Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Fairport Convention - Gottle O' Geer CD (album) cover

GOTTLE O' GEER

Fairport Convention

 

Prog Related

1.56 | 28 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

SouthSideoftheSky
Special Collaborator
Symphonic Team
1 stars If I expire, I'll go down below

Fairport Convention is a band with many different faces (with an emphasis on both different and many). Even if I'm personally not very fond of the bands 60's period with Sandy Denny on vocals, I must say that the period between 1973 and 1976, consisting of the four albums Rosie, Nine, Rising For The Moon and the present one is their worst period. We are a long way away from the very good and quite progressive Full House and Babbacombe Lee albums here. Fortunately they would make many much better albums later on too.

This album is the least folky one they had done since the very debut in 1968. This is basically a straightforward Pop album. Our Band is very close to the style of 10cc!! It is clear that they're having fun. Piano is the leading instrument on several songs, which is very unusual for Fairport. Don't Be Late is dominated by brass instruments! Which is even more surprising, but it isn't a very pleasant surprise!

Reading through the credits you find more interesting instruments like organ, electric dulcimer, autoharp, mandocello and many guests performing on guitars, trumpet, fluegel horn, saxophone, dobro and harmonica and more. The most notable guest is Simon Nicol who soon would return to the band full time and steer the band in the right direction. But even with this list of surprising features, this album is as boring as the disastrous Rosie.

Cropedy Capers and The Frog Up The Pump flow into each other and are the only typical Fairport British Folk numbers on the whole album. But unfortunately not very inspired! The drums are especially lame. There is nothing here up to par with the best tracks from the uneven Nine album.

If there is a positive thing about this album it is that they got rid of the obvious Country influences that plagued the previous three albums. But the British Folk and progressive aspects are still almost completely gone. As it turns out, the cover art is the best thing about this album, portraying a jester which is a recurring theme in progressive rock. But the album is sadly not very progressive at all.

This is for completionists only.

SouthSideoftheSky | 1/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this FAIRPORT CONVENTION review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.