The Festival Bell - Reviews

[Sian]

Stand out tracks for me so far, Rising for the moon, Celtic Moon and Reunion Hill.  Always skip Ukelele Central tho, sorry don't like that one!

[Mackem Geoff]

I must admit I approached Festival Bell with some trepidation given the decidedly lukewarm “advance reviews” that were appearing on this board. Now, I may be missing something or perhaps I’m just a little slow but I absolutely love this album. I think this is a particularly fine collection of songs and instrumentals that comfortably holds its own in the Fairport canon and rewards you with something extra every time it’s played. As mentioned by earlier reviewers there’s an accessibility and warmth about it that leaves you satisfied and fulfilled without ever feeling twee or “safe”. Even the much debated Ukulele Central sits well in a running order that grabs you immediately with Mercy Bay, delights with Rui’s Guitar, gratifies with Around The Wild Cape Horn, surprises with Albert And Ted and leaves you smiling with Festival Bell. I think FC have cracked it with this one, playing to their individual strengths whilst achieving the aim of all bands by making the whole even better than the sum of the parts. Roll on Cropredy!

[fstix (Michael)]

OK, Fiddlestix subscribers got this first, then Facebook friends and now here!  I put together this review in a fit of inspiration ths afternoon:

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There was a time when the phrase “best album by the current Fairport line up” wouldn’t have meant quite so much.  As we all know, for the first couple of decades of their existence, the band had regular changes in personnel to the degree where having more than a couple of albums by the same people was quite a noteworthy occurrence.   By contrast, the last couple of decades have been quite steady by comparison, with the current line up very close to its 13th anniversary.  That’s more than most bands can manage in the first place!
 
By the same token, new albums have been several years apart; the most recent having been 2007’s "Sense Of Occasion".   That had some very fine moments but perhaps not enough to match "Over The Next Hill" (2004) as many peoples’ favourite CD by the “Chris Leslie years” of the band, if one may put it that way.
 
Now along comes "Festival Bell", and while it has enough of the familiar Fairport sound to keep everyone happy, the combination of an outside producer (John Gale), a different studio (The Bowman’s Retreat) and a different recording method (individually rather than collectively) gives it a somewhat different kind of feel.  It’s slightly tricky to pin down exactly how this is so, but it will probably be apparent to those familiar with the band’ recent work.
 
There seem to be a few more chances being taken with the music and its presentation as well.  Nothing especially radical, but it’s noticeable and welcome in for example Ric Sanders’ related instrumental sets Danny Jack’s Chase and Danny Jack’s Reward.  In both cases, the tunes go to some quite unexpected places with touches of reggae and maybe a bit of jazz among the folk rock - and it works well.  The fact they may need a few listens to truly appreciate is another indication that we’re all in slightly different territory here.
 
The lovely song Celtic Moon shows another side to the experimentation, in this case with the personnel and their roles.  Dave Pegg forsakes the bass for lead vocals, acoustic guitar and mandolin, with Chris Leslie on violin, Gerry Conway on drums and Sanders on bass ukulele!   Unlike Ukulele Central, this is not a novelty song however, but a great piece of writing from an outside source, in this case Carolyn and Mark Evans from the duo Red Shoes.  Again, it’s a successful experiment that should be commended as such.
 
Elsewhere all is as expected, with Leslie providing the bulk of the original material, and he and Simon Nicol taking turns for the lead vocals.  The opener Mercy Bay, though written by Leslie, is sung by Nicol and is an excellent start to proceedings - a strong folk rock ballad with passionate vocals and an appropriate “death at sea” theme.  It is also only one of a handful of tracks to feature Nicol’s electric guitar which, even when present, is reasonably subtle in the mix.  Yet despite this more acoustic approach overall, there is still quite a strong rock element throughout.  This is surely helped by Dave Pegg’s very funky bass on tracks such as Mercy Bay and the instrumental Albert & Ted, which he wrote in collaboration with Ric Sanders in honour of their respective fathers.
 
