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Unhalfbricking

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Unhalfbricking
Studio albumby
Fairport Convention
ReleasedJuly 1969[1]
RecordedJanuary–April 1969
StudioSound TechniquesandOlympic,London
GenreBritish folk rock
Length38:51
LanguageEnglish and French
LabelIsland
Producer
Fairport Conventionchronology
What We Did on Our Holidays
(1969) 		Unhalfbricking
(1969) 		Liege & Lief
(1969)
1969 US release
SinglesfromUnhalfbricking
  1. "Si Tu Dois Partir"/" Genesis Hall "
    Released: July 1969

Unhalfbrickingis the thirdstudio albumby the Englishfolk rockbandFairport Conventionand their second album released in 1969. It is seen as a transitional album in their history and marked a further musical move away from American influences towards more traditional Englishfolk songsthat had begun on their previous album,What We Did on Our Holidays[2]and reached its peak on the follow-up,Liege & Lief,released later the same year.[3]

The album features severalBob Dylansongs, which he had not yet released. It also featuresSandy Denny's signature song "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?",which was subsequently covered by many other performers and is now regarded as a classic. The only traditional song on the album,"A Sailor's Life",is seen as pivotal in the development of English folk rock music.

Changes in the line-up of the band, due not only to its musical direction but also to external events, mark this album as a turning point in the band's history. 1969 was a prolific year for Fairport Convention; fromWhat We Did on Our HolidaystoLiege & Liefwithin twelve months represented a major development.

The album also gave the band their first UK chart success, reaching number 12 in theUK album chart(the second highest position in the band's entire career), while the single release, "Si Tu Dois Partir",achieved number 21 in theUK singles chart.

Production

[edit]

Fairport Convention had been invited toBob Dylan's London music publishers to hear then-unreleased tracks fromThe Basement Tapessessions.The band's bassist, Ashley Hutchings, said "We loved it all. We would have covered all the songs if we could."[4]In the event, versions of "Percy's Song","Million Dollar Bash "and"If You Gotta Go, Go Now"(retitled" Si Tu Dois Partir ") were used on the album. The French lyrics for the latter were created during the interval of a performance at theMiddle Earth Club.[5]According to guitaristSimon Nicol:"I think the boredom factor was one of the reasons we came up with this wacky idea. Three or four punters joined us in the dressing room; they were either French visitors or students of French working in London, and happened to be there that night."[5]"Percy's Song" and "Million Dollar Bash" had never been released before.[6]

"Si Tu Dois Partir"
Sample of "Si tu dois partir", the single fromUnhalfbricking
"A Sailor's Life"
Sample of "A Sailor's Life", the extended song in whichfolkandrockcame together
Problems playing these files? Seemedia help.

The band's male vocalistIain Matthewsleft during the recordings forUnhalfbrickingto make his own albumMatthews' Southern Comfort,after recording just one track, "Percy's Song".[7]Sandy Dennysang lead vocals on all the other songs, including her own compositions, "Autopsy", and "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?".[6]The latter was covered by many artists and is now viewed to be a classic.[8]The lengthy "A Sailor's Life", a traditional English folk song collected byA. L. Lloyd,was already part of Denny's club repertoire.[6]In particular, the version onUnhalfbrickinghas been described as "the turning point of Fairport's history from earlier contemporary Americana to English songs"[9]and by AllMusic'sRichie Unterbergeras a "clear signpost to the future".[2]

GuitaristRichard Thompsoncontributed two compositions to the album. The opening track, "Genesis Hall", is a slow 3/4waltz,on which Simon Nicol playeddulcimer,while Sandy Denny provided the vocals; it was the B-Side of the single release.[10]Genesis Hall was the nickname of the former Bell Hotel inDrury Lane,which had become asquatin early 1969 and later became noted for a mass eviction by the police.[11]In the view ofMojomagazine reviewer Mike Baines, "Thompson's writing reached maturity on 'Genesis Hall'".[6]"Cajun Woman", which opens the second side of the album,[12]featuresDave Swarbrick'sfiddle-playing in his first work with Fairport; having no electric pick-ups, the band improvised by smashing open a telephone and attaching the microphone to the instrument with an elastic band.[13]

