Listen to the scratchy voices eating atyour nerves

[A Lark Ascending]

Just reissued in the UK, RTs first solo album.

To my mind one of a kind. There's nothing that sounds remotely like this!

'Music from Big Pink' and 'The Band' had a huge impact in the UK and lots of musicians tried to transfer the homemade, rootsy feel of those albums to UK soil. I'd say this is the album that comes closest.

Tunes that are deeply connected with Thompson's relatively recent interest in British folk music, lyrics that follow The Band in exploring the world of oddball characters.

I remain completely dumbfounded that a chap in his twenties could write a piece as ancient as 'Wheeley Down'. And 'The Angels took my Racehorse away' must be one of the greatest song titles! Great track too.

Thompson went on to write dozens of great songs, record marvellous albums. But every one was compromised to a greater or lesser extent to try and get some commercial success.

'Henry the Human Fly' is a document of a young songwriter and player, totally absorbed in a new, rooted world he'd discovered and an ability he'd found in himself to write songs around it. You get the impression he didn't even think about how the thing was meant to sell.

Just as well. At the time it sold zilch.

Great remastering too. Strangely enough not on Island unlike the other Thompson and Fairport remasters. Done by Fledg'ling under licence - a label thats done a great job in putting out reissues from the UK folk-rockers.

Edited July 11, 2004 by Bev Stapleton

[Spontooneous]

Twenty years ago, I had a co-worker who knew every lyric on this record and peppered every conversation with as many allusions to it as possible. I must have heard him sing "Smiffy's Glass Eye" at least a dozen times as he worked.

[A Lark Ascending]

'Smiffy's Glass Eye' is on 'Hokey Pokey'.

Sorry! Couldn't help myself!

[Spontooneous]

I stand corrected. Those records went away with my ex-wife, and I haven't replaced all the RT discs yet.

But this co-worker also serenaded the whole department with "The Angels Took My Racehorse Away" and bits of "Shaky Nancy" and "Roll Over VW."

[ajf67]

Good to see this out again. Very under-appreciated artist. He opened for Lucinda Williams when she was in DC a while back and was great. Just him and his guitar.

[A Lark Ascending]

But this co-worker also serenaded the whole department with "The Angels Took My Racehorse Away" and bits of "Shaky Nancy" and "Roll Over VW."

Ah, they're the ones!

"Roll Over Vaughan Williams". Another fine title.