Angel Delight: "less than the sum of its parts"

[red max]

The album was described thus in the Fairport unConventionNal booklet, and it's not the first time it's been damned with faint praise, which I find puzzling. The task of following Liege & Lief and Full House was immense, and any album is going to suffer in comparison to that pair, but for me Angel Delight is superb and doesn't seem to get the plaudits it deserves. I'd be interested to know what people here think

[Keith]

I really like this album for it's rustic charm whilst still displaying virtuosity and memorable congs. Maybe it;s not as polished as L&L, nor as "low down and folky" as Full House, but it stands on its own, particularly for Wizard of the Worldly Game, Journeyman's Grace and Banks of the Sweet Primroses (harmonies to rival Steeleye Span at that time) and one of the best instrumentals Fairport has ever recorded (Bridge Over the River Ash).

But I suppose as a complete work it could be fairly described as "bitty in parts" - some songs, such as Sickness and Disease, may be a bit trivial for some

[Tasha]

I think it is one of their best and has some of my favourite fairport songs on it. I love Wizard of the Worldly Game Bonnie Black Hare and Angel Delight itsself. There is some fantastic playing on the album from Simon who apparently had only just taken up electric properly after Richards departure. The harmonies are tight. Yes its following a formula to a certain extent but what a formula to follow and it did well in the UK album chart at the time entering the top ten I believe.
 

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

It's one of my fave early FC albums..

.. who can forget 'Bonny Black Hare'??

Think I'll play it next, it's time it was on my ipod too

[red max]

it did well in the UK album chart at the time entering the top ten I believe.
 

I was going to mention that; it was their highest-charting release, but often albums sell on the strength of their predecessors. It's arguable that Angel Delight benefitted from the quality and popularity of L&L and FH. The fact that Babbacombe Lee failed to chart at all could mean that a lot of the people who'd sent AD so high in the charts didn't feel motivated to go out and buy the next one

[sliprigilio (Al)]

They promoted the album on 'Top of the Pops'!!! Honest!  Around that time TOTP had an album section where 'prog' bands played tracks from forhtcoming albums (I think The Strawbs and The Groundhogs also appeared)...how did they fit them in in a 30minute format???   I was but a wee nipper but I saw Fairport...I was saving my pennies to buy an LP (remember those?! and it was a toss up between 'Angel' and The Groundhogs 'Split' (The Hogs won out even though I hadn't caught them on TOTP but I'd heard them on Peel whilst eating Blackjacks and those other fruity sweets I can't remeber the name of....oh my Gawd and I'm having a nostalgia fit at work!!!!Can't concentrate!!! Help!!

[Will S]

I really like Angel Delight too.  The one track which has aged for me is the title track - it is fun hearing it a few times, but not every time.  Apart from that, there's some great songs which would benefit from the occasional live outing - how about 'Wizard...' or 'Lord Marlborough' at Cropredy this year?

Will

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Blackjacks and Frut Salads... yumyumtoothrotyum!!

I'd love them to resurrect Bonny Black Hare... especially as they play our gig on Bonny Black Hare Day!!!!

[Jim]

i love angel delight because its where i came in on fairport
it was the first fairport lp i bought although i had a passing acquaintance with them from pel and stewart the scots dj

[Andy]

I've always preferred Instant Whip.

Seriously, not one of my faves.

[Staffan]

I really like Angel Delight too.  The one track which has aged for me is the title track - it is fun hearing it a few times, but not every time.  Apart from that, there's some great songs which would benefit from the occasional live outing - how about 'Wizard...' or 'Lord Marlborough' at Cropredy this year?

Will

"Angel Delight" has always been a favourite of mine, an old friend liked by not too many of us, when some FC fans had started to abandon the band. Apart from "Banks of Sweet Primroses" which is my personal "trad.arr.-post-Sandy-and Richard" track, I´ve always enjoyed "Sir William Gower" especially since it´s Simon´s first lead vocal on a whole song. From there on he has just improved as a vocalist to being such a good singer as he is today. But as far as I remember, that is his debut! To me "Angel Delight" is a very enjoyable album with no low points, or in sports terms: " a high lowest level" as we say in Swedish. But I´ve always wondered about the cemetery photos.
Staffan

[Nick Reg]

All Fairport albums are ace. Some are just better than others.
Hoarse cries of creep!

[Andy]

Ahem. Sir, I bring "Gottle O' Geer" to your attention. 2 good tracks (perhaps) but the rest are less than perfect.

Better than I can do, no doubt about it.

[Jim]

creep

[Barry]

Ahem. Sir, I bring "Gottle O' Geer" to your attention. 2 good tracks (perhaps) but the rest are less than perfect.

(Actually, I've rather come to like Gottle in recent times)

I'll see your Gottle O' Geer and raise you and XXXV with the worst thing they've ever released - yes, I mean "The Crowd".

[Jim]

pretty well 80 percent of the stuff released since 85 doesnt do it for me and like barry the crowd is at the top ,or should it be the bottom of that pile
ive said it before and ill say it again now, an outside producer with a mind for quality control is needed
 they are not their own best friends when it comes to picking songs

[david stevenson]

pretty well 80 percent of the stuff released since 85 doesnt do it for me and like barry the crowd is at the top ,or should it be the bottom of that pile
ive said it before and ill say it again now, an outside producer with a mind for quality control is needed
 they are not their own best friends when it comes to picking songs

I go to gigs when there's a new album.  This year I had to choose between RT and FC at Cambridge and chose RT.  I buy their albums from time to time, but the FC albums I play most are still the ones with Sandy.  The most sublime voice in British music ever.

Sorry.

[Neil Morrell]

A couple of years ago, ITV used parts of the Track "Angel Delight" in the trailers for the last series of "Cold Feet" (Except for the last episode - they used an abridged version of "End of a Holiday".  In fact around that time ITV used quite a lot of Fairport in trailers - There was a programme about Undertakers where they used "Bankruptured".  Never quite found out why, but they stopped after a while.)

I also remember the verse where Peggy's Diet is being discussed mentioned in Viz of all places!

As for the album itself, IMHO it's just as good musically as Babbacombe Lee.  Excellent version of Lord Marlborough, Sir William Gower is a belter too, and Sickness and Diseases.  Sod it, the whole albums very good!!!!

It certainly does seem to be a bit of a team effort!  Swarb and Peggy seem to be starting to contribute more and more vocally - something that really came to fruition on Babbacombe. 

Don't mind Gottle - And I agree with the comments about "The Crowd" wholeheartedly! 

However, I was most disappointed when I found the hidden track on OTNH - Surely not a FC performing a cover of a Chas 'n Dave song*


Neil


*A Joke - ie tongue in cheek - not to be taken seriously

[iPat]

I think "Sir William Gower" is the most wonderfully creepy trad song arrangements FC have ever done: I'd love to hear the deep-voiced Simon do it now with the current group....

[Mindwarper]

I have never understood why people don't like this album. It is one of my favorites. Almost all the songs are great. Lord Marlborough is my favorite FC track. It has great vocals. It is a solid album.

ps  Does anyone know of any live versions of Lord Marlborough or when it was played live?