As mentioned, the original songs are by Chris Leslie, whose style is appreciated by many but decried by some as often too lightweight.  I wouldn’t worry too much about the latter this time.  Even the more pleasant material such as Rui’s Guitar and the title track is still well structured and memorable.  As always, he also brings in a range of instruments besides the violin and mandolin, such as Portuguese guitar (the one mentioned in Rui’s Guitar presumably), bouzouki and whistle, all played with the skill and apparent ease one would expect.
 
Leslie also sings lead on the re-recording of Rising For The Moon, which might seem a little daunting considering the originality of its original author and singer Sandy Denny when it was first recorded back in the mid 70s.  Somehow though, the band has arranged the song to fit the current Fairport and it sits comfortably among the rest of the tracks.
 
Ric Sanders also adds some restrained keyboards to the ballad Reunion Hill - a great track - but otherwise his fiddling is perhaps a little more tempered than usual where it needs to be, but still as frenetic and enjoyable as ever on his own tunes in particular.
 
When it comes to the lightweight, “nice” material which still seems to be part of Fairport’s oeuvre these days, the main contenders would have to be the Ralph McTell songs.  Even then, I found Around The Wild Cape Horn in particular to be the sort of catchy song that sticks in your mind despite your objections - I hate it when that happens!  One could maybe say these lighter ones disrupt the flow of the more substantial material surrounding them, but they do lighten the mood and provide some diversity, so fair enough.  The same could also be said of Ukulele Central, where ukes and washboard abound, extolling the versatility of the instrument with guests Joe Brown and Frank Skinner.  Not a classic by any means, but good enough fun.
 
Another important point to note is that there are no traditional pieces on "Festival Bell", which is unusual on any Fairport album.  However, a number of tracks do have trad tunes interspersed throughout, even if uncredited.  Amusingly, it is the Morris tune Ring O’Bells used as part of the melody for the title track - a nice musical pun.
 
I imagine it’s stating the obvious to talk about the quality of the playing and the vocals, but I might make special mention of Gerry Conway’s drumming and percussion - at times, it is quite busy but never distracting in the context of the arrangement or the song itself.   Nicely done, especially considering his parts were recorded in an entirely different studio, Sound By Design's Delta Studio!
 
“Centuries go by / still our voices sing” is a line from The Festival Bell, relating to the actual bell that bears the band’s name in the Cropredy village church.  With regards to Fairport Convention itself, I don’t think anyone will claim centuries but it’s close to 45 years so far, and still with the ability to surprise and entertain a worldwide fan base.  Oh, that whole “best album by the current Fairport line up” thing?  Definitely appropriate, to my ears.
 
Michael Hunter

[GubGub (Al)]

Somebody said, in response to low expectations of this album expressed by myself and others, that it would be unlikely for the current line up of Fairport to deviate far from the template that they have established over the last 13 years and neither do we have the right to expect them to. That is an absolutely fair comment. It is unreasonable for us to expect them to be the band and the people that they were 20, 30 or 40 years ago (according to personal taste). And yet...

My expectations were founded on the drift towards twee and tasteful that the band's recorded output has largely represented over the last decade and a bit. However, the above reviews combined with the live performance of much of the new material on the current tour gave me hope and I found myself looking forward to hearing the new disc. I finally picked up a copy of the album at the weekend and have now been able to give it a listen and my verdict? Well, I have to profess myself ...disappointed.

It is my problem. I can't help myself. I do want them to be the band they were 20 or 30 or 40 years ago. I will settle for any of those incarnations. But my fellow TAWer was right, the album does not stray far from the familiar sound of recent albums. There are good songs here and the instrumentals are wonderful but the sound lacks edge or muscle or electricity, in other words the rock element of the folk rock equation. There is another pleasant but unnecessary retread of former glories and the central section of the album dives headlong into that morass of the twee and the tasteful only coming up for air on Albert & Ted & Darkside Wood. That is a shame because things start and finish well and I think Michael is exactly right when he says above, "One could maybe say these lighter ones disrupt the flow of the more substantial material surrounding them." However to me they do not lighten the mood but break it and also fatally undermine the consistency of the record.

