Shuffle and Go

[DarrenWilliams]

the Byfield Steeplechase could almost be from Tipplers Tales

I thought that too. Is it Simons double tracked vocals?

[paul bond 59]

Byfield Steeplechase appears to borrow some of the melody from Val Doonicans Walk Tall. I'd be interested to hear a version by PJ's Trad Arr who are sort of inspired by Leige & Leif era FC without actually copying them.
Plus, anyone who's familiar with the Sky TV series Jamestown will recognise its theme tune replicated in Chris' Don't Reveal My Name.
I can well do without In The Jolly Springtime, which represents the latest recorded  FC nadir.
Still, those of us going to Wintour will have the opportunity to see the band perform 10/13 of the album tracks in the live environment, which hasn't been done since the Jewel In The Crown tour if my memory is correct.
However, I'm enjoying S&G at the moment, the litmus test will come in 12 - 18 months time when I'll see if I can still be bothered to play it or whether I consign it to the charity bag.

[hendo (Dave)]

Byfield Steeplechase appears to borrow some of the melody from Val Doonicans Walk Tall. I'd be interested to hear a version by PJ's Trad Arr who are sort of inspired by Leige & Leif era FC without actually copying them.
Plus, anyone who's familiar with the Sky TV series Jamestown will recognise its theme tune replicated in Chris' Don't Reveal My Name.
I can well do without In The Jolly Springtime, which represents the latest recorded  FC nadir.
Still, those of us going to Wintour will have the opportunity to see the band perform 10/13 of the album tracks in the live environment, which hasn't been done since the Jewel In The Crown tour if my memory is correct.
However, I'm enjoying S&G at the moment, the litmus test will come in 12 - 18 months time when I'll see if I can still be bothered to play it or whether I consign it to the charity bag.

Paul, Shuffle and Go,( the song)  reminds me of something Lonnie Donegan may have done ( with Chas and Dave overtones!) 😱😂😉

[PaulT]

Just got home from Tewkesbury... most of the new album given an airing. The slower songs lost some of the subtle nuances of the recorded versions, but the more upbeat numbers rocked! A few from Full House - no names, no pack drill, suffice to say I was rather surprised, most Pleasantly, by one of the selections.

[Alan Arnold]

To add my two pennyworth to this debate I really like this album, The way some people react you would think Fairport had destroyed all copies of their early work, they have grown old and moved on musically but still producing great music, other acts evolve and change over the years, for example Hank Marvins last album sounded nothing like the early Shadows hits. I think this is a classic case of not being able to please everyone all the time, if they had kept producing songs like on L & L and FH they would probably be accused of resting on their laurels and not trying something new and different.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

To add my two pennyworth to this debate I really like this album, The way some people react you would think Fairport had destroyed all copies of their early work, they have grown old and moved on musically but still producing great music, other acts evolve and change over the years, for example Hank Marvins last album sounded nothing like the early Shadows hits. I think this is a classic case of not being able to please everyone all the time, if they had kept producing songs like on L & L and FH they would probably be accused of resting on their laurels and not trying something new and different.

I think for some it’s not so much that they’ve changed but that they’ve become “safer”.

[Delfini (Diane)]

I agree Bridgwit. Safer, but I love them anyway. No band stays the same; there are always eras that we, as individuals, prefer.

[KascadeDan]

Listened to the album a few times over the last week, and I rather enjoy most of it. However, is anyone else distracted by the fact that ‘A Thousand Bars’ briefly becomes ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’

[GubGub (Al)]

I have now had chance to give the album a proper considered listen and I think it is fair to say that, taken on its own merits and setting aside the baggage of history as far as possible, I am pleasantly surprised. The setting aside of the past is important because, stylistically, there is little here that has anything to do with any music released under the Fairport name prior to 1999 or certainly prior to 1980. So the question becomes does it succeed on its own terms, divorced from those expectations? I would say, on balance, that it does.

As with every album from the last 20 or so years there are songs here that I could live without. Linseed Memories & Jolly Springtime are the sort of songs bordering on novelty (of which Ukelele Central was the notorious nadir) that this incarnation of the band seem unable to resist but which I think they should stay well away from. Additionally A Thousand Bars is not actually a terrible song but it doesn't belong here or really anywhere in the Fairport repertoire. Otherwise it is a solid set of singer-songwritery material and instrumentals.The Byfield Steeplechase might even have made it onto a Swarb era recording but it would have been played at twice the speed. Don't Reveal My Name, Moses Waits, Steampunkery and The Year of Fifty Nine are probably my early favourites but solid and enjoyable as these songs are (and I thought some of them came much more to life in live performance) the album does lack an individual standout song that really jumps out at you in the way that Weightless, Home and Man In The Water from Myths & Heroes did for me but it is early days and some of the aforementioned may grow in stature for me with additional listens.

