I don’t really know anything about Bert Jansch other than what I can find on wikipedia – that he was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle, so with that I’ll jump right into the tracks.
The first track has possibly the longest song title I’ve ever seen: “Come Sing Me a Happy Song to Prove We All Can Get Along the Lumpy, Bumpy, Long and Dusty Road”; it’s quite a folksy name if I have to say so. I really like what’s going on with the high notes on the acoustic that’s playing next to the tambourine. Really some beautiful acoustic work. It’s a really folksy tune to go along with that name – I really dig it.
“The Bright New Year” is almost a little dissonant in a certain way, and the acoustic guitar work is really awesome. Nothing too overly complex, and the way his vocals sound like they’re echoing through an empty desolate room really makes this song quite strong.
“Tree Song” sounds like it’s got some strong roots in European folk music – likely more Scottish than anything. It sounds like it’s from the same background as Planxty, which I also recently wrote of, but more distantly related. Definitely some medieval sounding elements. The flute almost makes this a campfire tune to me, somehow.
“Poison” is kind of bluesy to me, and really folksy at the same time. There’s a tangible rawness to the song, audible via the barebones strumming of the acoustic guitar and the scant playing of the harmonica. When combined with the drums, the song really rolls along as if down a lonely road through the foothills of a country side with a guitar on your back. And then there’s a bass that comes in at the end – absolutely superb.
“Miss Heather Rosemary Sewell” – if that’s not a folk song name, I don’t know what is. The playing in this one is quite delicate, as though to caress something. There’s some interesting interplay between the different guitars and bass, and notably a lack of vocals. Quite a beautiful song to be sure.
“I’ve Got a Woman” almost sounds sort of jazz influenced blues – with the combination of the alto saxophone, harmonica, and steady acoustic guitar. The blues of the song just kind of keeps spinning in a spectacular musical circle – it had me zoned out for a moment or two while the musicians sort of had a small little jam sesh. But the song keeps picking up a bit more momentum, and slows back down in quite a bluesy fashion from time to time, only to regain that momentum and more as that song continues – expertly playing with the audience’s ear as I try to follow along.
“A Woman Like You” changes up the soundscape a little bit, the vocals sound a bit more closer and the the acoustic guitar sounds a bit more complex in nature than some of the previous songs. It sounds like there could be two different acoustic guitars layered on top of one another, and I have no way of knowing right now whether or not that is the case. Really impressive song to me.
“I Am Lonely” is a bit more delicate than the last couple of songs, and definitely sort of melancholic, and somewhat hopeful at the same time. It seems quite confessional in nature, very honest song.
“Promised Land” starts out with a bluesy riff with some folk inflections, really highlighted strongly by that saxophone. The acoustic guitar playing is really impressive, it’s like it’s having its own jam session on top of the rest of the layers of instrumentation. Then the saxophone really lets loose on top of the track. Wow. great little tune that highlights the strong emotions demonstrated throughout the album.
“Birthday Blues” doesn’t really sound that bluesy honestly, more along the lines of melancholic, but hopeful again. A standalone acoustic track, the work done by Bert Jansch on the guitar here is most definitely noteworthy.
“Wishing Well” is a sweet bluesy sounding tune, and when the vocals came on it made me jump a little – I was so relaxed that I didn’t expect it at all. Honestly I’m blown away by the acoustic guitar playing throughout this album. Certainly beautiful, and makes a unique folksy bluesy style of playing to listen to, in my opinion.
“Blues” is the final track, and it sounds a classic bluesy guitar tune, but it’s got a certain airy jazziness to it. The acoustic guitar is just jamming while the simple drums and bass keep the beat. Wait a sec, the bass has a solo in this piece, and really shines after being a background piece for the majority of the album, sort of tying up loose ends in a manner of speaking.
This was a terrific album. At only 33 minutes, experiencing these folksy blues tunes that Bert Jansch and his band played is definitely worth the listen, and those who like folk music and the blues should definitely check this out.
-A