My favourite track, at least initially, is Reunion Hill but even that sounds more like something from one of Simon's two very fine solo albums.

All in all then, not the atistic leap forward/backward that I had hoped for. It is a bit of a curate's egg. I just wish the good parts had a little more bite. It is one for fans of the band's smoother, more acoustic direction. The rest of us will just have to keep on being unreasonable.

[hendo (Dave)]

Somebody said, in response to low expectations of this album expressed by myself and others, that it would be unlikely for the current line up of Fairport to deviate far from the template that they have established over the last 13 years and neither do we have the right to expect them to. That is an absolutely fair comment. It is unreasonable for us to expect them to be the band and the people that they were 20, 30 or 40 years ago (according to personal taste). And yet...

My expectations were founded on the drift towards twee and tasteful that the band's recorded output has largely represented over the last decade and a bit. However, the above reviews combined with the live performance of much of the new material on the current tour gave me hope and I found myself looking forward to hearing the new disc. I finally picked up a copy of the album at the weekend and have now been able to give it a listen and my verdict? Well, I have to profess myself ...disappointed.

It is my problem. I can't help myself. I do want them to be the band they were 20 or 30 or 40 years ago. I will settle for any of those incarnations. But my fellow TAWer was right, the album does not stray far from the familiar sound of recent albums. There are good songs here and the instrumentals are wonderful but the sound lacks edge or muscle or electricity, in other words the rock element of the folk rock equation. There is another pleasant but unnecessary retread of former glories and the central section of the album dives headlong into that morass of the twee and the tasteful only coming up for air on Albert & Ted & Darkside Wood. That is a shame because things start and finish well and I think Michael is exactly right when he says above, "One could maybe say these lighter ones disrupt the flow of the more substantial material surrounding them." However to me they do not lighten the mood but break it and also fatally undermine the consistency of the record.

My favourite track, at least initially, is Reunion Hill but even that sounds more like something from one of Simon's two very fine solo albums.

All in all then, not the atistic leap forward/backward that I had hoped for. It is a bit of a curate's egg. I just wish the good parts had a little more bite. It is one for fans of the band's smoother, more acoustic direction. The rest of us will just have to keep on being unreasonable.

Real shame we didn't talk at big ses last yr. I could have written this!

[davidmjs]

Like Hendo, Al, has said everything I could have done, and in a far better way...  Unreasonableness has never been stated more reasonably  

[mickf]

I really enjoyed this album and think that 'Mercy Bay' is a genuine contender for next year's Hancock's.  It's also nice to read some thoughtful criticisms, even though I don't always agree with them.

[KascadeDan]

Ok, have had several listens now, and the tracks just seem to get better and better each time.

Mercy Bay: Is a really great track. Chris has prooven many times that he is a great writer, and this track is no exception. Great vocals all round on this one, Simon does a great job of lead vocals, and the backing vocals are really nicely mixed.

Rui's Guitar: I've liked this one since I first heard it at Cropredy last year, though I can't figure out what it's really about. I know it's sung on Rui's Guitar but it's not sung about Rui's Guitar. Nevertheless, I still love this one and love the sound of the Portuguese guitar.

Danny Jack's Chase: I love this tune, when it's performed live. The album version doesn't have that same thrill that the live version does. The drums are mixed far too low, the Guitar and Bass are little bit too tame and there's a bit too much Mandolin.

Reunion Hill: This one reminded me of two other Fairport tracks: Red and Gold and Summer Before The War. It is another one of those reminiscent war songs in which you feel for the 'speaker' of the song. This is another one which Simon sings beautifully.

Wouldn't Say No: A song which is very close to my heart (Chris dedicated it to my folks at Cropredy last year, as Cropredy was their honeymoon) and I love how rocky they have made this with the Electric Guitar!

Around The Wild Cape Horn: This one I believe could stay in the repertoire for a very Long time, one of the most heart warming songs from Ralph I've heard yet!

