Just as the book mapped out a native British musical voice that reflected the complex relationships between town and country, progress and nostalgia, radicalism and conservatism, so too does this compilation. It’s a veritable connoisseur’s choice of folk music which collects together such diverse artists as Archie Fisher, Meic Stevens, Bill Fay, Comus, and Mick Softley, even David Bowie - alongside the more expected names such as Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson, John Martyn, The Incredible String Band and Nick Drake.

 

The two disc set is divided into an Acoustic Eden and an Electric Eden and comes with comprehensive, track-by-track notes by Rob Young. Below is a sample of it's delights -

Fairport Convention – Stranger To Himself

Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die

Bill Fay – Garden Song

Nick Drake – Voices

Comments Rob young: 'This compilation is designed to follow the flow from acoustic to electric folk in the late 60s and early 70s, a magical time in British music. I've tried to include a mixture of rarities, unheard versions, familiar names and unjustly neglected heroes and heroines. I'm particularly proud of including 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. History in the making!'

 

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’