PAINTED SKY

Artful and compelling as always, Dave Cousins, Chas Cronk and Dave Lambert who were key members of The Strawbs during the band`s heyday in the first half of the seventies offer immpecable acoustic impressions of earlier Strawbs classics as well as some newer material in the wholesome Strawbs tradition on this pristine in studio live recording.

There is much solace to be found in the maturity these guys display in their advancing years when so many other rockers are trying to milk the fountains of their youth dry. Dave Cousins`astute voice is as invigourating as it was during the early seventies and if anything with age has become even more penetrating along with the salient vocal harmonies of Lambert and Cronk. These renditions in all their rich modal glory, although comprising only three guitars, the occasional banjo and some impressive mellotron-like bass pedal work from Cronk reveal the true tenderness of these pieces which are actually vivified by the sparseness which is conveyed by the stripped down instrumentation. From the opening harmonics on Oh How She Changed from the Strawbs` 1969 self-titled debut, the evocative rustic images on a full 14 minute version of The Antique Suite also from the early era, the spiritituality of Benedictus, the haunting vigil of Midnight Sun and the terrible beauty of a perfectly rendered Autumn leave the listener literally soaked with sheer emotion by the end of this command performance.

So much vitality is brought to this music here that the originals are almost completely forgotten and one gets the impression that the music is finally being played the way it was intended. Best listened to when burning the midnight oil on a crisp autumn evening, Painted Sky is a testimony to the transcendant timelessness of the Strawbs` picturesque musical visions.