Reviews (page 5 of 8)
This was interesting but I'm not sure I enjoyed it.
Nice folk record. (32 known/65 new)
Just love this record and the journey that FP took from folk-rock inspired by the American movement, to leaders of the traditional English folk movement with Liege and Lief (which should be on this list)
3.5
Quite good.
Tatsächlich eigtl. ganz gut, kannte ich bisher noch nicht
I'll quote Butthead on this one. "What the hell is this crap?" A French Bob Dylan cover? Only Charlotte Gainsbourg is allowed to do that. I really tried to put my "objective listener" hat on for this, but I was already in a grumpy mood going in and suffering through this oddity didn't help any. And although my one dimensional nature did allow me to appreciate the one mild rocker found here, and one other song that was pretty cool (Who Knows Where the Time Goes ?) (Who knows how this album made the list?) I must throw down a big fat 2 for my review. Sorry not sorry Fairport. 2
Waste of my precious time listening to this album. I tried to get in the spirit but it was a fruitless effort. PASS.
Rating: 6/10 Sounds like sailing the high seas.
In a nutshell: electrified traditional folk. This is what I'd expect to hear in a rural UK pub. Not that's a bad thing. I might go back to this album in a few weeks, because there must be something here I don't see. Overall: 4/10
I weirdly liked this one. The British folk-rock genre gave this album a certain quality that it if exists outside of time. It’s not one that I could listen to on repeat, but I am really happy I got to experience it once.
2.3 This is exactly what I imagine Cartman has in mind when he says he fucking hates hippies.
This album cover is great. Like they were going out and found hippies on their lawn. The looks on their faces says this isn't the first time. But anyway, this is the type of folk rock I need today. It is so well played, the vocals and harmonies are top notch. Outstanding record.
J’ai vu ce disque comme un devoir de mémoire. Ce qui paraît oubliable demande à être entendu au moins une fois
I liked this, the musicianship is top notch and Richard Thompson shows why he is a favorite even back then. I don't know much about Fairport to provide any contextual reference but it sounds like what I have heard from them in the past. I particularly enjoyed "A Sailor's Life"
2nd Fairport Convention album in my last 3 albums, that's kind of funny. I liked this one more than Liege and Lief. It's a little more interesting and doesn't have nearly as much droning psychadelia. And there are some brilliant moments, like the song Autopsy, which was amazing. Pretty good stuff.
Loved this, had never heard of the band but it was a fun and warm listen. Favorite songs were: Autopsy Si tu dois partir 8/10
Weirdly good.
Bardzo kojąca płyta. Piękny wokal, melodie lekkie jak poranny wietrzyk. Aż się łezka kręci. Kojarzy mi się trochę z Joan Baez. 7.5/10
A great (bordering on psychedelic) British folk album. Genesis Hall is excellent, and the final Dylan cover of Million Dollar Bash more than rivals the original.
Fine for what it is, but not my bag.
# Album Name: Unhalfbricking # Artist: Fairport Convention # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. Some nice vocals and melodies. No song really popped though. Few decent tracks. # Top Tunes: Where the time goes / Autopsy # Would I listen to it again? Only some of it
stor fornøjelse, kunne bedre lide den end den forrige vi havde med Fairport Convention
Havde aldrig hørt Fairport Convention før den her bog, synes det er fed men den anden plade vi havde var bedre. Hidtil mest britiske albumcover
I liked this album much more than their next album Liege & Thief. A Sailor's Life was the stand out track with its jammy ending. 3+
Excellent intro to Fairport, Richard Thompson & Sandy Denny. You can hear how their influence cascades down the years!
Had not heard of Fairport Convention before, but I wish I had. I had a lot of fun listening to this album. The guitar work is excellent. The lead singer has a nice voice. The album opens with the fun Genesis Hall. A Sailor's Life starts out sounding like it'll be kinda meh, but then it picks up, and the guitar and violin combo is amazing. Percy's Song is really good, great music and a nice story in it. Ends on the fun Million Dollar Bash. After the album finished playing, I didn't realize it was the last song and it moved on to their song Matty Groves. Wow, what a song, absolutely loved it! Wish it were on this album. Good album, will have to listen to more Fairport Convention. Best song: Percy's Song
Melodic, some of it was good. All of it was dated.
British folk-inspired songs not without merits but I'm just not into this any more. Real folk yes, as in, traditional songs by real people (Lomax recordings!) The voice gets really annoying after a few songs. Not very creative.
Not remarkable, and not terrible. I think I prefer my folk more folksy.
Magnificent
This is a cloudy day album if I’ve ever heard one
love the calming vibes of this album
This album was ok, not much to say about this and unfortunately leaving this review in a rush. 4.9/10
I hadn't heard this album before, but it's fair to say that folk rock doesn't really meet my taste in music. I played this album through three times, and I don't really get it. The vocals are mixed rather too much to the fore, and I disliked their quivery tone. I didn't find the music behind the vocals particularly interesting.
Enjoying so far, good lyrics and instrumentals. I really liked the bass line in Autopsy. A Sailor’s life had some great parts, thought it was a different song but realized it’s actually just a long track. Some parts of the songs are a little repetitive at times, I wasn’t a big fan of Percy’s song upon first listen. The band does kind of remind me of a Fleetwood Mac esque band that never quite had that hit to let them take off. Overall, I really enjoyed the album (at points) and would likely seek them out to listen to further. Nice discovery having apparently listened to them only four times in 2018 before this album.
Beautiful tunes, maybe more suited for fall than spring. But Sandy Denny’s voice and Richard Thompson’s guitar, pretty much a perfect combination.
