Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking

Limited edition 180gr LP

This is the third album by the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and their second LP released in 1969. The album contains several Bob Dylan songs that were still unknown during that period. It also features what is arguably Sandy Denny’s most notable achievement as a songwriter with the song “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” (later covered by such stars as Mary Black, Eva Cassidy, Judy Collins and Nina Simone, among many others). The only traditional song on the album, “A Sailor’s Life”, is considered pivotal in the development of English folk rock music. The album also gave the band their first UK chart success, reaching #12 in the UK album chart (the second highest position in the band’s career), while the single release, “Si tu dois partir”, climbed to #21 in the UK singles chart. Other highlights include Sandy Denny’s “Autopsy” and “Percy’s Song”, the latter featuring vocals by Ian Matthews. Unhalfbricking received a 5-star review in AllMusic, with Richie Unterberger describing it as “a transitional album for the young Fairport Convention, in which the group shed its closest ties to its American folk-rock influences and started to edge toward a more traditional British folk-slanted sound”.

Tracklist

Side 1

1. GENESIS HALL Richard Thompson 
2. SI TU DOIS PARTIR Bob Dylan
3. AUTOPSY Sandy Denny
4. A SAILOR’S LIFE Trad. arr Fairport

Side 2

1. CAJUN WOMAN Richard Thompson
2. WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES? Sandy Denny
3. PERCY’S SONG Bob Dylan
4. MILLION DOLLAR BASH Bob Dylan

Personnel

FAIRPORT CONVENTION
Sandy Denny
Ashley Hutchings
Martin Lamble
Simon Nicol
Richard Thompson

Credits

DAVE SWARBRICK plays fiddle on Cajun Woman, A Sailor’s Life, Si Tu Dois Partir and mandolin on Million Dollar Bash.
TREVOR LUCAS plays triangle on Si Tu Dois Partir.
MARC ELLINGTON sings on Million Dollar Bash.
IAN MATTHEWS sings on Percy’s Song. 

Photographs ERIC HAYES Sleeve design DIOGENIC ATTEMPTS LTD
Engineering JOHN WOOD Sound 
Techniques London
Produced by JOE BOYD, SIMON & FAIRPORT WITCHSEASON PRODUCTIONS LTD

Release date - March 24, 2023