Title and cover

[edit]

The title arose from the band playing the word gameGhostwhile travelling to and from gigs.[14]Its object was to "avoid completing a real word",[15]and "Unhalfbricking" was Sandy Denny's creation.[16]

Eric Hayes took the photo on the sleeve design for the UK release, which featured neither album title nor band name.[17]The photo captured Denny's parents, Neil and Edna Denny, standing outside the family home at 9B Arthur Road,Wimbledon,South London, with the band distantly visible through the garden fence.[18]St Mary's Church, Wimbledon,can be seen in the background.[19]Joe Boydlater said "Unhalfbricking, then, that cover shot was taken in the early spring, right before the crash, I think; and that record came out in June".[20]

Unhalfbricking's cover in the US, released byA&M Records,was even less informative. It consisted of a picture of circus elephants with a small inset image of the band, allegedly because "the group apparently so upset their American label that they replaced it with an image of trampolining elephants".[21]

Aftermath

[edit]

On 11 May 1969,[22]two months before the album was released, drummerMartin Lambleand Jeannie Franklyn, the girlfriend of guitaristRichard Thompson,were killed in a road accident as the band was returning from a concert in Birmingham.[23]Simon Nicol later said:

That was a big watershed, I think. In the aftermath, we thought a lot about what to do, whether to call it a day. It had been fun while it lasted but it took a definite effort of will to continue. It had given us a lot but now it had taken away a lot: was it worth it if it was going to cost people their lives? Martin was only 18 or 19 years old. He would have gone on to have been so much more than just another drummer, another musician: there was something very special about him.[23]

Ashley Hutchingsalso said in relation to the album cover photograph:

My memory of it is bound up with the terrible car crash. On the back cover we're all eating around a table. The shirt and the leather waistcoat I'm wearing are what I had on when the crash happened. I can clearly remember them being bloodstained. You don't forget things like that.[4]

Unhalfbrickingappeared, therefore, at a difficult time for the group, but was enthusiastically received. After a period of intense reflection about their future they decided to pursue the folk rock idea further and violinistDave Swarbrickand drummerDave Mattackswere invited to join full-time for the follow-up,Liege & Lief.[2]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideA−[24]
Pitchfork9.3/10[25]
PopMatters[26]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[27]

AllMusic'sRichie UnterbergerdescribedUnhalfbrickingas "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".[2]

Rolling Stone'sJohn Mendelsohn,reviewingUnhalfbrickingalongsideLiege and Lief,was supportive, describing it as "Fairport Convention at its best" and singling out "Percy's Song"in particular as" the album's gem ". He was less complimentary about" A Sailor's Life ", regarding it as overlong.[28]

The album also gave the band their first UK chart success, spending a total of eight weeks in theUK album chartand reaching number 12.[29]The single "Si Tu Dois Partir"spent nine weeks on theUK singles chartand reached number 21.[29]Fairport Conventionappeared onTop of the Popson 14 August 1969, miming to the song and augmented by aroadie,Steve Sparks on percussion.[30][31]

It was voted number 688 in the third edition ofColin Larkin'sAll Time Top 1000 Albums(2000).[32]In 2004Qmagazine placedUnhalfbrickingat number 41 in its list of the 50 Greatest British Albums Ever,[33]and in the same yearThe Observer,describing it as "a thoroughly English masterpiece",[4]listed it at number 27 in its Top 100 British Albums.[34]The following year, 2005, it was included in Robert Dimery's "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".[35]The Sandy Denny track "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"was voted" Favourite Folk Track of All Time "by listeners in theRadio 2 Folk Awards 2007.[36]In 2010Unhalfbrickingwas voted the second best Fairport Convention album afterLiege & LiefbyMojomagazine readers.[37]

