10/02/2007

Sandy Denny - The BBC Sessions 1971-73 (1997)

Maddy Prior, Jacqui McShee, and June Tabor all give her a run for her money, but the late Sandy Denny remains the pre-eminent British folk-rock singer. In addition to recording several albums of her own, Denny was an integral force behind the best work of the most respected British folk-rock band of all, Fairport Convention, and also contributed mightily to recordings by the Strawbs and Fotheringay. It’s impossible for words to fully evoke the haunting, spectral presence of her powerful and penetrating alto voice, which seemed to bring the mythology of English moors and folktales to life in contemporary, 20th century settings. […]

This 20-track CD was available only super-briefly in the spring of 1997 before Island Records prevented further copies from being distributed. The several thousand copies that had already been released, however, were allowed to remain in circulation, meaning that this disc is difficult but not impossible to find. And if you like Sandy Denny, you need to find it, because it’s some of her best material. Most of the tracks are BBC versions of songs that appeared on her first three solo albums, and most are her own compositions; all but four are performed solo on piano or guitar. In a sense, it’s Sandy unplugged, although that term didn’t exist in those days. Denny arguably sounds much better on these spare versions than she does on the official takes, when she had to contend with often humdrum, over-arranged session accompaniment. In this context, she comes off much more like a kindred spirit to early-’70s singer/songwriters, especially Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins, than she does a British folk troubadour. You could, indeed, make a strong argument for this as her best solo recording, with fidelity that ranges from good to excellent. While eight of these tracks previously appeared on the fine bootleg Dark the Night, the remaining 12 did not, making it an essential addition for Denny fans. (AMG)


Link in comments (always appreciated)


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're a hero!

Excellent share - thanks. :-)

R

Anonymous said...

thnks for this great favourite

Anonymous said...

Thanks for helping us all find this lost treasure

Anonymous said...

I always smile when I see this posted. One of my favorites! I keep wishing they would get it together, fix the legal issues and re-release it. I would buy it, no hesitation.

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Rare indeed.

Anonymous said...

Gone...

I may cry.

Anonymous said...

Gone...

I may cry.

Anonymous said...

Amazingly rich collection of music on your blog...thanks!!!

DJ Radu said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Thank you for reposting Sandy at the BBC ... this one is essential and should be made available again.

Prof. Moses said...

Beautiful! Thanks!

roberto t. said...

I still have to finish to take a look at all the wonders you have here, but now I found this. So many memories, I was just walking looking at the music magazines, then the first page on the Melody Maker with "Sandy Dead!", and I could not believe it. A loss I could never get over in thirty years now, I'm happy that she is still remembered...

Anonymous said...

Great stuff on this Blog so THANX for EVERYTHING..keep it up, much appreciated.

This link, and all links (usually tinyurls) that point at massmirror, seems broken...any chance it might be fixed?

Henri

DJ Radu said...

NEW LINK:

http://tinyurl.com/6qsaja

mf76 said...

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

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