SONGS FROM WASTIES ORCHARD

"Songs from Wasties Orchard" was actually my introduction to MAGNA CARTA via a friend in the 1980s. It was framed as their classic album. While that may or may not be true for fans of soft, even country inflected folk rock, it is assuredly not the case for progressive aficionados. But for those whose ears perked up, this is not even the hard country approach of LINDISFARNE, but a genteel music hall in a barn type of country, that consumes about half the disk.

The presence of Strawbs standbys Rod Chesterman, Rick Wakeman and Tony Visconti does not translate to any of the musical sophistication or potency one might expect; instead we have the more typical MAGNA CARTA of "Time for the Leaving", "Isle of Skye", and "Sunday on the River". Lead guitar here and there is more prominent but not at all distinctive. The upbeat surprises of "Good Morning Sun", "Home Groan", "Parliament Hill" and "Country Jam" are not particularly welcome if they do change the pace, as they just sound like MAGNA CARTA trying to do country, that is, restrained and self consciously.

Probably the best work here is in "Knaresborough Town" with its sitar accompaniment and old Englishe melody, and the pretty "White Snow Dove", which manages to sound as progressive as anything here, and in less than 150 seconds.

If you want to start with MAGNA CARTA, this probably isn't the place; whatever your musical preference, the prior or subsequent orchards will offer you more if limited pleasures for the picking.