Lovely. A good 4.
Closer to a 4.5
What a revelation! I don't think I'd ever heard FC before (maybe vaguely familiar?) and certainly wasn't too excited when I saw the album cover. Ah... now I see the band photo bombing in the background. But man! What a lush, hauntingly beautiful album. I've listened to it 4 times straight through while working today. A perfect example of why I wanted to take this 1001 albums challenge on. Of course I had to go down the rabbit hole of the history of the band, which is rather tragic to say the least. Anyway, a great change of pace from my usual diet of metal and punk. 4.5/5 rounded up to 5. Album 8/1001
A delightful surprise. Haven't heard of this band before but I had a good time.
me and who genesis hall- 5 si tu dois partir- 6 autopsy- 5 a sailors life- 5 cajun woman- 6 who knows where the time goes- 5 or 6 percys song- 5 million dollar bash- 5 or 6 dear landlord- 5 ballad of easy rider- 5 this was a lovely little album. ill return to at another day
I loved Liege and Lief, and I Love this album too. Lot's of variety, beautiful vocals, and masterful musicianship.
Really not bad - a pleasant enough listen that took me several days to absorb. 3.2/5 -> 3/5
Much prefer Over the Rhine.....
Highs were really high, lows were quite forgettable. 3.5 if I could, just didn't grasp me enough to get to 4. A Sailor's Life & Who Know's Where the Time Goes both so so good
The highs (only about half of the songs) are so high that it's a 4
Went into this completely blind but it was actually really good. Pleasantly surprised.
Really liked this, will definitely be returning to it
folkie
Not good, Bob.
I was very surprised - no way this dos not sound as a contemporary album. First time ever hearing of them... turned out well. (Hope you had a successful career...}
Weird because it simultaneously sounds like so many records of the 60s and yet also sounds different. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Regardless I was glad to be introduced to it. 3.5/5
A Sailor's Life was really good, I enjoyed that song and Cajun Woman was alright. I just love her voice too, I had listened to another Fairport Convention album in this challenge a few weeks back and really liked that one. 3 stars overall
There's some fantastic music on this album, but there's also a good deal that doesn't do much for me. I do wish it leaned more heavily on British traditional folk music as its source. I don't like this album nearly as much as Liege and Lief. 3 stars.
Kind of liked this. Not a big fan of that british folkiness (being English), crop circles et al, but this maintains just enough of the 60s US folk rock influences to let me listen. And more importantly got to comment on that cover, it's so gloriously naff. 3 Star.
I already loved their other album I got a while ago. liege and thief. this is exactly why I love 1001 albums. wouldn't have known them if it wasn't for this funny little app.
I didn’t enjoy the first Fairpoint Convention album I got but this one was much better. Good songs, good vibes. Never gonna be my favorite band or anything but it was a solid listen.
Yeah, sure, folk. It’s nice enough actually but I’m pretty sure the generator has already recommended I listen to a 1969 album by these folks…
Not bad at all. Just a regular good album from the end of the 60's. 3 stars.
Wasn't in the right mood for this yesterday, but after a second try today it's going down real nicely. The genre fusion is very interesting in some places, but a bit jarring in others. I could have done without Cajun Woman and Million Dollar Bash. Enjoyed the rest of it though, especially Genesis Hall, A Sailor's Life, and Who Knows...the latter of which I already knew, thanks to the Spotify algorithm! Sometimes it gets it right.
I don’t like this. Maybe because it reminds me of an evil ex, maybe because it sucks.
This album is pleasant to listen to, but it's the older style of folk that I don't particularly care for. Her voice is nice, and I think they made some interesting decisions with their mix of older English folk songs and unreleased Bob Dylan songs. It's just ultimately not for me, and it was hard to get myself to listen to enough of it to rate it 3/5
3.5
Talk about beauty, mixed with experiment, mixed with careful caution to ensure the listener can appreciate the experience! Vocal hypnosis with magical, yet subtle, guitar heroics and a soothing D&B heartbeat.
One of the most boring albums yet
This was alright but not a ton drawing me back
Very Joni Mitchell vibes but not as poetic but with better singing. Don’t know if I’ll return but liked it well enough
I was going to describe them as Joni Mitchell/ Jefferson Airplane-sounding. Then I read the wikipedia page, which confirms: "they started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set list dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane".
Folksy, monotone, ok.
2025-03-02...
That was way better than their other one
Moments of brilliance peppered with a few oddballs. The brilliant songs carry the day.
Sounds like I wandered into a Wes Anderson film. 9/10.
Fairport Convention had an impressive run of three albums released in 1969. Over the course of this period they transitioned (spearheaded by new lead singer Sandy Denny) from an American influenced folk band to a new style of British folk rock, rooted in traditional songs. "Unhalfbricking" represents the midway point in that journey, taking inspiration halfway between modern America and English history. Fairport Convention were given access to a number of unheard Bob Dylan songs and covered three of them for this album. They also balanced this out with their most ambitious song yet, "A Sailor's Life", dating back to the 1700s. It's easily the most noteworthy track on the album, given the history, the change of style, the song's length, and the stark atmosphere it induces. That song alone is often considered the start of British folk rock, as a distinct entity from its American counterpart. Tragically, the band's drummer would be killed shortly after this album and with him, the band itself nearly ended. Their follow up, "Liege & Lief" would complete their 1969 trilogy and the transition to English-centric music. It's arguably the more important album as it cemented their unique style and influence. But for my money, "Halfunbricking" is still the better album, as it straddles those two different worlds to make a more interesting (if less important) piece of art.
