Customer Reviews

Jewel in the Crown

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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This CD has the most traditional tunes of the post-70s Fairport Convention, and I generally prefer more trad. with my Fairport. That being said, it also contains some of my all-time favorite non-traditional Fairport songs ("Slip Jigs & Reels" and "Travelling by Steam" are fantastic). All the musicians are excellent, and I must point out that Simon Nichol's voice is wonderful on this album (really on all the ones he sings on, but I noticed it the most here). I don't know why such a rich voice doesn't get praised more. My only complaint is that there are a number of songs (like "London Danny" and "Diamonds and Gold") on this album that, while good, are real downers!

The quality of Fairport Convention's 90s albums has depended on the material they've found to record. "Jewel in the Crown" is a pleasant return to form after the tedious "The Five Seasons". The songs are more lively here, giving the album a better pace and more upbeat feel. Highlights are the instrumental "A Surfeit of Lampreys", "Travelling by Steam", and "Slip Jigs and Reels".

This was the first Fairport CD I bought at the first live concert I had ever been to. This and the concert was enough to sway me onto Fairport and get more and more albums.

This CD is very good it has a few jigs and tunes (Youngest Daughter especially reccomended) and a number of good songs. It is a reasonably new CD (about three years old) so it features the last group (Simon Nicol, Rick Sanders, Maart (my hero), Peggy and DM.) This was before the most recent group (as in Who knows where the time goes) where Maart and DM had left so this is probably the best most recent CD.

Still another fun time with the Fairport gang. Travelling by Steam has an especially nice feel and gives the "sense" of being on an old steam train. Several good "story songs", particularly good imagery and tune in Slip Jigs & Reels. Title track rocks strongly. Ric Sanders (I feel a bit the traitor here) is the best fiddler that Fairport has had. (Sorry, Swarb!) Not Fairport's all-time best album, but well worth the price if you enjoy the band or the genre.