Porcelain
Artist: Julia Fordham
Community Score: 10.00
Peel Sessions
Artist: Lindisfarne

Long before MTV's Unplugged sessions, deejay John Peel and the BBC would get acts on the air strumming away on acoustic or low-amplification electric instruments. Lindisfarne made the appearance at which the four cuts here ("Poor Old Ireland," "Mandolin King," "Lady Eleanor," "Road to Kingdom Come") were broadcast on May 8, 1972, when the group... Read More

No More to the Dance
Artist: Silly Sisters

The first time June Tabor and Maddie Prior made a duo recording, it was released under their names and was entitled Silly Sisters. On this, their second album, Silly Sisters is the name of the group. Officially, it still consists of just Tabor and Prior, but most tracks also feature Breton guitarist Dan Ar Braz, Welsh harper and keyboardist Huw... Read More

A Maid That's Deep in Love
Artist: Pentangle

For years, only this nine-track compilation is available to remind listeners of this British traditional folk/rock quintet, which provided Fairport Convention's main competition in the late '60s and early '70s. Much of it is lovely, notably McShee's haunting singing and Jansch's finger-picking. But a more complete picture is provided by the two... Read More

The Best of Sandy Denny - BEST OF BOX
Artist: Sandy Denny

The Best of Sandy Denny is a fine 16-track collection that has an excellent cross-section of her best solo recordings, including "Listen, Listen," "One Way Donkey Ride," "It'll Take a Long Time," "Farewell, Farewell," "Late November," "Solo," "Sea," "For Shame of Doing Wrong," "Stranger to Himself," "I'm a Dreamer" and "Who Knows Where the Time... Read More

Julia Fordham
Artist: Julia Fordham
Community Score: 9.00

Critics were bothered by her cherry-picked appropriations of exotic musical elements (a casual nod to South Africa here, an incongruous incursion of Spanish guitar there) and the ultimately cold nature of what seemed on the surface to be lush and warm instrumental arrangements. More casual listeners probably had the hardest time getting past her... Read More

Liberty
Artist: Robert Hunter

Maybe it was the addition of Jerry Garcia as lead guitarist or just Hunter's growing experience as a singer/ songwriter, but Liberty was a quantum leap from his earlier albums. The backup band was lively and tight (special kudos to drummer David Mann), and Hunter had written a set of playful lyrics, carefully never overwriting and often alluding... Read More

Redwood Cathedral
Artist: Dick Gaughan
Community Score: 8.00

Gaughan's weathered brogue is enough to make a song memorable. But he also has a knack for gathering fine songs, both originals and covers, that fit beautifully into his style. On this set, Gaughan opens with an understated but powerful "Muir and the Master Builder" by Brian McNeill and even plies his magic with Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and... Read More