FOTHERINGAY

I was reallly surprised how good this CD was. I got it recommended by a friend who knew I was a Fairport Convection (and Sandy Denny) fan. After a short (but eventful) stay at FC, Denny left that famous band to form his own group under guidence of producer Joe Boyd and her future husband Trevor Lucas. This project named under one fo Denny´s best known songs from her FC days is not widely known, which is really a pity, for it concentrates some of her best songs ever plus some strong tracks by others.

I enjoyed very much the low key sound of the group as a whole: they were fine musicians working for the music, not for their egos. It is ok for me that Lucas tunes are a bit too simple and not entirely convincing, as it is his cover of Dylan´s Too Much Of Nothing, but they are just some minor flaws, on an otherwise very powerful album. Denny´s opener Nothing More is a fine showcase of her talents both as an original singer and a sensitive songwriter. The Sea, Winter Winds and The Pond And The Stream are other strong compositions, while her interpretation of the traditional Banks Of The Nile is as poignant as anything she has done in the Fairport fold. The band is shining on that track too, making it the most progressive tune in the whole album.

Another surprise is the cover of Gordon Lighfoot´s The Way I Feel: very well arranged, played and sung, this tune is one of Fotheringay´s highlights for its emotional and convincing interpretation. My Hannibal CD booklet and tracklist gives no hint that Two Last Weeks In Summer and Gypsy Davey were not included on the original LP (now I know they were in fact recoorded for their second, shelved, album). Both are great bonus tracks and fit very well with the others. Nice touch (my CD does not include the 3 live tracks of the UICY release).

Fotheringay was a very promising group that unfortunatly never really reached its full potential. But they left a very fine debut CD that I recommend to all fans of prog folk.