Customer Reviews
Classic Folk-Rock - By: Morten Vindberg, 25 Jul 2008 
"Liege & Lief" was Fairport's first album that was almost entirely inspired by traditional British music. The band had previously released 3 albums during a relatively short period of time, & the repertoire had been a mixture of pop, rock & American & British folk.
In May 1969 after the recording of the previous album "Unhafbricking" the band had a terrible road accident which took the lives of drummer Martin Lamble & Richard Thompson's girlfriend Jeannie.
Other band-members were injuredin the crash & the group were close to splitting up, but with their wounds healing up they eventually decided to continue with new members Dave Swarbrick & Dave Mattacks.
They did not want to perform their old material & needed a new direction & with inspiration from Ashley Hutchings & Sandy Denny they began digging into traditional Bristish folk music.
In a Hampshire farmhouse they began rehearsing material for a new album which eventually became "Liege & Lief".
The album inspired many other musicians to dig into traditional music & has now become a folk-rock classic & the album.
The original 8 tracks are all great & this new release features two bonus tracks recorded during the same sessions. "Sir Patrick Spence" was later recorded by the next Fairport line-up, here you have the opportunity to hear an early version with lead vocals by Sandy Denny singing slightly different lyrics. The arrangement may be less tight than the "Full House" version, but still a great addition to a timeless album. The other "new" track is a droning version of "Quiet Joys of Brotherhood" which Sandy later recorded several times & released on her second solo-album.
Though most of the material is traditional, there are a couple of originals written by Richard Thompson; & they both stand out. "Crazy Man Michael" ( co-written by Swarbrick ) & "Farewell Farewell" were always favourites - "Farewell Farewell" sound much better than on the original vinyl album.
An often overlooked song, "The Deserter", was actually the song that got me into the band; a great tune beautifully sung by Sandy Denny.
A true landmark - By: Carole, 25 Jun 2008 "Liege & Lief" is a genuine landmark recording, one of those albums that changed things.
You could hear the way the Fairports were going with "A sailor's life" on "Unhalfbricking" but the fusion of West Coast rock & English folk on "L&L" was genuinely revolutionary.
This album is one of those that everyone should own - because it is unique, it defined & kickstarted the whole folk-rock scene.
Sandy Denny was a wonderful singer, sadly missed, & her solo albums are well worth listening too but "L&L" is her memorial.
Dave Swarbrick's violin playing here is great, as is all the musicianship - particularly Richard Thompson, one of the UK's greatest guitar players.
British Folk-Rock - By: Brendan O. Clarke, 27 Mar 2008 This is one of those albums like Sgt. Peppers that everybody rates but takes for granted & forgets how good it is. It has the seminal trad things, songs by amazing writers, incredible playing, fantastic singing; it's the consummate folk album.
There is little doubt that Sandy Denny was the finest female vocalist ever to come out of modern music. If you have ever heard an angel sing then you have some idea how Sandy Denny sounds. She had a startling career, including appearing on two Led Zeppelin tracks singing on 'Battle Of Evermore' & 'Going To California' which rather proves the point as at the time Led Zeppelin could of chosen anybody to sing on their albums. Ian Matthews was then added as a second vocalist & the band went into the studio after signing a contract with the newly formed Island Record Company.
Their first album `What We Did On Our Holidays' (1969) was an excellent album, showing great variety of style, & hinting at things to come with a radical swing to traditional British music that was to follow.
Dissatisfied with his rolein `Fairport Convention' Ian Matthews left after contributing to one track on the next album, understandably as it was very hard for him to compete & be compared to Sandy Denny. But fear not, no need to feel sorry for young Matthews as he went off & formed 'Matthew's Southern Comfort' & was Number Onein the British charts by October 1970 with his version of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock'.
The new album from the Fairport Convention was a cracker released only six months after their debut album. 'Unhalfbricking' (1969) was a definite step down the road of development, for the first time including the talents of long time friend & fiddle man Dave Swarbrick for this album as a session player, but his future influence on Fairport Convention & British folk rock were swathing.
Due to their popularity Fairport Convention were almost constantly on the road, & just when everything seemed to be on the up & up disaster struck. In June 1969 returning from a gig, their van ran off the motorway after the driver fell asleep, &in this terrible crash the lives of Martin Lamble & Richard Thomson's girlfriend Jeannie Taylor were snatched away.
Naturally the rest of the members of the band were distraught, & at first could not bare the idea of carrying on without their fallen comrades. But Joe Boyd Fairport Convention's manager rented a remote cottage. Here, the remaining members of the band were invited to live their, & Dave Swarbrick was made a permanent member of the band. A replacement for Martin Lamble had to be found to allow the band to continue recording & touring. Dave Mattacks seemed to have the right temperament, was an excellent drummer, & above all made a superb centre half for the Fairport's football team. Fairport Convention were a band again.
