Tag Archives: English folk rock

Jethro Tull’s The Jethro Tull Christmas Album

Now I have to tell you, when I first saw this album listed on the Jethro Tull Web site I did a double take. I read it like this: “The JETHRO TULL CHRISTMAS???? album?” I was not the only surprised … Continue reading

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The Richard Thompson Band’s Ducknapped! and Richard Thompson’s 1000 Years of Popular Music

To counter widespread bootlegging of his music, Richard Thompson decided to from time to time issue “unofficial” live recordings. With the birth of his official website “Beesweb” and a label of the same name, the number of these releases has … Continue reading

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Richard Thompson’s The Old Kit Bag

In these angst-ridden times, it’s appropriate that Richard Thompson subtitles his first studio release in nearly four years, “Unguents, Fig Leaves and Tourniquets for the Soul.” But one can rarely take anything about Richard Thompson at face value, except for … Continue reading

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An omnibus review of midwinter holiday music

Ensemble Galilei’s A Winter’s Night: Christmas in the Great Hall; St. Agnes Fountain’s Acoustic Carols for Christmas, and Comfort & Joy; Various artists’ Oh Christmas Tree: A Bluegrass Collection for the Holidays And how do you approach your midwinter holiday? It … Continue reading

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Linda Thompson, Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR, October 5, 2002

“Thank you — that’s the last time I’m going to sit in a darkened room for 17 years,” said a smiling Linda Thompson as she returned to the stage for an encore at the end of her first live performance … Continue reading

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Julie Murphy’s Lilac Tree

Julie Murphy has produced a singular CD that rises above the folk singer-songwriter genre to make an intimate artistic statement. Best known for her interpretations of traditional material, including Welsh folksongs, the North London-born Murphy has worked with such diverse … Continue reading

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Linda Thompson’s Fashionably Late

Linda Thompson still has all of the qualities that made her one of the most striking voices in English folk-rock in the 1970s and ’80s. Her new CD, her first recording in 17 years, puts all that’s best about her … Continue reading

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Five Furious Fish’s Hook, Line & Sphincter

Five Furious Fish are a five-piece English electric folk band, playing a unique and engaging blend of Cajun, zydeco, reggae and rhythm & blues. On this, their debut CD, they play mostly originals, penned by two band members, plus a … Continue reading

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Martin Carthy’s The Carthy Chronicles and Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick’s Both Ears and The Tail

“He’s a storyteller — he knows how to put a story across and he believes 100% in what he does.” Norma Waterson Martin Carthy is a legend in English folk music. As a solo performer, in duets with Swarbrick and … Continue reading

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Richard Thompson’s Watching the Dark

Richard Thompson is often described as a cult figure, a description that Thompson himself defines as meaning that he does not have hit records and, as a result, does not make a fortune from his art. Even adepts of the … Continue reading

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