I just can’t really get into A Sailor’s Life, which hangs over the whole album. Just don’t quite get this, although Percy's Song is compelling
Always with the hippie music on this list. Side 2 is stronger than Side 1 and the faster songs are much better than the slower songs. I had slight contempt for this album after hearing Side 1 but really came around on Side 2. My disgust then became just a slight annoyance. Then I listened to the album a few more times and my slight annoyance became a sort of enjoyment. It turns out, this is a good album and really grows on you. A Sailor's Life may be 11 minutes long but the long outro of the song really played well in my ears, so I did enjoy it. This is a very backloaded the album and even the first three songs are still quality, yet not up to par with the other five songs at the end of the album. I am getting one more Fairport Convention album, so I'm interested to hear it as well. After a few listens, I may end up adding this one to my collection. In general, I hate hippie folk music like this though. What I like most about Richard Thompson is his son, Teddy, makes good music as well.
Yeah this was good and a great example of why this list is fun.
loved the vibes, canciones are either a bit too long o todas se parecen and blend
awwwww folk rock. i would like to listen to like folk punk more than ever, rather than listening to these. that french bob dylan cover with the shit like violin and accordion makes my life more terrible. 1/5
I found this album to be interesting and diverse. The beginning wasn’t as strong as the back half, though.
Sailors life was kinda sick with it. Everything else alright Will I listen to again: 25%
Neat folky album, fits in with the time it was made
Drugs with a side of country living
This is a folk rock album that reminds me of the music my granny used to play on her radio when I was a child. I put it on as I was writing and whilst I didn’t pay as total attention as I could have done, I was aware of the vibe and the sound, which I enjoyed. It’s very easy going, very smooth and the perfect album to switch off to. It would be in my category for Sunday morning music. I can hear the Bob Dylan inspiration in the music, that yearning guitar and soft vocals creating a demure, smooth sound that’s easily digestible. It’s an understated album that doesn’t try to do too much. It didn’t wow me and I think, if I was doing nothing else but listening, I would have gotten bored with some songs but I won’t hold that against it. Not all the songs are hits but the ones that are hold up. I just wish there was a bit less Dylan involved because the fucker seems to be everywhere at the moment (as of 2025, thanks Timothee Chalamet), he is inescapable. There are some jazzy moments in here that I enjoyed, some slow and thought-provoking melodies that created a good atmosphere for my writing. I would give it another listen, which warrants it a three stars.
One of the best albums from the classic Fairport Convention line up.
Mostly folksy music with mild electric guitars and a whispy female lead vocalist. But some tracks are a bit more rocking. The one that stands out to me is 'Autopsy' which is in 5/4 time.
60s cult indoctrination simulator
Good listen, you could really get a feel for their influences throughout the entire album
Honestly, this is a really nice blend of folk and rock. The rock never feels too heavy, and the music clearly has very solid, deep roots in folk music. The more I listen to this, the more it grows on me. It never really ends up as a great album for me, but it is very good. It's weird to say about a folk album, but I think if it was recorded/mixed/produced a little more cleanly, I would probably like it more. The album on Spotify sounds like it's being played from an old record that hasn't been played in at least half a decade. Favorite Song(s): Who Knows Where the Time Goes?, Percy's Song
Didn't like this at all, too slow, too folksy and just kinda shit. Only part that jumped out as a sustained bit I didn't dislike was A Sailors Life, but even that's a stretch
Nie spodziewałem się niczego konkretnego po tym albumie, a dostałem sporo fajnej muzyki. Na co dzień folk to nie do końca mój klimat, ale w jakiś sposób urzekły mnie te melodie i wokal Sandy Denny. Wracam sobie momentami do tego. Takie trochę naciągane 4, ale ten jej głos naprawdę mnie urzeka.
When i go back to albums I haven't had a chance to hear I pick two types. Albums that seems like a great music or something that I can write funny comment about. This was the second type and joke is on me. By seeing folk as a genre with this old couple on the cover I was already preparing commetns about beating myself with a brick instead of listening to this. But today I decided to see a brick half full.
#500. A dull slog that I had to force myself to get through. I liked one of their other albums that I listened to from this playlist, but this one didn't have that same something, whatever it was. 2/5: just kinda boring, really. Song added to playlist: Cajun Woman I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Some great Dylan covers on here, among other songs. A beautiful voice, reminiscent of Joni Mitchell.
Gentle folk rock/pop
Melhor música: Who Knows Where the Time Goes
Absolutely love this album, I've replayed it several times since it was recommended. Never imagined I could get into folk but this might be my gateway in!
I think I finally figured out why I can't get into this band. Their music reminds me of my mother.
Feel good
How have I never heard of this band?? Definitely feels like the ultimate encapsulation of everything I love about 60’s rock, Joni Mitchell esque lead vocals, cool blends of acoustic folk instrumentals, velvet underground style production/sonics, I’m hitting a lots of 5’s lately.
Bits were fun & catchy - but overall I felt this one was lacking something
Started out promising, but ended up being boring.
The Cajun French on "Si Tu Dois Partir" was unexpected. "A Sailor's Life" has some fantastic instrumentation. The harmonizing on "Percy's Song" makes it sound authentically British-folky. This has a good folk sound and good vibe throughout. Great music to work to.
This album started off a bit slow for me, but as I got into it, I really enjoyed it. Some fantastic guitar playing and catchy melodies as you get to some of the later tracks.
Excellent
So good
Lovely to know I found what my brain sounds like
Folk music isn't really my vibe most of the time and really old folk music even less. I can understand why people like this but the slow songs and gentle singing puts me to sleep. And just when I'm relaxed the singer hits a long high note from nowhere that is two times as loud and I wake up again. I bet this inspired a lot of todays folk music singers but even the evolved version of this isn't for me.
