20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection The Best of the Fairport Convention by Fairport Convention

20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection The Best of the Fairport Convention

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20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection The Best of the Fairport Convention

Features

Audio CD (August 6, 2002)

Number of Discs: 1

Label: A&M

Reader Reviews
This is an excellent low-budget (but great-sounding) way for a newcomer to get a taste of Fairport Convention - at their very best - from the era of their strongest line-ups and most famous alumni, and to know what this folk-rock band was about, and to what aesthetic heights they were capable of reaching. Thus I also disagree with and regret the earlier review of one Scot Ericson, because his 2-star rating does an enormous dis-service to the band's music (which even he admittedly didn't intend) because to find this album among all the 20th Century Masters collections in a special section of a major record store like Tower or Virgin or HMV or Sam Goody may be all a casual shopper may ever have access to. Plus he misses the point that this was was intended only as a taste, to whet the appetite of those unfamiliar with the band to explore further listening if they found this to their liking (and if they are into 60's style folk-rock, they very well may be), just like Polydor/Universal's other short collections in this series of other artists in their stable of companies were intended for - and at a budget price just for that purpose. I picked it up for $9.99 on sale. And the selection and sequence of the songs works very well, and I'm glad the focus is so much on the beautiful, haunting and soulful voice of Sandy Denny, and yet they don't fail to include the essential and exciting Richard Thompson chef-d'oeuvre "Sloth" which shows off his guitar genius to splendid effect. In fact, I find this perfect a quick hit of the band from the period for which they are most-loved and in which they made a name itself that future and lesser editions of the band have traded on ever since. Many of the high points of the early albums are here. This edition of the band, or this era of it, these personnel, if fate were just, deserve also to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as they were influential. Paul McCartney and Led Zeppelin were fans, too, and many others I think. Of course, any new fans this collection makes should look into Unhalfbricking or What We Did On Our Holidays for further listening, but there is nothing wrong with this CD as a starting point.

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