Top 10 Fairport Albums.........

[MarkC]

Having sparked off this - and having given Nine a damn good listen over the last couple of days - what I think sets it apart from previous Fc albums is the quality of production as much as anything. L&L, FH and especially AD are all great albums but there are some truly dreadul production values on them - at least to my ears - Nine on the other hand is fantastically balanced in production, and in content.
David W

Yes!

[Jack O Diamonds]

What we did on our Holidays
Fairport Convention (1st Album)
Heyday
Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
Unhalfbricking

you're not related to Jack o'diamonds sometimes of this board are you!!

Did make me wonder!! Only just seen this and was sitting there admiring this chap's excellent taste, particularly ignoring the blandishment of ten titles... Me? I'd add Full House and Liege & Lief and slightly re-order thus:

1. What We Did On Our Holidays
2. Unhalfbricking
3. Heyday
4. Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
5. Liege & Lief
6. Full House
7. Fairport Convention (could have been better.... transitional and eclectic set)

Some of the Donahue/Lucas/Denny stuff was good but definitely post hoc...

(Exeunt Omnes)

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Mine would be:

1 Full House
2 What We Did On Our Holidays
3 Liege & Lief
4 Nine
5 Babbacombe Lee
6 Angel Delight
7 Rosie
8 Unhalfbricking
9 Jewel In The Crown
10 Tippler's Tales

If I did the same tomorrow it would probably be totally different!!

[Jules Gray]

Sorry, been away on me hols and missed the Nine debate.

I'd just like to add my two penneth.

Fairport Nine is one of the very best Fairport albums, and quite possibly their most underrated.  Swarb sings great, Trev sings great, Jerry plays like the God he is, the band fuses together really well, DM is as legendary as ever, and Trev's production is just the right blend of crystal clean and au naturel.

There, that's that one sorted out then!

 

Jules

[PLW (Peter)]

I'm with Cocker, Jim, PLW, davidmjs.  

But then, as we find time and time again, the Live Convention line up was the first band I ever saw live, and that was my introduction to Fairport (best 50p I ever spent).  

Many others have similar experiences and affinities for other line-ups.  

It usually seems to be down to the first line up we encountered.

My first live experience of Fairport was 1970 - the Full House line up. Blew me away.

I saw the Nine line up plus Sandy several times and they were absolutely breathtaking.

Then I saw the re-formed line up with Maart and Ric very shortly after they came together. To be honest I wasn't expecting anything much. I didn't think I could possibly enjoy a Fairport gig without Swarb. Well I was wrong - they were sensational.

That's the wonderful thing about this institution called Fairport. It keeps taking you by surprise and delighting you when you least expect it.

Which is partly why I think picking your Top Ten albums is a pointless exercise. You're comparing apples with bicycles.

I should have added that I saw the 1979 "Farewell" line up at Cropredy, but don't remember much about it, mainly due to being in a semi-conscious horizontal position. Mighty relieved when the reunions started.

[Barry]

I should have added that I saw the 1979 "Farewell" line up at Cropredy, but don't remember much about it, mainly due to being in a semi-conscious horizontal position. Mighty relieved when the reunions started.

Too much Old Peculiar, Peter?  

It was a good day's festival, that one.

[the beat goes on]

What we did on our Holidays
Fairport Convention (1st Album)
Heyday
Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
Unhalfbricking

you're not related to Jack o'diamonds sometimes of this board are you!!

Did make me wonder!! Only just seen this and was sitting there admiring this chap's excellent taste, particularly ignoring the blandishment of ten titles... Me? I'd add Full House and Liege & Lief and slightly re-order thus:

1. What We Did On Our Holidays
2. Unhalfbricking
3. Heyday
4. Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
5. Liege & Lief
6. Full House
7. Fairport Convention (could have been better.... transitional and eclectic set)

Some of the Donahue/Lucas/Denny stuff was good but definitely post hoc...

(Exeunt Omnes)

Excellent taste, thanks! I agree the 1st FC could have been better but it is still a fine debut and has a certain period charm. (and Martin was on drums, one of my favourite drummers.)

[Jack O Diamonds]

What we did on our Holidays
Fairport Convention (1st Album)
Heyday
Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
Unhalfbricking

you're not related to Jack o'diamonds sometimes of this board are you!!

Did make me wonder!! Only just seen this and was sitting there admiring this chap's excellent taste, particularly ignoring the blandishment of ten titles... Me? I'd add Full House and Liege & Lief and slightly re-order thus:

1. What We Did On Our Holidays
2. Unhalfbricking
3. Heyday
4. Chronicle of Sorts (bootleg)
5. Liege & Lief
6. Full House
7. Fairport Convention (could have been better.... transitional and eclectic set)

Some of the Donahue/Lucas/Denny stuff was good but definitely post hoc...

(Exeunt Omnes)

Excellent taste, thanks! I agree the 1st FC could have been better but it is still a fine debut and has a certain period charm. (and Martin was on drums, one of my favourite drummers.)

Martin L was, indeed, a very fine, innovative drummer. Played mean swing on the rare occasion! Drumming on "A Sailor's Life" is exemplary. I cannot believe it is very nearly 39 years.......