A few songs I enjoyed, and she has a great voice.
OK folk music. Some catchy songs, some not. 2.5.
Not bad. Watched the sunset to this album from my front window on March 7, 2026
Some nice folk music.
Not great
What a delightful young couple on the cover. Delightful songs too
This was surprisingly nice to listen to, despite never hearing of this band before. A 3.5+ from me.
I didnt know anything about this band beforehand. I was in for a really pleasant surprise! I absolutely loved some of these tracks (especially the ones that feature those angelic female vocals). It felt cozy and warm, beautiful Melodie’s, reminiscent of a simpler life far away from my everyday struggles. 4/5
Typisches Folk-Album. Tolle Lyrics. Nicht weiter verwunderlich, dass sie unveröffentlichtes Material von Bob Dylan sangen. Obwohl, "Si tu dois partir" isch nüd s beschte Lied uf de Platte.. A sailors life isch sehr athmosphärisch. Die Sängerin Sandy hat mit Robert Plant ein Duett für Led Zeppelin gesungen.
cover uuuuhuere hard. mmh no schön genesis hall, moll chan öpis. chli langsam chli hülend aber sehr cute. gitarre licks sind mega schön. si tu dois partir no funny halt französisch. bin echt nöd soo en fan vo ihrere stimm. sie erinneret mich au a öpper aber weiss nöd wer. autopsy isch reecht cool mega divers, sie setzt ihri stimm guet iih. a sailors life fangt mitere meeega schöne melodie aah. ok schochli langs genudel. isch ok. baut guet uuf. who knows where the time wieder meeega schöni gitarre. würkli hammer. mega schöne song. oooh ich lieb de accappella afang vo percy's song! chli britische country? million dollar bash cool, nüt meega bsunders. ha spass gha, knapps vieri.
bri'ish folk? aso s albumcover findi hammer hahaha ohh seehr schöni stimm!! echli wie d joni mitchell si tu dois partir isch okkkk aber jz echt nöd meh, find cool dass sie französisch singed aber wemmer nöd genau lost chönntmers für englisch halte hahaha autopsy wieder rockiger, a sailor's life wieder folk, mached sies eifach abwechsligswiis? ja han sailor's life jz nöd vill chönne abgwünne also ich find ihri stimm suuuper. d gitarre findi teilwiis au schön. aber mier schlaft chli s gsicht ih who know where the time goes seg so de hit? PERCY JACKSON ja sorry für mich isch das es klars 2, es isch nöd "schlecht" per se, aber finds extrem langwilig (aso genesis hall hani cool gfunde) s albumcover passt guet vodem her guet, das pärli gseht so bieder uus
Great prog rock, similar to Renaissance. Great band, have to listen more of it
This was good! A little too on the maypoles-and-village-fetes end of the English folk scene still, but very nice indeed. Sandy Denny, someone I'd never heard of about three years ago, now seems to enter my radar constantly. She's got a great voice - very gentle but still strident - and uses it really well here.
A Sailors Life 💞 wish I knew that song back in my Navy days. So sad tho. This is one of the few albums that I’ve listened to over and over and it gets better each time. I love the Folk style of this. Percy’s Somg is really great as well.
It’s a chill album and I’d never heard this before. Will I listen again? Not sure, probably not but I’m not regretting the time I spent with Fairport Convention
🔥🔥🔥
I’m not too keen on folk, I could get into the opener and Autopsy but the rest not really x
Solid folk album, but folk just isn’t normally my thing. “A Sailor’s Life” and “Million Dollar Bash” are the highlights for me. Overall, a respectable effort for fans of the genre.
Quite overly folksy but Sailor’s Life the pinnacle
Liked the vibe and sound, but the songs were to long
such a cool folk rock vibe especially for 1960s, I hope to remember this album and revisit it
If you want Folk Rock that's actually based in folk music you definitely need to listen to Fairport Convention who mastered this style and connected it to some kind of Englishness resembling old photographs and whatnot. Some of the tracks don't work as well as others and I think this album deserves a good remaster, but it's great nonetheless.
Blind album, know the artist from another album on the project. Unsure if i liked this album more because it was shorter...?
I like The second track: "Si Tu Dois Partir" But generally I don't like the sound of this album, even though I often like folk music or at least folk-inspired pop and rock
A fine album of British folk music. Sandy Denny's voice is a thing of beauty and the playing and the arrangements are wonderful, especially on the 11 minute long opus, A Sailor's Life. 4 stars
not all bad but not really my type of music
All a bit too unbitten.
This is a wild album. I'm not sure what the title means, but I first thought it was a European group. They are English, but I was thinking like a Scottish or dutch with that title. There are so many styles here it makes sense that they were called the English Jefferson Airplane/Starship. I heard Beatles, Nick Drake, Joan Baez, and more along with some Cajun, blues and other influences. If anyone wants to get into the music of the 60s starting here and the picking which path you want more of isn't a bad option. Good variety here. Favorite track " Autopsy" 4/5
7/10 Old but definitely a keeper. Would put this on in the background if I was driving or cooking or some shi🤷🏼♂️
Never heard this album before. I guess the English version of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with a rotating cast of musicians. The music sounds like it should have been released 5 years earlier. Good music. I would listen again if in the mood for bob Dylan with a better voice. I don’t think I’d put this on my 1001 list honestly.
Cute album. I quite like the folksy vibe, the lady has a very nice voice too. Quaint.
Folky vibe, was unsure on the first couple but got pretty into it. “A Sailors life” slapped.