[davidmjs]

Even the good reviews (and 10/10 to you, Al for giving it a go), make it all sound like far too much of an effort to be anything even resembling fun.....

[steve-n]

Ukelele Central was the notorious nadir)
I would suggest that Devils Work aka the IKEA Song plumbed depths that the Uke effort couldn't reach.

But, back on topic, and having seen the chaps twice on this tour, A Thousand Bars is  the song which you sing all the way home.....and for days afterwards!

Don't Reveal My Name, Moses Waits, Steampunkery and The Year of Fifty Nine are probably my early favourites but solid and enjoyable as these songs are (and I thought some of them came much more to life in live performance) the album does lack an individual standout song that really jumps out at you in the way that Weightless, Home and Man In The Water from Myths & Heroes did for me but it is early days and some of the aforementioned may grow in stature for me with additional listens.

Agree 100%. Don't Reveal My Name and Moses Waits are both outstanding played live and, surprisingly, fit well into a set-list which is Full House heavy.

[steve-n]

Sorry to double post, but I seem to be having issues with differentiating between Gub-Gub' s original text and my response.
Hope it makes sense....

[GubGub (Al)]

 
I would suggest that Devils Workaka the IKEA Song plumbed depths that the Uke effort couldn't reach.

I have entirely wiped that one from my memory along with the rest of the 50/50@50 catastrophe.

[davidmjs]

Agree 100%. Don't Reveal My Name and Moses Waits are both outstanding played live and, surprisingly, fit well into a set-list which is Full House heavy.

4 tracks on the recording I've heard (Southport.  I note Canterbury is circulating now too) - Walk Awhile, Spens (both of which get played all the time), Physick, Sloth.  I could have sworn that when it was announced they said they were playing the whole album?

[GubGub (Al)]

Agree 100%. Don't Reveal My Name and Moses Waits are both outstanding played live and, surprisingly, fit well into a set-list which is Full House heavy.

4 tracks on the recording I've heard (Southport.  I note Canterbury is circulating now too) - Walk Awhile, Spens (both of which get played all the time), Physick, Sloth.  I could have sworn that when it was announced they said they were playing the whole album?

Yes four tracks. the two instrumentals and Flowers of the Forest were missed. They are promising the entire album "and more" with DM & RT at Cropredy. I take the "more" to mean Poor Will and Now Be Thankful. But we got this line up playing a decent version of  Sloth which is something I never thought I'd see so I am happy, even if Simon did have the "wrong guitar". I need a recording of the latter now to dd to my collection.

[Jules Gray]

even if Simon did have the "wrong guitar".

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

even if Simon did have the "wrong guitar".

Jules

See my posts on page 65 of the Fairport Chatter thread for details. Having introduced the wrong song whilst holding the "wrong guitar" e then proceeded to play the right song but didn't bother to change guitars.

[Jim]

Agree 100%. Don't Reveal My Name and Moses Waits are both outstanding played live and, surprisingly, fit well into a set-list which is Full House heavy.

4 tracks on the recording I've heard (Southport.  I note Canterbury is circulating now too) - Walk Awhile, Spens (both of which get played all the time), Physick, Sloth.  I could have sworn that when it was announced they said they were playing the whole album?

The canterbury recording is far better than the Southport one and is actually listenable.
As to the content, i like some of it and some of you will like most of it i suppose.  It still doesnt make me want to go and see them again.

[GubGub (Al)]

Agree 100%. Don't Reveal My Name and Moses Waits are both outstanding played live and, surprisingly, fit well into a set-list which is Full House heavy.

4 tracks on the recording I've heard (Southport.  I note Canterbury is circulating now too) - Walk Awhile, Spens (both of which get played all the time), Physick, Sloth.  I could have sworn that when it was announced they said they were playing the whole album?

The canterbury recording is far better than the Southport one and is actually listenable.
As to the content, i like some of it and some of you will like most of it i suppose.  It still doesnt make me want to go and see them again.

I hadn't seen them for some years and was only persuaded by the promise/prospect of Full House which turned out to be partly erroneous. I confess I was apprehensive when it became clear that the set would lean heavily on the new album and deliberately did not hear it in advance. However I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. It sort of reminded me of seeing them for the first time in 1990 when I knew nothing of the material and just enjoyed the energy, musicianship and bonhomie. The playing was muscular and adventurous and it felt much less cosy and middle of the road than many performances by this line up had seemed to me outside of Cropredy.

[Greg E]

Available on Spotify today.

Enjoying the 1st track so far...