Celtic Moon: The lyrics are really nice on this, and I love the idea of everyone taking on different roles in the band, with Peggy taking the lead role on Vocals, Guitar and Mandolin.

Ukulele Central: What can I say? I can't help but strum along with it every time I hear it!

Albert and Ted: Hmmm. Clever, but dead confusing! Great Bass playing from Peggy here as well!

Darkside Wood: I was thrilled when I heard they were doing this, and I like their version, but can't help but prefere Chris W's. It's more suited to her bluesy voice. I did however really like the haunting violin playing on Fairport's version.

London Apprentice: This one's OK, but that's really all it is. Lyrically, I really like it, but I just find it to be a bit short.

Rising For The Moon: Chris does an absolutely wonderful job of singing this one. And Ric does a great job of Swarb's fiddle part (but let's be honest, when doesn't he?)

Danny Jack's Reward: Wow. Having heard it live and on the CD, there is not much difference between the two of them. I can still feel the vibes and the energy on the CD that I could when I was hearing it live. It's just a bloody brilliant track.

Festival Bell: I still like this one, but not as much as I did when I first heard it. I've heard it so many times now that it's just another track. However, the important thing about this track is that it is dedicated to a wonderful thing, and it makes a really good closing track!

[delfini (Diane)]

The beginning of London Apprentice (the feet) for some reason makes me think of Beryl Marriott........and so makes me smile

[Jan_]

Rui's Guitar: I've liked this one since I first heard it at Cropredy last year, though I can't figure out what it's really about. I know it's sung on Rui's Guitar but it's not sung about Rui's Guitar. Nevertheless, I still love this one and love the sound of the Portuguese guitar.

"Significance is obvious but meaning is non-immediate" as someone once said.  

Start by researching Fado.

Still elusive but then the best songs often are.

@ Delfini.  I know what you mean.  There is something a bit Beryl Marriott about the way the Fairports have presented London Apprentice - a tribute perhaps

[scarabus (Kevin)]

Does anyone know if the chaps made a conscious decision to visit the studio separately, or was it because their diaries didn't allow for them all the be present at once?

[GubGub (Al)]

I think the studio was effectively Ric's house which may have precluded full group performances. I imagine cost played a part in the decision to record this way.

[bassline (Mike)]

Just reread this thread and realised my review is not there.Must have typed it, got destracted and not posted it.(Far too many 12 hour plus shifts.)
Most of my thoughts have been covered by other folk, I'll just say this, though.
On first play I really thought that this was the best album by this line up so far.Having played it in the car for a while I now think this is the best album by some of the other line ups too,(if you know what I mean).It's a definite grower,and some of these songs will become live staples for some time I reckon.

[Tim Fletcher]

Favourable review on the BBC here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/v5wx

Don't all rush in case it causes BBC Online to crash again

[PaulT]

Never thought I'd see the phrase "jazz-rock" in an FC review!

Good comments from Sid though - I reckon he's just about got it right.

[davidmjs]

Never thought I'd see the phrase "jazz-rock" in an FC review!

Well, they've had a jazz-rocker in their ranks for the last quarter of a century, so I'm not quite sure why you're so surprised

[Shane (Skirky)]

Four star review from The Guardian. Apparently Richard Thompson used to be in the group...  
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/07/fairport-convention-festival-bell-review


(Sadly there is no Grauniad-style typo which would then have described Around The Wild Cape Horn as a 'gusty' ballad, but you can't have eveything.   )

[GubGub (Al)]

Peggy, a sturdy lead singer?  

[H (Heather Smith)]

Peggy, a sturdy lead singer?  

Poor Chris.  You've got to feel sorry for the lad really.  First of all there's apparently now three lead singers, which I would consider a dubious claim at best, and second, having carried so much of the vocal duties this Wintour he's the only singer that doesn't get named as such.

[Big Martin]

Having been laid up with a chest infection I've not got mine yet. Just stuck in an order, so I'll see soon.