Kinda boring but ok background music
THEY MATCHED EACH OTHER'S FREAK 😭😭
Folk rock, overraskende godt, lidt fleetwood Mac stemning
Not really my thing, but sounded okay? The singer sounded a lot like someone else I heard not too long ago
point8.
Sandy Denny is one of my all time favourite vocalists and this album is one of the main reasons why. Fairport Convention released two of the greatest british folk rock albums in less than a year; this and Liege and Lief!
delightful folk rock album
I really enjoyed this - it would be a nice album to listen to on a cozy fall day, sipping tea after tending the garden.
On par with the Beatles
There is something that feels spiritual about this kind of music (all kinds of music to me, actually), especially when it is some sort of traditional music. The stripped down music and vocal harmonies highlight the synergy of all the musicians, if you listen close you can hone in on a single beautiful instrument or voice that fits so perfectly with the surroundings that it can go unnoticed due to the beauty of the spirit of the song as a whole. This album mixes traditional English songs and instruments with some pop culture of the late-60s and captures that spirit as well.
Oké, ez nagyon nagyon bejön, húdejó.
Really nice
Even if it was a pretty odd folk sound at times, the songs were really well written with a prog type of playfulness
Haven’t heard a lot of British folk before, but it was great to learn more about it.
True folk, mellow but also hard going in places.
Ok
Please no more. This is twice I've been tortured with these notes
I read that this is a more Dylany record than the trad folk generally associated with Fairport. Very enjoy the first couple of tracks. I got gradually a little bit less interested as it went on, but I feel for sure these songs will reward repeat listening. The Richard Thompson album absolutely did. Percy's Song in particular just fills out near the end and really invades the ears. Whereas I drifted off a bit during Sailor's Song. Think I'm going down the middle. High 3. Enjoyed, but feel like I enjoyed the other record in the book more, and definitely the Richard+ Linda Thompson one more. I was about to adjust my rating because a song came on right at the end which I thought was fantastic. However I looked and the album had ended and it was Come All Ye off Liege and Leaf. So that seals it.
Folk-Rock Erstaunlich reichhaltig
Kind of boring. Best song was the bob dylan cover
15/1001 I would consider myself a pretty big fan of the American folk and folk rock sound, and I’m therefore hugely disappointed that I’ve never heard of British folk-rock. Unhalfbricking was apparently the album, where Fairport Convention started to incorporate more British folk into their sound, and I really love it. The mix of it all is just pleasant and delightful to listen to. Though the A-side has some great tracks like the opener and A Sailor’s Life, the B-side is really where the album goes from good to great. Featuring a variety of more traditional folk tracks and electric ones, it’s most interesting moment is their almost Grateful Dead-esque jam on the traditional A Sailor’s Life. While Cajun Woman kicks off the B-side in electric fashion owing a great deal of its sound to Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, while incorporating more traditional folk instrumentation into the mix, making for one hell of a song. Overall this is a phenomenal album, that I’m glad I got to know. 4,5/5
I really really liked this album. I'd never heard of this band before nor Sandy Denny, but I'm glad I know them now. After watching A Complete Unknown I'm in the mood for this genre and I learned that a few of the songs on this album are actually Dylan covers. My favorite songs are "Dear Landlord", "Percy's Song", and "The Ballad of Easy River".
Pretty good.
Honestly not bad a few really solid tracks. Some pretty bad stuff though too. Really a mixed series of tracks but some of the higher energy stuff sounds decent.
Hmmmm. Lady had a nice voice and it was alright for a frosty morning but nit really my cup of tea
Nice folk music
Interesting. Some of it sounds very early 60s, others very psychedelic, others contemporary.
Sandy Denny's soulful voice blends well with the musicality of the players and makes this an easy listen.
Wondrous – loose and loving, a touch rough and riffy, subtle and most soulful. The playing is intelligent throughout, and scintillating here and there, though never showy. The Dylan stuff is generally fine, but far from the highlights. "A Sailor's Life" and "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and "Percy's Song" are sheer class. "Genesis House" and "Ballad of Easy Rider" are good, too. Hard to say which is better, this or Liege and Leaf, because both are great, TBH. Sandy Denny has a voice and style for the ages. "Who Knows" just haunts. And perhaps they applied the hard lessons Dylan learned and found a way to more organically embed electric instruments respectfully within folk contexts – indeed, what would have the Newport Folk Festival made of FC had they showed up just a few years earlier, one wonders.
This was a nice surprise. A lot of variation in the songs.
I have this album and like it quite a bit.
Although staying true to the English folk roots, I just found it boring and repetitive and same tone. Only song that really popped to me was cajun woman which was upbeat and broke the monotony of the album. Not good for me
A sweet surprise.
Honestly solid
at least the songs allowed me to fall asleep
It’s alright but very “it’s own thing”
Not for me
Classic oldid
Hyvän kuuloista folk rokkia, vähän tulee semmoinen psykedeelinenkin ja kantri viba. Aurinkoista kesämusiikkia keskellä talvea. Parhaat: Autopsy, A Sailor's Life, Who Knows Where The Time Goes
When Fairport Convention turned up this morning - I flinched - I honestly think it's the name because every album of theirs that came up in this exercise I actually liked. This was an understated and well balanced album - with not much that particularly stands out from the rest, but as a whole it's quite lovely. It's strange as a format in that it starts darker than it ends - the mood subtly and smoothly shifts a bit more sunny towards the end. Not my cup of tea, but I'd definitely enjoy relistening.
