Sense of Occasion

[Neil Morrell]

Mike Batt "wrote" a track called "A One Minute Silence" and put it on a CD, the cheeky ******...

And ended then up in a plagurism battle with a dead man who wrote it first - which he LOST.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2276621.stm

[Anna]

That is so funny!  Thanks Prof!

Been through the album a few more times now, favourite tracks so far - Spring Song and The Vision.  Both CL and both take me "someplace else".

Is it just me or is there some kind of big "journey" theme going on, on the whole album?  Heading off to realms uncharted, possibly in a VW camper??

[GS (Graham)]

Off sick at the moment (the dreaded flu bug) so I've had the time & luxury (!!) to listen to the album several times uninterrupted & ... I like it - quite a lot actually.  Particularly like Love On a Farmboy's Wages, Just Dandy, Your Heart & Mine, Untouchable & Best Wishes but there's nothing to dislike (puts tin helmet on - but remember I'm still running quite a high temperature!)
Wasn't sure about South Dakota to Manchester at first - it's very, very similar (to my ears anyway) to the tightrope song on OTNH - but the wretched chorus gets stuck in your head.
Looking forward to hearing the songs performed live when the tour reaches Scotland next weekend.

[GubGub (Al)]

"Wasn't sure about South Dakota to Manchester at first - it's very, very similar (to my ears anyway) to the tightrope song on OTNH - but the wretched chorus gets stuck in your head." (Sorry, not sure how the quotes work!)

Chris Leslie's songs tend to do that. In Our Town (one of my favourite tracks on the album) starts off identically to My Love Is In America.

Interesting the diversity of views that are coming accross over which are the best tracks. I'm surprised that so many people are going for Love On A Farmboy's Wages. Good song but so well known in its original incarnation.

[Jim]

" Love On A Farmboy's Wages. Good song but so well known in its original incarnation.

youve got to remember that this lot are by and large folkies and xtc is a new fangled drug to them

[GubGub (Al)]

Ah yes! But XTC have certainly flirted with the F word. DM even played on some of their stuff. Not this track though, I think.

[NeilMcLaughlin]

" Love On A Farmboy's Wages. Good song but so well known in its original incarnation.

youve got to remember that this lot are by and large folkies and xtc is a new fangled drug to them

Well, I've certainly heard the XTC original and the Poozies cover of it, and I had
to listen to it a second time to not compare it to those and evaluate it on its own merits.  Having done that, I think it is quite nicely done, but I do wonder if I'd like it more if I didn't have the other versions in my head.  For some reason, I tend to like the current FC's cover versions more if I hear them prior to other versions of a song.

For example, I have never heard the original version of "Westward" from OTNH, and although I know some on this list have stated that they don't care for it, I quite enjoy it as a change of pace use of the current group's harmonies.

As far as a review of the whole album, I think that the current one doesn't have
any songs that aren't decent individually, but there isn't any one song that is just immediately grabbing my attention as one that I think has the earmarks of a song that needs/demands a place in the permanent rotation.  If I heard any of them live, I might possibly change my opinion, but I do think that says something
about a "playing it safe" feeling that has engendered a "Fairport by numbers" criticism I've seen popping up in some reviews.

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Steve Ashley's Best Wishes is spectacular played live..  just fantastic!!

[steve-n]

even South Dakota To Manchester which I initially found rather monotonous is beginning to reveal its attractions

South Dakota thingy reminds me of a 10cc song... Rochale to somewhere else, or something.

Probably my lack of musical education but there's something rather impressive about working both South Dakota and Manchester into the same song title - still some way to go before reaching the heights of the rhyming Northamptonshire in "Close to the Wind", though.

Steve

[David W]

Probably my lack of musical education but there's something rather impressive about working both South Dakota and Manchester into the same song title - still some way to go before reaching the heights of the rhyming Northamptonshire in "Close to the Wind", though.

Steve

Northamptonshire DOES NOT ryhme with Poor.

Jackdaw

[Jan_]

Is it just me or is there some kind of big "journey" theme going on, on the whole album?  Heading off to realms uncharted, possibly in a VW camper??

You could be right, Anna.  The new album has certainly made me reflective about my own journey, and not always comfortably, I may add.  But that’s one of the things that makes for a good song, isn’t it?

Keep On Turning The Wheel brings back happy memories of touring in our old VW camper – Orkney, Cornwall, the Western Isles...  

I really like the reworking of Polly On The Shore and Tam Lin, which I don’t find too long but then I’m used to listening to long stories.  (It’s part and parcel of my job!)

Your Heart And Mine is beautiful, as is Spring Song.  Simon does a good ‘fierce’ in Hawkwood’s Army and Best Wishes finishes it all of superbly; everyone in harmony.

For me, there’s plenty of emotional engagement and connections made, musical or otherwise (ho hum).  I love it, love it, love it!  Looking forward to hearing some of it live at a winter tour gig; plus other favourites.

KOTTW chaps.



P.S.  Has anyone else noticed that the sleeve notes seem to have some words missing? – a couple of verses of Untouchable and one line of Best Wishes.

[Jim]

P.S.  Has anyone else noticed that the sleeve notes seem to have some words missing? – a couple of verses of Untouchable and one line of Best Wishes.

they are taking the piss because they know that 90 per cent of their fanbase dont have eyes good enough to read the ludicrously small print they use in cd's

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

I noticed the missing line in Best Wishes yesterday
when I was typing out the words to put on the wall.

[jude]

P.S.  Has anyone else noticed that the sleeve notes seem to have some words missing? – a couple of verses of Untouchable and one line of Best Wishes.

I suggest that you put a comment about the missing lines in the comment box under the SOC Launch bit on the website. There is always the possibility that it hasn't been noticed.

[Cocker Freeman]

I noticed the missing line in Best Wishes yesterday
when I was typing out the words to put on the wall.

You are typing out the words to put on the wall?

Haven't you got any Laura Ashley or something, woman?

[PaulT]

Well, I've listened to the entire CD a few times now - and in my opinion, its Fairport's finest album for quite a few years... the individual songs and tunes hang together so well - there's a definite flow to the whole thing.  Well done, chaps!!  

[Ian_]

 A friend of mine picked up the album to look at in a music store in London yesterday, and spontaneously burst out laughing  

[GubGub (Al)]

in my opinion, its Fairport's finest album for quite a few years...

How many is quite a few? What's the last one you liked more? For me it would be Who Knows Where The Time Goes & before that The Five Seasons (much neglected when it comes to live performances I feel).

[Big Dave]

 A friend of mine picked up the album to look at in a music store in London yesterday, and spontaneously burst out laughing  

The reason for the mirth being?

[davidmjs]

 A friend of mine picked up the album to look at in a music store in London yesterday, and spontaneously burst out laughing  

The reason for the mirth being?

Ummm, haven't we been here before?