Electric Eden - Unearthing Britain’s Visionary Music

Rob Young’s groundbreaking 2010 book ‘Electric Eden‘ offered readers a journey through more than a century of music in the British Isles from Cecil Sharp to the visionary pop of Talk Talk. Whilst the book has been well received in the scholastic camps it has also led many readers on a new musical discovery, giving them a greater appreciation of the genetic make-up of British folk music. The only thing that was missing was an audio point of reference, until now…

Rob Young has hand-picked 36 tracks on a new double CD compilation taking the same title as the book. A compilation covering the whole book would have been a vast undertaking so Rob has selected a period of important transition: the late 60’s to early 70’s and the move from acoustic to electric. In terms of change in folk music the use of electricity was one of the most hotly contested, and still is for many. In our recent interview with Dave Arthur who recently released a Biography on Bert Lloyd titled ‘Bert, The Life and Times of A.L. Lloyd‘ (Interview here: Part 1; Part 2) he explained that Bert was “in general an advocate of progressive folk music, folk music with its roots in the tradition…Bert, taking his cue from eastern European experience, felt that it was not the instrument that defined folk music but what you did with it.” He also felt that “electric instruments were capable of providing another emotional dimension to the music, and could create an atmosphere in a large concert hall that would be impossible with acoustic instruments or a solo voice.”

This release captures perfectly the whole sea of change from the warmth of acoustic music which he describes as carrying associations “of bucolic bliss, of peaceful vibes far from the city’s harmful influences”…to electric: old songs “plugged in and subjected to high voltage jolts, they were reanimated into some of the most exciting music of the moment. Electrification generated its own timbres, frequencies and rhythmns, all of which added up to a distinctive British sound, reaching towards the future even as it delved into the past.”

As a compilation there are naturally many handpicked highlights. Versions of Reynardine are associated with the likes of Bert Jansch, Anne Briggs and Fairport Convention but Rob includes a version by Archie Fisher featuring a sitar “old, weird Hibernia.” There are some Folk Radio UK favourites including Bert Jansch‘s Waggoners Lad on which he plays banjo alongside John Renbourn‘s driving guitar. Listening to many tunes is like uncovering treasure, Sweeny’s Men playing The Pipe on the Hob is a magical moment as is the the early acoustic version of Traffic‘s John Barleycorn is Dead with its “sprite-dancing flute”.

The ‘Electric’ CD is equally fulfilling. He includes some personal proud moments with a rare original version of ‘A Sailor’s Life’ by Fairport Convention, “literally the first time a rock drum kit was ever used on a traditional folk song.” Alongside Fairport there are the fabulous Trees, Richard Thompson, Steeleye Span, Pentangle, Mike Cooper and even David Bowie. It culminates in Nick Drake‘s Voices, one of the last tracks he recorded before his death in 1974. Rob wonders whether he would have followed in the footsteps of his friend John Martyn with his own “Echoplexed, FX-laden voyages…”. Needless to say John also features (on both CDs) with ‘She Moves Through the Fair‘ and ‘Glistening Glynderbourne’.

Part of the beauty of this compilation, aside from being a companion you do marvel at what has gone and it gets you thinking about where it’s all going but like the book I came away from this compilation feeling uplifted – British Folk music is pretty damn special!

The CD comes with an 18 page companion booklet to take you through the secret garden within Albion’s musical landscape…but we highly recommend that you purchase the book as well.

Album Stream

Tracklisting

CD1: ACOUSTIC EDEN

1. Peter Bellamy – ‘Oak, Ash and Thorn’
2. Traffic – ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’
3. Bert Jansch – ‘The Waggoner’s Lad’
4. Fairport Convention – ‘Stranger to Himself’
5. Archie Fisher – ‘Reynardine’
6. Bread, Love and Dreams – ‘Brother John’
7. Bill Fay – ‘Garden Song’
8. Water Into Wine Band – ‘Stranger in the World’
9. Tudor Lodge – ‘Willow Tree’
10. Comus – ‘Diana’
11. Meic Stevens – ‘Yorric’
12. Magic Carpet – ‘The Dream’
13. Sweeney’s Men – ‘The Pipe on the Hob’
14. Tim Hart & Maddy Prior – ‘False Knight on the Road’
15. Dr Strangely Strange – ‘Dark-Haired Lady’
16. Albion Country Band – ‘I Was a Young Man’
17. COB – ‘Music of the Ages’
18. Roger Nicholson – ‘The Carman’s Whistle’
19. Bridget St John – ‘Fly High’
20. John Martyn – ‘She Moves Through the Fair’

CD 2: ELECTRIC ALBION

1. Richard Thompson – ‘Roll over Vaughn Williams’
2. Steeleye Span – ‘The Lark in the Morning’
3. Unicorn – ‘Country Road’
4. Fairport Convention – ‘A Sailor’s Life’
5. Trees – ‘Glasgerion’
6. Fotheringay – ‘Gypsy Davey’
7. David Bowie – ‘Black Country Rock’
8. John Martyn – ‘Glistening Glyndebourne’
9. Mike Cooper – ‘Paper and Smoke’
10. Shelagh McDonald – ‘Mirage’
11. Spirogyra – ‘Disraeli’s Problem’
12. Mick Softley – ‘Time Machine’
13. Shirley Collins & The Albion Country Band – ‘Murder of Maria Marten’
14. Pentangle – ‘Jack Orion’
15. Incredible String Band – ‘Painted Chariot’
16. Nick Drake – ‘Voices’