Feels like listening in on a love affair between tradition and modernity. Imagine the the swinging London of the late 60s sharing a pint with the ghosts of England's folk tradition (about which I know absolutely nothing). Magic, in other words. It helps if you have Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson on hand to stir the pot.
Pleasant enough.
I suppose I'll have to check out Liege and Lief again, as I remember really enjoying that album. This one was certainly solid, but I failed to connect on any deep level. It floated by and I was glad to have been there, but I've got little to show for the experience.
i've tried with this album before, and today's listen was certainly more enjoyable, but i've never warmed to this one the way I do with Lief & Liege. so good tunes, though, especially Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
I know we've seen Fairport Convention before on this list and I was hesitant about this one. Sandy Denny's singing style makes me cringe. But damn as I traveled through this album it really grew on me. The trifecta at the end of the album brought me to tears. I adored what they did with the Dylan songs and I longed for wholesome folky tunes and times.
Got better as it progressed. 2.5?
6.5/10
Really good!
Nice? Nice and pleasant? It feels like an album to be very English to. When you put on a persona and this is the background material you use to get into the mood. It's definately of an era, and it's not bad, but as a choice to listen to? I'm unsure. I think I like it, but I'm not making an effort to like it. I think this is an album to enjoy with company. Come over, I'll make lunch, let's listen to this album together in the afternoon and decide together if it's nice, or not. White bread with cheese, radish and cucumber sandwiches. You bring the tea. 3 stars for the delightful scenario prospects.
pretty
Not too shabby! It may initially sound like just another folk album, but this seems to have so much going on beneath the surface, lots of different instrumentation to listen for. Some of the songs drag a bit, but not terribly, and it doesn’t seem to last long. From Wikipedia, referring to the fiddle player: “having no electric pick-ups, the band improvised by smashing open a telephone and attaching the microphone to the instrument with an elastic band.” I love hearing stories like that.. Overall, this is really good. I’ll definitely be checking this out again in the near future.
First half of the album was alright, everything after A Sailor's Life was boring, and holy fuck Million Dollar Bash is the worst song in existence
I think i listened to this 3 months ago and forgot to review it. Mid then, mid now.
Can't remember.
liked it, como unos chalchaleros ingleses de su folk + rock
me gustó, amagó con las tres pero llegó a las4
Lovely sound. Somewhere between 3 and 4 for now. I enjoyed it a good deal but don't quite think it is officially "great"
Fairport convention is a hard one for me to listen to, meet on the ledge was my grandads funeral song, so it can be tough. Also they come off as a bit more dated than the other bands of their time, A sailors life being an exception, though that drags for way too long. That French song is especially abysmal. But nothing else is bad as such so I’ll give it a 3/5.
Uh... What is this? I am loath to hate on anyone's art, but this was positively grating. Salt in the wound: I endured the bonus tracks edition.
I admit it now. I like some folk. That Percy song also got me through some brutal traffic.
do not like this womans white rabbit voice
Nice to listen. Non-invasive kind of album. It passes a message and you move on. 3.5/5.
Just great – a record that holds up extremely well thanks to its committed playing, quality musicianship and interestingly respectful updating of tradition. Though it's meant to sound dated, it feels fresh, even as its roots in the old folkways give it timeless resonance. This is peak Richard Thompson and maybe peak Sandy Denny as well. "A Sailor's Life" is epic, a masterclass in maximizing the impact of folk-rock, with an utterly compelling fiddle-axe dialogue that is effortlessly pscyhedelic without having to resort to pyrotechnics. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and "Percy's Song" and "Ballad of Easy Rider" are all first rate. The Cajun and French cuts aren't great. Equivalent excellence was to come with Liege and Leaf.
Good album. Folk record.
I think I've heard of Fairport Convention before, but I can't remember the context in which I've heard about them. Folk music can be a bit of a mixed bag for me, and I'm not entirely sure I know what characteristics differentiate British and American folk music, but I'm interested to see what this album has in store. Overall, this album was fine. There were a handful of songs that I enjoyed more than the others, but the ones that I didn't particularly enjoy were still fine. I don't think this album did anything particularly novel or noteworthy, but I thought that "A Sailor's Life" was the best song on the album. I really enjoyed the long format of the song, and the melancholy lyrics were great. The instrumental portion at the end of the song was really good too, and I think it was the band's best showcase of their talent. The lyrics to "Cajun Woman" were some of my favorite on the album as well. Given the results of the recent election here in the U.S., I thought the lyrics were incredibly relevant. "Percy's Song" was pretty good too, and I'm not sure where I land on its meaning, but I did like the vocals on it quite a bit. The other songs on the album were fine, but pretty forgettable on the whole. This album was interesting, but it's not the sort of thing I'd listen to again.
I knew right away that I did not need this in my life.
Not a folk fan, but this has JUST enough psychedelic elements blended in to make it really interesting. I'm liking it a lot more than I expected to.
This grew on me. I knew Who Knows Where the Time Goes, although I'm not sure from where other than the Eddi Reader recording of it. I kinda prefer Reader's voice on that, but it's a glorious and beautifully sad song and took me down a Spotify rabbit hole for a bit, taking me to the Susanna Hoffs covers albums which are a bit odd... But other than that, I didn't know what to expect at all. On first listen, side 2 stood out more. Cajun Woman seems Creedence Clearwater Revival influenced, which is always a good thing I've discovered through this project, Percy's Sing sounds awfully Trad Arr Tune, which I enjoyed, and Million Dollar Bash is a decent ending. Side 1 grew on me, although I'm still not that enamoured with A Sailor's Life actually. But I enjoyed the album as a whole and it's opened up the thought of exploring more Fairport Convention through the years. They're even playing quite close to me early next year so I might go along... This started out as close a 3/4 but ended the day as a 5. That's the beauty of shorter albums, I get to listen to them more than once if they're any good at all.
lowkey nice
This was a surprise and a lot of fun. I don’t know that I’ll revisit it a lot, but I’m glad I listened
Big Richard Thompson fan here. A good rainy day album this is. Thompson still getting it done all these years.