Collectively it was decided that a new direction had to be taken as the others could not imagine playing the old songs withoutin particular Martin Lamble on drums. They as many others were impressed by the new music coming out of America particularly 'The Music From The Big Pink' by The Band. In their country recluse they could not stop playing the LP. They loved it, but at the same time they were shocked. It was so deeply American, so fully immersedin the roots of American culture that the Fairport's felt that the goalposts may have been moved too far. They could never inhabit the space occupied by The Band. But perhaps they could accomplish something parallel to 'Big Pink' if they set their minds to it. Maybe they could create a repertoire as English as the Band was American.
Ashley Hutchings & Sandy Denny shared a love for old traditional English folk songs , almost everyday the two of them would arrive back at the house with reams of new songs to show & play for their friends & band mates. Everybody wasin agreement this was the way forward. . Once the band had decided where they were going the music was laid down quickly & almost effortlessly. Daytimes were spent playing footballin the spacious gardens, or taking long walks with Dave Swarbrick's Collie dog. Butin the evening they would pick up their instruments & get down to work.
The results were stupendous, a landmarkin rock 'n' roll history. Of the eight tracks, the album opens & closes with originals the Sandy Denny & Ashley Hutchings 'Come All Ye' sets the mood perfectly, whilst 'Crazy Man Michael' by Dave Swarbrick & Richard Thompson brings the album to a fitting close. In the middle there is Richard Thompson's beautiful 'Farewell, Farewell' In-between are five songs dug out by Sandy Denny & Ashley Hutchings which have been arranged by the band. All of them little gems. The medleyin the middle is a joyous collection of tunes, jigs & reels. But perhaps the stand out track on the album is 'Matty Groves' all eight minutes of it, as it tells of love between the classes. At first Sandy Denny's beautiful voice leads us through the story, with its sad conclusion before the band breakin rampaging towards the climax with a fine musical battle between fiddle & lead guitar.
'Liege & Lief' (1969) to this day is the British folk rock album. A seminal work which said it all, & launched a thousand imitators. Certainly Fairport Convention's finest hour. Unfortunatelyin their wisdom Island records have decided to add two further tracks onto the original album, both of which are outtakes never meant for the paying public & do nothing to enhance the album.
Strange then that before the album had hit the record shelvesin the shops, & after one radio broadcast, an appearance on Top Of The Pops to promote the non-LP 'Si Tu Dois Partir' which actually got to 21in the charts, & only nine concerts. Sandy Denny & Ashley Hutchings left the band. Sandy Denny to form 'Fortheringay', & Ashley Hutchings to 'Steeleye Span'. Especially strange as these were the two musicians who had taken the band offin it's new direction. Of course the others quickly got over the shock, picked themselves up, dusted themselves down & carried on. Having a new albumin the charts by the following July 'Full House'(1970).
A band under the Fairport Convention banner still record & tour to this day, keeping the Fairport ideals alive. Ashley Hutchings was to reappearin the bands line up over the next thirty odd years every now & again when the whim took him, & is always welcomed back with open arms. Sandy Denny re-joined the bandin 1975 for another year of touring & one more album 'Rising For The Moon' (1975) but left againin 1976. Sadly she died of a brain hemorrhage on Friday 21st April 1978 after falling down some stairs at a friend's house the previous Monday, a great loss to the world. But her beautiful voice lives on as can be heard here on this exquisite album.
the best - and here are some more suggestions - By: dickie, 08 Feb 2008 if you like folk rock, you must buy this. this is what defines the genre, & it's incredible. the albums either side of it (unhalfbricking & full house) are essentials too. as well as trad folk songs electrified, there are a couple dark & brooding thompson/swarbrick numbers (what an incredible song-writing duo they were!), & - of course - the unsurpassable vocals of sandy denny.
fairport went on to make lots of great albums, & they are the greatest. but if (like me) you think their last 10 years have drifted into middlle of the road pop, & you want to try to recapture that ealier excitement & innovation, try either (or both!) of the two albums by trees. i stumbled across these courtesy of amazon, & they date from the liege & lief era
A bit special alright ! - By: Arthur Dooley, 16 Oct 2007 Voted...'best folk album of all time'..in the UK, Leige & Leif defies the near 40 years of innovation since it was first recorded to impact on the sensesin incendiary manner. The great Folk-Rock supergroup of all time created a masterpiece which grabbed a whole new audience,many of whom drifted over from 'prog-rock' & continues to this day to surprise & delight new listeners,many of whom will not even have been born when the album was released.
With the alluring & ice sharp vocals of Sandy Denny setting the scene, brilliant instrumentalists Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick, Ashley Hutchings et al, provided the perfect complimentary accompaniment which when stirred together created musical perfection !
A blend of traditional songs & reels with some self composed efforts,the whole package blends seamlessly into an organic whole.
Now acknowledged as a classic,Fairport convention have recently performed at their Cropredy festival the entire piece to the delight of 25.000 fans & millions who tuned into Mike Harding's 'Folk on 2'.
