FLY AWAY

There is something truly endearing about british folk from the late 60's and 70's. And there is an amazing quality about so many of the bands from that period. Not only Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span made great music. Sometimes the best recordings stems from the more obscure groups.

Agincourt is one of these obscure groups. Unlike, say, Pentangle the music of Agincourt is quite resounding of the 60's american folk boom but with a strong british bottom, which can be heard on tracks like "When I awoke" or "Kind sir". The musicianship is good throughout and there are plenty of beautiful and haunting harmonies to be found.

I would classify Agincourt's album as proggy folk with a bit of rock leanings, spiced with a bit of psychedelic west coast. Actually, when thinking about it I find the album is a strange and remarkable yet cohesive affair. I find it to be an enjoyable album in it's dreamy, fairytale-ish way. Still, it's not at all up to par with say Jade or Mellow Candle. Rather it is a good but not essential part of the UK folk prog-scene. It has a lot going for it and, as I wrote earlier, it possesses a genuine identity and charm but it fails to reach the heights of other, greater bands.

Conclusion: a gentle, enjoyable album with a lot of ideas and ambition. I rate it a solid three stars.