I really like their sound
Folk rock that is about as good as it gets.
Didn’t do much for me
I didn't care for is
I went into this being pretty sure I would hate it and indeed the first couple of tracks didn't do a lot for me. But I persevered and somewhere around the middle of "A Sailor s Life" something clicked and I started to like it; there was something krautrock-y to that track. Good Dylan songs here too.
I was ready to hate on this album, but actually really enjoyed it.
I didn’t give it the proper listen
Pretty fun, and a little creepy at times. There's definitely a time and a place for it.
I've been a Liege an Lief fan boy since hearing it here, and this is about as good
Didn't love this one, couldn't really get into it. Just wasn't the vibe of the day
Calming folk tunes. Bit of French lyrics mixed in a song or two.
I enjoyed the album as background music - would be great for a coffee shop vibe. I didn't find it very memorable or interesting, though.
Very nice!
To: 1001 Albums Generator Users Cc: grateful dead fans Subject: A Sailor’s Life This is how you do psychedelic folk. Best Regards,
Twas alright
Woah! Had to listen since CT gave a folky album a 5 and it did not disappoint. Really enjoyed, very strong 4 that I could see getting bumped with a few more listens. Insta liked all except a Sailor's life (of non bonus tracks)
Saved Prior: Who Knows Where The Time Goes? Not Saved: 8. Million Dollar Bash Off Rip: 7. Percy's Song 6. Cajun Woman 5. Autopsy 4. Si tu dois partir 3. Genesis Hall 2. A Sailor's Life 1. Who Knows Where The Time Goes? Overall Notes: Didn't realize I was listening to a 5 until I looked back and saw I had saved all but one of the non-bonus tracks. It seems that with these folk rock albums I either really vibe with them or they bore me to death. This was on the vibe side. Low 5
Sandy Denny♡
Really enjoyed this. Distinctly British sounding folk music. Will definitely revisit this one.
frankly supaboring
Probably a fine folky album but I didn't get into it.
As good as it gets for English folk.
4.25
Got through 2.5 tracks. This one's a skip for me.
What a positive surprise! I never heard of them before. I tried looking up how present they were in the rest of Europe and I assume not much. This is something I totally would have expected in my Dad's record collection (that I have claimed for myself years ago), but he hadn't heard of them either. I will definitely listen to this again and have a look what else they have put out there.
Excellent. Best tracks: Autopsy, Who Knows Where The Time Goes, and Si Tu Doos Partir.
The magic of The Basement Tapes is that it’s just singers and players playing around. There’s no artifice and no attempt at commerciality. It’s the tradition of everyone who plays an instrument in any human settlement, whether they are any good or not, gathering together on a front porch or around a fire and playing - playing in every sense of the word. And that is why The Basement Tapes of one of the best albums of all time, because it captures that feeling. This album covers a song from The Basement Tapes, but doesn’t capture that feeling on that cover. But it does on “Si Tu Dois Patir”. That sounds like people just playing for the love of making music together and connecting amongst themselves and their audience. It’s goofy and silly and loose and fun and everything The Basement Tapes does right. ”Si Tu Dois Patir” is the clear stand out on this album. The rest is okay folky stuff, but nothing to write home about. Everything else on the album, Richard Thompson would go on to do better on his three albums as Richard and Linda Thompson. But “Si Tu Dois Patir” is worth the price of admission.
It was fine. Warbly hippy goodness. Felt like what my mom liked to listen to when I was growing up.
Hated the first track, almost put it off, then powered through and loved track 3. Stayed on board for the rest which was a wacky ride (no idea when Spotify radio kicked in). Will listen to Autopsy (typical) again for sure.
Quite good. Special, but not unique.
Bit bland but ok.
I’m sorry, this is boring. 2.2 stats
I kinda dig this shit
Some decent songs, but something I would never listen to again
This album gave me a boner.
Really, really enjoyed this album. Big fan of folk rock. This hit the spot.
My first 5 star. Had never heard of this group before today but this album was enjoyable from start to finish. The build up in Sailor’s Life is to die for.
I had never heard of the band before and was pleasantly supprised by them.
Quite dreamy and ethereal, but very 60s
Not so bad. Enjoyable.
Great singer songwriter album. Got a bit boring at points, especially Cajun woman and Percy's song, but overall really good
Cozy comforting great vibes. Some great classic folk. Feels like early fleetwood
Hmmm deze weet ik even niet. Ken het ook totaal niet. Er zat 1 nummer tussen dat wel leuk was en ik vind de stem van die vrouw wel leuk. Ze werden blijkbaar de Britse Jefferson Airplane genoemd, kan ik wel in komen. Toch wat te mellow voor mij, dus drie sterren. Nog vrij hoog ivm de stem.
- they were like 20 yrs. old when this album was made. -
Hippie garbage bullshit
Autopsy is jazzy early-album standout. Beautiful complementary guitar work split across the right and left channels and fantastic drum/bass interaction to create some pocketed grooves through the midsection. Love this one. A Sailor's Life also fucking rips in the most folk rock way possible. We've got a straight jam outro complete with guitar noodling and fiddle. Such a warm little number. This was great. Worth a second listen for a closer review. Easily 4 / 5 on vibes alone.
