Penguin Eggs is the fifth and final studio album by English folk musician and singer Nic Jones, released by Topic Records in 1980. After establishing himself as a sought after figure on the British folk revival scene, Jones recorded Penguin Eggs with producer Tony Engle; it consists largely of traditional folk songs arranged by Jones, but also includes three contemporary tracks by other writers (Harry Robertson and Paul Metsers). Exemplified throughout the album is Jones' intricate acoustic guitar playing style, characterised by a distinctive, percussive plucking style and use of open tunings. He also plays fiddle on one song, while he is joined on many tracks by Tony Hall on melodeon and Bridget Danby on recorder. Released to critical acclaim, the album was awarded Melody Maker Folk Album of the Year in 1980. It was ultimately Jones' last album, as a car crash in 1982 greatly restricted his ability to perform. In the years after its release, the album gained a cult following and has been hailed as a masterpiece and influence on contemporary folk musicians. AllMusic has described the album as "one of those rare records where not just every song, but each instrumental part is worth hearing". English folk musician Kate Rusby states that Penguin Eggs is her favourite album of all time, while Stewart Lee has ranked it among his favourite albums. It was named the second best folk album of all time in a 2001 BBC poll.
I loved this and never wanted it to end. I wanted to crawl inside and sit near the sea with my legs dangling over the edge. I wanted to sing along in a carpet lined pub. I wanted to wear a chunky sweater and smell stale beer as I played the melodeon.
Didn't know the first thing about Nic Jones when I woke up this morning, but it's easy to understand why *Penguin Egg* was overlooked for the 1001 Albums book. By 1980, the golden years of British folk -- as most famously represented by Fairport Convention -- were already far into the rearview mirror, and apart from albums by Richard Thompson (from the same Fairport Convention), the English music press was probably too busy covering the punk / new wave explosion to spend enough time on less exposed figures playing traditional folk music instead. So, many thanks to the anonymous user trying to correct that mistake here. Of course, some listeners not versed into the genre might find this recording a little quaint overall, but as far as I'm concerned, my mileage on trad-folk fare has vastly evolved in recent years, and this now plays a part in the manner that I can appreciate this sort of album. I'll never tire of repeating this on this generator, by the way: the main cause of that evolution is falling in love with the work of Irish band Lankum, also mostly recording traditional folk songs (some of whom date from way, WAY back, ha ha), but doing it with a very personal and distinctive take. So I encourage anyone who likes this Nic Jones album to spin the records of those Irish musicians as well -- especially *False Lankum*, released two years ago. Now about *Penguin Egg*: "Canadee-I-O", "The Humpback Whale" and "Courting Is A Pleasure" are absolute gems. And beyond the timeless emotion seeping from Jones' vocal performance here, those songs also nicely showcase the man's abilities as a guitar player -- not only the picking and strumming technique, but also his use of open tunings or open voicings for the chords he plays. Here is, in a nutshell, what makes Nice Jones's performance sound so good to my ears. The rest of the tracklist might not be as striking on a first listen, but it's still perfectly fine traditional folk. Jones is sometimes joined by a very minimal group of supporting players, on recorders, accordions and the likes, and the result will play out nicely on your stereo in an idle Sunday morning. One last aside to end this tentative review: "The Humpback Whale" is a song originally composed by a folk scene figure named Harry Robertson, and if you go and find information about him, you'll discover the man has led quite an extraordinary life, related to his involvement in the whaling industry and how such a harsh life inspired him to become a songwriter. This anecdote is just an example of how albums like *Penguin Eggs* can also be entry points into a far larger world, where life stories and inspiring music feed from each other. If only for this, I have to support the suggestion I saw on my phone today. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 for more general purposes: 5 + 3.5 Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 46 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 58 (including this one) Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 110 --- Hey, Émile. J'ai enfin trouvé le temps de répondre ! Regarde sous la review de *Young, Loud And Snotty* des Dead Boys !
Some delightful and apparently legendary folk from across the pond. If you are a non-UK listener check out the wiki page for this one to read about a bunch of folks you’ve never heard of saying they love this album
Very folky indeed. Almost like sitting by a bonfire, with some beer and some good company
Rating: 6/10
3.5
Interesting folk album, if not exactly my favorite thing to listen to.
It's a folk album, pure and simple. If that's your thing, you'll dig it.
Very solid, pretty straightforward folk. Another very tough story with this fellow. I liked it but didn't find it particularly special within its genre.
Yum