Track Listing
1. Late November
2. Blackwaterside
3. Sea Captain, The
4. Down in the Flood
5. John the Gun
6. Next Time Around
7. Optimist, The
8. Let's Jump the Broomstick
9. Wretched Wilbur
10. North Star Grassman and the Ravens, The
11. Crazy Lady Blues
| Details | | Contributing Artists: | Richard Thompson | | Distributor: | Ryko Distribution | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes
Personnel: Sandy Denny (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano); Richard Thompson (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, accordion); Trevor Lucas (acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars, background vocals); Jerry Donahue (electric guitar); Buddy Emmons (pedal steel guitar); Barry Dransfield (violin, background vocals); Ian Whiteman (piano, flute organ); Pat Donaldson (bass); Gerry Conway, Roger Powell (drums); Royston Woods, Robin Dransfield (background vocals).
Engineers: Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, John Wood.
Recorded at Sound Techniques, Basing Street and Air Studios, London, England in May 1971.
Following her celebrated first stint with Fairport Convention and the dissolution of the short-lived folk rock super-group Fotheringay, Denny recorded a run of fine solo albums during the '70s, interrupted by an artistically-if not commercially-successful reunion with Fairport. THE NORTH STAR GRASSMAN, the first of those solo albums, was co-produced and engineered by the ever-reliable John Wood. It's business as usual as far as participating musicians go. Denny's former Fotheringay companions are present, and ex-Fairport guitar prodigy Richard Thompson is all over the album.
Freed of the compromises of a democratic group, Denny is able to concentrate on her own material. However, she also finds room for a fine arrangement of the traditional "Black Waterside," a dip into her beloved rock & roll on "Let's Jump the Broomstick," and the obligatory Dylan cover, "Down In The Flood." But it is the quality of the original material that marks this album. Finest are the plaintive "Next Time Around," with a delicate string arrangement by Harry Robinson, and the moody "Late November." "John the Gun" is vintage folk rock, featuring fiddler Barry Dransfield, who is joined on stirring backing vocals by brother Robin and by Royston Wood (ex-Young Tradition).
Editorial Reviews
...her best album...
Spin (06/01/1988)
3 stars out of 5 - [With] the wondrous opener 'Late November' and the harrowingly sad ' Next Time Around'...
Uncut
The tidal surge generated by her group reflects the watery imagery that sluices around the whole album, reinforcing the feeling of impermanence and fragility in Denny's lyrics...
The Wire
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