Nice folky vibe. 3 stars
Singer reminds me of Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark that we got almost a year ago. Absolutely nothing wrong with this album.
Some nice folk with a little zesty guitar work thrown in at times. I remember their other album Liege and Lief being way better than this one.
British folk rock sounds terrible but I'll keep my mind open on this dreary Thursday morning. This album rules actually. A Sailors Life is such a jam. Dear Landlord sounds like the dead.
I've listened to this album many times and I think that it's excellent. Nice full folk vibe to the music with kind of haunting vocals. It wasn't until recently that I heard this and instantly added it to my favorites. There is a nice variety of music and lyrics too.
3 stars
It was fitting that I was served this up immediately following Pentangle. Basket of Light and Unhalfbricking were both released the same year both acts bring a similar approach to their sound, I just find Fairport’s sound to be much more relevant in the moment, less medieval like sounds and therefore much more accessible for me personally. They do rock out at times with great groves accompanying Sandy Denny’s beautiful vocals. Really chill vibes on this release, specifically Autopsy which was my personal fave. This was really nice stuff. 4 stars
folk basicão nada demais nada de menos tbm
que surpresa boa hein, achei que ia odiar forte e até que gostei!! a primeira metade é boa demais, credo.
挺温暖的
Very good. Not quite 5 stars, but an unexpected 4
Unhalfbricking is an incredible album. The songwriting, vocals, lyrics, structure, and arrangements are all stellar. Felt immersed in the music rather than just one listening. I wish there had been more energetic songs to equal out the melancholy, but I won’t complain. 4/5
Could have sworn I’ve had this before. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. Sandy Dennis was an inspiration on Joni Mitchell, no?
Album #30 and FINALLY something that features a woman in a strong leading roll. Sandy Denny kicks ass and the songs are effortlessly strong. ("Autopsy" in 5 and changing meter? So good!) This is a great album. Love love love. Had me from the opening notes and I can't stop thinking about it.
pleasant. very much.
Quite enjoyed this Very mellow Would listen again
Who Knows Where the Time Goes is GOAT, but Liege and Lief is better overall. There's as many clunkers in the deep cuts as good songs. 3.5/5
Between the cover art and the title I had no idea what to expect. Enjoyed some moments when they got into a groove, but mostly forgettable.
1.7 Bit of a snoozefest. The only song I liked was Million Dollar bash and I think that's a Dylan song.
I trash a lot of blues records on here but I found myself enjoying this recording a lot. I don't know what that means.
Decent sound.
Not terrible but pretty boring overall.
Not my thing at all but I liked the album cover and a couple of songs
Folksy, I enjoyed the first two songs the most. Not the best for working out, but good otherwise. A Sailors Life was a bit too long. Cajun Woman sounds like Highway 61 Revisited.
This sounds so nice, so folksy and fun. Like so apple picking and apple pie and dog looking doggo thats friends with a cutie little cat and leaves and fun little boots and autumny jacket. I didn't listen to it earlier bc it's called unhalfbricking and I think thats a silly name. its also like very late rn and Im a bit delirious so maybe that is influencing my opinions.
7/10 - I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think this something that Iniyaa would love. Pretty funny album name. Music was pretty chill and I liked Percy's song.
I think it was pretty good. Idk. Wasn’t listening that closely
Pretty cool album. I had heard some of the tracks before, but did not know Si Tu Dois Partir was written by the old Dyldo himself. Who Knows Where the Time Goes is another (obvious) standout. A Sailor's Life is not bad, but leaving it out makes the album a more pleasant listen. On the face of it, I should not enjoy Cajun Woman, yet it has enough personality that it actually works. I'm going to go ahead and give this thing 4 stars
Boring I'm sorry
Come to think of it, the British Folk scene of the '60s is one that I'm not familiar with at all. From what I've heard, Fairport Convention are quite influential in this domain so if there's a place to start, it'd be here. And holy is there a lot of great music to dig into on this album. Every song is brimming with texture and color, be that the psychedelic-progressive leanings of 'A Sailor's Life' or what sounds like electric dulcimer crumbs on 'Percy's Song'. It's all so fun to listen to. And Sandy Denny's performances here are utterly angelic - with my personal highlights being the fluttery and light singing on 'Autopsy', 'A Sailor's Life', and especially 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes?'. The latter showcases her simplistically pleasant yet verdant songwriting angle better than any other song here. I also really enjoyed the group vocals on the Dylan covers of 'Percy's Song' and the language-swapped 'If You Gotta Go, Go Now'. Just a really great listen overall, and has frankly aged like fine wine in almost every aspect.
Who knows where the time goes? is an amazing song. This whole album is great.
Favorite Track: Percy's Song
Just ok
9/10. A Sailor’s Life is one of the best songs I’ve heard in this process, and I enjoyed majority of the songs around it.
Way more vibey than I expected and honestly not bad. Some great guitar. You need to be in the mood for it but I’m gonna go light 4.
Pretty good British folk rock. Some songs reminded me of O Brother Where Art Thou. Richard Thompson's guitar playing is great.
Unsurprisingly I preferred the jammy parts of this album much more than the sea shanty songs. Damn the end of “Sailor’s Life” was fire. Would do a 3.5 if possible.
4.9 - I love Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson, and this really was just a great album.
This was neat, surprised I've never listened to them before. Fully in the old wheel house. Fave Tracks: Genesis Hall, Autopsy, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, Million Dollar Bash 4.5/5
Kom mér skemmtilega á óvart. Gott breskt fólk. Samsöngur.
2 Fairport Convention Albums in a row. Am I being punked?!
started good but like also, its not that good