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Genesis Hall"Richard Thompson3:35
2."Si Tu Dois Partir"Bob Dylan2:18
3."Autopsy"Sandy Denny4:20
4."A Sailor's Life"Traditional; arranged by Denny, Thompson,Simon Nicol,Ashley HutchingsandMartin Lamble11:08
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Cajun Woman"Thompson2:42
6."Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"Denny5:08
7."Percy's Song"Dylan6:46
8."Million Dollar Bash"Dylan2:54
Bonus tracks on CD reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Dear Landlord"Dylan4:06
10."Ballad of Easy Rider"(Bob Dylan is not officially credited as a songwriter on" Ballad of Easy Rider ".[38][39])Roger McGuinn4:55

Release history

[edit]

Unhalfbrickinghas been released on several occasions and in several formats:[2][40]

Year Country Label and catalogue number Format
1969 UK IslandILPS 9102 LP
1969 US A&MSP-4206 LP
1969 US Hannibal4418 cassette
1969 Germany Island 849302 LP
1969 Italy International Ricordi SPA SLIR-IL LP
1969 Canada Polydor543-098 LP
1970 Australia Festival/Island SFL 9333512 LP
1972 Japan King/Island ICL-36 LP
1973 Australia Festival/Island SFL 9333512 LP (reissue)
1974 Netherlands Island Ariola 88163XAT LP
1969 New Zealand Festival Records SFL-933512 LP
1985 US Carthage CGLP 4418 LP
1987 UK Island CID 9102 CD
1987 Japan Polystar P32D 25025 CD
1990 US Carthage CGCD 4418 CD
1990 UK Island IMCD 61 (Island Mastersseries) CD
1991 US Hannibal 4418 LP & cassette
1991 Japan Polystar P32D 1125 CD
1995 US Sammel 8424982 CD
2000 UK Simply Vinyl SVLP 164 LP
2003 UK Island IMCD 293 (Island Re-Mastersseries) CD
2007 US Simply Vinyl 00030726 LP
2008 US Water 212 CD
2008 US 4 Men With Beards 158 LP

Personnel

[edit]
Fairport Convention
Additional personnel
Production

Source:[42]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications forUnhalfbricking
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 60,000‡

‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Album Reviews"(PDF).Melody Maker.26 July 1969. p. 18.Retrieved16 January2023.
  2. ^abcdefUnterberger, Richie."allmusic ((( Unhalfbricking > Overview )))".AllMusic.Retrieved6 August2008.
  3. ^Deming, M. (2011)."Liege & Lief [Bonus Tracks] – Fairport Convention | AllMusic".AllMusic.Retrieved28 July2011.
  4. ^abcHarris, John(20 June 2004)."Unhalfbricking, Fairport Convention".The Observer.London.Retrieved7 August2008.
  5. ^ab Unterberger, Richie."THE BIRTH AND HEYDAY OF FAIRPORT CONVENTION".richieunterberger.Retrieved3 August2008.
  6. ^abcdBaines, Mike (August 2010). "Fairport Convention: English folk rock's prime movers".Mojo.201:139.
  7. ^"Biography".iainmatthews. Archived fromthe originalon 6 March 2008.Retrieved10 August2008.
  8. ^ "Sold on Song – Song Library – Who Knows Where The Time Goes".BBC.Retrieved3 August2008.
  9. ^ Zierke, Reinhard (22 November 2014)."A Sailor's Life".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  10. ^Zierke, Reinhard."Fairport Convention: Genesis Hall".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  11. ^Fountain, Nigel (1988).Underground: the London alternative press, 1966–74.London:Routledge.pp. 84–85.ISBN0-415-00728-3.Retrieved10 January2010.
  12. ^Zierke, Reinhard."Fairport Convention: Cajun Woman".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  13. ^Young, Rob (7 June 2012).Fairport Convention and Electric Folk: Faber Forty-Fives: 1967–1970.Faber & Faber.ISBN9780571296552– via Google Books.
  14. ^"Unhalfbricking, Fairport Convention".The Guardian.London. 20 June 2004.Retrieved4 May2008.
  15. ^"Ghost Game and other game resources".fun.familyeducation.Retrieved6 August2008.
  16. ^ Greenberger, David."Metroland Online – Recordings: Playing Games".Metroland.Retrieved6 August2008.
  17. ^Colwell, Stacey (5 March 2003)."Shooting Stars".Bridgewater Bulletin.Retrieved7 August2008.
  18. ^Irvin, Jim(1998)."Angel of Avalon: Sandy Denny".Mojo.Archived fromthe originalon 13 June 2011.Retrieved2 August2008.
  19. ^51°25′43.03″N0°12′37.67″W/ 51.4286194°N 0.2104639°W/51.4286194; -0.2104639(best viewed using "StreetMap" option)
  20. ^"Who Knows Where the Time Goes? – The Sandy Denny Story".22 April 2008. 18 minutes in.BBC Radio 2.Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2008.{{cite episode}}:Missing or empty|series=(help)
  21. ^Powell, Aubrey (July–August 2002)."Pavement to penthouse – The aesthetics of folk".Frieze Magazine(68). Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2015.Retrieved8 August2008.
  22. ^Unterberger, Richie."allmusic ((( Martin Lamble > Overview )))".AllMusic.Retrieved7 August2008.
  23. ^ab"History: Simon Nicol writes about Fairport".fairportconvention. Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2009.Retrieved5 May2008.
  24. ^Christgau, Robert(1981)."Consumer Guide '70s: F".Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies.Ticknor & Fields.ISBN089919026X.Retrieved24 February2019– via robertchristgau.
  25. ^Deusner, Stephen (2 May 2008)."Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking".Pitchfork.Retrieved4 September2019.
  26. ^Ranta, Alan (27 June 2008)."Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking".PopMatters.Retrieved13 April2011.
  27. ^Larkin, Colin(2007).Encyclopedia of Popular Music(5th ed.).Omnibus Press.ISBN978-0857125958.
  28. ^Mendelsohn, John(11 June 1970)."Fairport Convention".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon 17 February 2007.
  29. ^ab"FAIRPORT CONVENTION – full Official Chart History".Official Charts Company.Retrieved15 October2016.
  30. ^Zierke, Reinhard."Fairport Convention: Si Tu Dois Partir".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  31. ^"Fairport Convention Fansite" Expletive-Delighted! "– Discography: SI TU DOIS PARTIR / GENESIS HALL".musikfolk.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 19 July 2011.Retrieved14 January2011.
  32. ^Colin Larkin,ed. (2000).All Time Top 1000 Albums(3rd ed.).Virgin Books.p. 222.ISBN0-7535-0493-6.
  33. ^"Q Magazine – 3 Special Editions Jan, Feb, March 2004".rocklistmusic.co.uk.Retrieved4 May2008.
  34. ^"The list in full".The Guardian.London. 20 June 2004.Retrieved3 August2008.
  35. ^Dimery, Robert, ed. (2005).1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.London:Cassell.ISBN978-0-7893-1371-3.
  36. ^"BBC – Press Office – Radio 2 Folk Awards 2007 winners".BBC. 6 February 2007.Retrieved7 August2008.
  37. ^Baines, Mike (August 2010). "Fairport Convention: English folk rock's prime movers".Mojo.201:138–139.
  38. ^Rogan, Johnny(1997).Ballad of Easy Rider(Media notes). The Byrds. Columbia Records.
  39. ^Zierke, Reinhard (13 June 2011)."Fairport Convention: Ballad of Easy Rider".Retrieved4 January2015.
  40. ^Zierke, Reinhard."Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  41. ^"Fairport Convention: Si Tu Dois Partir".mainlynorfolk.info.Retrieved4 January2015.
  42. ^Hutchings, Ashley(2003).Unhalfbricking(Media notes). Fairport Convention. Island Records. pp. 3, 16.
  43. ^"British album certifications – Fairport Convention – Unhalfbricking".British Phonographic Industry.Retrieved23 October2023.

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