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Fotheringay Vol.2 | 
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| Artist: Fotheringay
Label: Fledg'ling
Category: Music
List Price: £13.99
Buy New: £9.63
You Save: £4.36 (31%)
New (23) from £9.63
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 413
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5020393306621
ASIN: B001EN1QP0
Release Date: September 29, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | John The Gun | | • | Eppie Moray | | • | Wild Mountain Thyme | | • | Knights Of The Road | | • | Late November | | • | Restless | | • | Gypsy Davey | | • | I Don't Believe You | | • | Silver Threads And Golden Needles | | • | Bold Jack Donahue | | • | Two Weeks Last Summer |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Better late than never October 22, 2008
Ian Nutshell (Sheffield, England)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Spotted in a bookshop in Bakewell, Derbyshire. There wasn't a "2" was there? So I bought it. And it's hardly been off in the car since. I agree with other reviewers that not every song here is a gem, but the Lucas numbers do have something that stirs the sentiments. (You who said he wasn't a great songwriter, I present exhibit A - "Bring 'em Down" on Fairport 9). It's true though that it's the Denny tracks that really stir the soul. Her remarkable ability to interpret a song never disappoints on this disc.
With all the emotion in the vocals, and all the Telecaster Pyrotechnics of the genius Donahue, it's easy to ignore the superb foundation on which this edifice is built. British folk-rock music has provided some of the best rhythm sections in the world. Conway and Donaldson excel on this album, always supporting, always enhancing, always driving, and never overwhelming. And as to the production values, the three remaining members deserve a medal for obtaining a purity of sound that 21st century ears won't baulk at, while retaining the essential feel and style of a '70's recording.
I doubt you'll be disappointed if you buy it. For me, it's a minor masterpiece.
flawed but still a must-buy October 16, 2008
M. E. Igoe (Virginia Ireland)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The unexpected release of this CD is undoubtedly the folk event of 2008. It's a throwback to an idyllic time when folk music was inventive and exciting unlike the sterile unimaginative stuff of the last 30 years - Eliza Carthy and the sadly defunct 18th Day of May being honourable exceptions.Buy it? Of course buy it.
There are negatives. Some of the tracks will be already familiar to us all - "John the Gun" and "Late November" feature on Sandy's magical "Northstar Grassman" album. The Strawbs "Two Weeks" also can be found as a bonus track on Fotheringay 1. But the greatest fault is the inclusion of two very poor tracks. For me "Wild Mountain Thyme" is an insipid thing , even if Sandy sings it.As an Irishman I loved how Sandy interpreted our old ballad "She Moved through the Fair" with the Fairports. Compare that with this piece of Scottish "late night too many drams" drowsiness.
But far worse is the truly dire "Silver Threads". How could such a gifted songwriter bring herself to sing such pap. Compare the bland lyrics and juvenile imagery here to her own high poetry in "Late November". The band might have saved this but they appear to quickly lose interest. The backing is listless , at best dutiful.Except Donahue's final notes of joyous relief.
But there is brilliance too. The best track I've heard for years is the minor epic "Bold Jack Donahue". Trevor Lucas is the villian of the piece for many Sandy/Fairport fans - the Oz who plucked the English rose , broke up the Fairports and later Sandy's career and heart etc. Joe Boyd is no fan.In his book "White Bicycles" (pp228-229) Boyd sees Lucas as a talentless, exploitative guy who turned Sandy into "a nervous wreck". Boyd was a superb producer but I think he's unfair , at least on the issue of talent. Trevor is a great singer. His delivery of "Polly on the Shore" on FC's "Nine" album was superb. "Bold Jack" is similar - Lucas owns the ballad from first to last and his interpretation is blindingly good.The band really get into it too , with some superb riffs and grace notes from the sublime Jerry Donahue. I also felt Lucas stole the show on Fotheringay 1 with his interpretation of "The Way I Feel" (described by Boyd as "filler" !!).Anyway if Sandy loved him - that must count for something.
Finally there is the best Black Jack Davey version you'll ever hear. Mind you ,the You Tube clip of "Gypsy Davey" is even better than this studio version. The live performance is incredibly good and Jerry's solo before the final verse is outstanding. See this clip and realise just how good this band was - you'll definitely want this CD in your collection.
 Tyme to move the mountains back where they belong October 15, 2008
J. Alexander (England)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Sandy Denny's demo of 'Wild Mountain Tyme' that I heard on Youtube recently is one of the most beautiful renditions of a traditional folk ballad I have ever heard. I could not wait to hear it in pristine condition on 'Fotheringay 2'. Jerry Donahue and the guys have done a fine job of adding some beautiful instrumentation to the track but..shock horror...it is ruined when a deep male voice harmonises under Sandy's voice. I could not believe it, as a track that had a sound conjuring beautiful Gaelic imagery is suddenly turned into Aslan the Lion (the deep voice,) bounding out of the hedgerows turning the piece into a christian singalong. The deep voice singer can sing but it was so disappointing for me to hear an outside voice on top of Sandy's performance that I am so used to hearing her sing 'solo'.
Personal preferences aside, Jerry Donahue and the rest of the group have done a top notch job in delicately adding eloquent instrumentation to both 'John The Gun' and 'Silver Threads and Golden Needles' which is a very strong piece of work. Although at first the many clicks that can be heard and Denny's vocal on Verse Two of 'John The Gun' that is chopped up, (probably because of the age of the master tape,) is slightly distracting, on second onwards listening they are scarcely noticeable.
As majestic as the bands playing is, revamping the old master tapes, I do not feel that this is a five star album, although I do think it is a very fine and admirable one nonetheless.
 Denny is always welcomed but... October 14, 2008
Pink Robert (Belgrade, Serbia)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Fotheringay Vol.2
First, this is not an unfinished album, but the collection of leftovers from BBC sessions, not "originally recorded at Sound Techniques" as quoted, at least most of the tracks weren't. "John The Gun" was from November 1970 BBC, but with recently overdubbed sax(?!) in the vain of similarly tempered "Gold Dust" concert where, apart from Sandy's voice, just the bits were from the original concert. "Eppy Moray" and wonderful "Wild Mountain Thyme" were the versions from BBC April 1970, and Fairport concert standard "Knights On The Road" definitely didn't belong here same as "Restless". Frankly, I believe that these two tracks were recorded by Trevor Lucas after Fotheringay disbanded, because Fotheringay never performed these tunes, nor live nor on BBC. Also, it sounds as some of the instruments were recorded much more recently that 1970, same as "I Don't Believe You". "Late November", "Gypsy Davey" and "Two Weeks Last Summer" were recorded during 1st album sessions and were not the part of BBC sessions.
Still, I see this as an essential addition to every decent collection of Sandy Denny, although definitely not as the previously unfinished second album of Fotheringay. If Mr. Donahue wanted to assemble the collection of what was left behind he could use brilliant "Lowlands Of Holland" from BBC Folk On One or folk-rock version of "Memphis Tennesee". I am sure that their inclusion would make this compilation better value for money.
Raking over the ashes October 14, 2008
Dr. Peter G. Upton (Woolston, Southampton United Kingdom)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
I don't think this was worth doing, although Sandy Denny had a wonderful voice there isn't much here than will bear repeated listening. Silver Threads and Golden Needles gains nothing from a dirge-like tempo, it is a country song; Trevor Lucas's voice really sets my teeth on edge and the vaunted sax solo has too many technical deficiencies. I suppose what I am trying to say is enjoy Sandy in her prime with Fairport, not this second rate pastiche. And surely she knew that Fotheringhay isn't in Scotland!
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