nothing stood up for me in particular but it was an enjoyable album and I liked the vocal delivery, too. Would put it on the background when I'm just chilling. It was home-recorded I think? Meaning that it's somewhat an independent release, imperfections can be found like hitting off-key notes here and there throughout the LP but it only enriches the overall cozy sound of the album I'd say. Favorites: Strolling Down the Highway, Smokey River, Veronica, Needle of Death, Dreams of Love, Angie
Pretty good lyrics get repetitive though
That wasn't half bad. Not my jive, folk music but this was OK.
Mysig singer songwriter typ
The parts where he's not singing 👍
Prefer other albums by Bert Jansch, but I enjoyed this. Anji specifically.
Pleasant enough without being spectacular at any point.
noice man met gitaar
Great for the morning train
Enjoyable guitar and singing. Bookmarked Angie as I quite liked it.
I liked his folky voice, his kind of moody style. Not bad.
Bert Jansch played by Bert Jansch performed by Bert Jansch created by Bert Jansch curated by Bert Jansch Jansched Bert Jansch, Jansch. 5/10
Just a guy chatting. 3/5
Pleasant enough, nothing special
My kind of country music even though it got a bit repetitive towards the end.
Literally nothing to say about this. Pleasant folk.
Pleasant singer-songwriter acoustic folk. The tunes began to run together after a while. | added “Needle of Death” to my playlist.
Take na 3
This album wasn't exactly what I needed the day it was offered up. But as I listened into the second half, it grew on me. I love the guitar playing. Some of the instrumental tracks are stellar. A 3.5 album for me.
I recently learned through Spotify’s 20th anniversary celebration (God, I’m getting old) that my most-streamed artist was Tallest Man on Earth. I blame my early twenties and the fact that his music was great to study to. Anyway, I remember him saying that he got a lot of criticism for supposedly trying to mimic Dylan, but he always claimed he borrowed more from other artists. I think you can hear a lot of his technique in this album, so maybe Bert Jansch was who he meant. I really enjoyed the fingerpicking style and the vocals. It felt chill and cozy. The fact that it was recorded in one take, mistakes and all, made it feel raw and intimate. Not many songs really stood out, though, so I’m going to land on a solid 3.
Great Songs: Good Songs: Strolling Down the Highway, Smokey River, Oh How Your Love Is Strong, Finches, Veronica, Rambling's Gonna Be the Death of Me, Casbah, Dreams of Love, Angie Mid Songs: I Have No Time, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me, Alice's Wonderland, Running from Home, Courting the Blues Bad Songs:
Okay, so I'm not usually a huge folk guy, but there's this seriously beautiful, intimate vibe to the recording, they made it in a kitchen on old reel-to-reel tape, so no fancy, overproduced stuff. It's just raw, analog, and feels like you're at an unpolished, handmade gig in your living room. Perfect for chilling on a lazy Sunday. Jansch's voice is a bit of an acquired taste, a bit raspy, but characterful, and it works great with the serious, dark lyrics. But honestly, the guitar playing? That's the real show. The fingerpicking on tracks like "Smokey River", "Casbah", and his "Angie" cover is insane, mixing blues and jazz. After hearing "Needle of Death" I get why Nick Drake and Neil Young looked up to him. It's a simple, hypnotic record that packs a ton of emotion... just a man and his guitar.
Moody strumming
Easy to listen to. Not as lyrically impressive as some other folk albums, maybe because his voice was distracting at times. I really enjoyed the needle of death song especially the lyrics: Through ages, man's desires To free his mind, to release his very soul Has proved to all who live That death itself is freedom for evermore.
Eh
I thought all the song had a nice sound to them. I did think the album went by way to fast.
Pleasant. Not that interesting
Not a fan of the instrumentals. However, I thought his melding of blues and British folk was well done with interesting lyrics.
Great guitar work for a folk album. Otherwise solid but nothing particular that stands out.
Helt alright søndags-folk eller? Får meg egentlig til å ønske at jeg heller hørte på Jackson C. Frank eller Nick Drake.
Jeg skulle mye heller sett Birthday Blues i lista. Dette er helt grei folk. Interessant gitarspill, men jeg hører heller på Donovan.
I liked this. I'd heard of him but had never listened before. Was unaware he was Scottish! I particularly liked the instrumental "Alice's Wonderland" and recognized Angie from the S&G cover. A strong three.
I went into this expecting to hate it more considering it’s just a guy and a guitar with basically nothing else. But overall it was pleasant. At least he could sing well, and play a pretty good guitar.
Mildly interesting voice. Mildly interesting guitar parts. Mildly interesting songwritting.
This was a nice discovery. A good quality folk album for the time. Better than I anticipated.