Customer Reviews

North Star Grassman & The Ravens

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4 star:		(4)
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Sandy Denny's first solo album was recorded shortly after she had disbanded her group Fotheringay in late 1970. All Fotheringay members were present at the recordings of Sandy's album, so it's no surprise that quite many songs sound like Fotheringay. The opening song "Late November" was actually intended for a second Fotheringay album, that was never finished. Fotheringay did record the song and that version is included among the bonus-tracks. Though only one song , the great "Blackwaterside", is a traditional folk-song, there is a very folkish feel to many of Sandy's own songs. Especially on "John the Gun" and the title track.

Other songs are quite complicated, both musically and lyrically ( her lyrics at times are pretty cryptic ). "Next Time Around", "The Optimist" and "Wretched Wilbur" may be the easiest songs to get into, but eventually they are bound to grow on you.

Two tracks "Down in the Flood" and "Let's Jump the Broomstick" ( and 2 more among the bonus-tracks ) are rockers a little in the same vein as the "Bunch" project recorded in early 1972 with most of the same people, who are backing Sandy on this album. Among them the outstanding guitarist and song-writer Richard Thompson.

Though the album may sound slightly more dated than her other solo-albums, it's still a great album.

My favourites are "Blackwaterside", "Wretched Wilbur", "Crazy Lady Blues" and both versions of "Late November"

Although she recorded a solo record at the begining of her career in 1967, I'm not sure it ever saw the light of day till recently. This is her first official solo record. This recording, along with "Sandy" from 1972 ranks as her best solo work. The lyrics are at times, dark and cryptic. I've heard more than one person complain about the use of strings in her solo work, but here they are used with a subtle grace. Denny was at her prime from 1969-1973,From Fotheringay in 70, guesting on Led Zepplin's 4th album in 71 and 3 stunning solo albums from 71-73. She's simply one of those artists that transports me to another place when i'm not happy with my surroundings. Not that I need to be in a down mood to hear that incredible voice

Sandy Denny was without a doubt one of the greatest female vocalists of all time, but her writing set her apart. This album is one of the best in the writing department, and I disagree completely with another review here that states her voice was going downhill. There is a simplicity in the arrangements that makes sure they don't conflict with the words. The title song is awsome; the rest is classic Denny. I can't recommend this enough to anyone who has any kind of interest in English Folk-Rock. Of course I feel that way about almost anything she did.

Even the much-maligned (by me) 'bonus tracks' on 'TNSGATR' are good. Unforced. Segueing with the album proper so you don't see the join. With no hint of that desperate lets-cram-any-old-garbage on, and watch the fans cream themselves at the very notion of 'previously unreleased'- there's usually a good reason why things are 'unreleased....'

The album itself is perfection. Soulful, powerful, lyrical, in fact everything you could want from a music, regardless of your preference or bias. This level of haunting beauty has 'broad' appeal.

Denny sings like a Guinnessed-up chorister. Her voice, (inspiration to every-one from Stevie Nicks to the criminally under-rated Gay Woods {!}) is sharp and worldly. You can sense her vibrancy as a person from the wacky but intense 'Brit Folk World'; a faintly Shire-type neverland, all festivals, 'herbs' and cider and she's magnificently supported by the completely heroic, (and fellow 'BFW' inhabitant) Richard Thompson, whose musicianship is faultless throughout.

I've always found the Fairports to be a bit deep (anti-shallow would be a better term) but Denny takes 'TNSGATR' to much murkier depths of moodiness and mystery. Each song has a beguiling darkness, and with Thompson in rich unison they take on an intoxication which almost induces light-headedness in the emotional listener.

It's not quite Joy Division, (though there are STARTLING similarities!) but we're certainly not dancing round the fertility pole on May-Day here. 'John the Gun' for example, could appear on a horror film soundtrack. Beautiful in all the right places, but violent lyrically with a violin part that'll rattle your sensibilities then prompt you to check the sleeve photos and have a good hard look into Sandy Denny`s eyes....

It's an album you have to listen to in it's entirety, you can't just play individual tracks. It blows an addictive breath across its completeness, and that voice....
Haunting and harrowing. You know she suffered, but you can't help celebrating. We're glad we've got the music, however morbidly disrespectful that sounds.

The only duffer is a bland cover version of 'Let's Jump the Broomstick', but that's brutal nit-picking.
'TNSGATR' is stinging, timeless music, and in this instance the dreaded phrase 'bonus tracks' doesn't bring you out in a stress-rash but it is in fact, an acute critical appraisal.
The whole album's a bonus.

Back when music came on vinyl albums with "sides" that you turned over to play, "Side Two" of this album got a workout on my turntable. It contains some of Sandy Denny's finest songs and finest singing, with two particular standouts, "Next Time Around" and the title song. On both, the qualities that those know and love in Denny come to the fore immediately---an earthy grit to her voice that is lovely rather than coarse, songs that defy any particular time and era to connect with the listener, combined with arrangements that enhance both these other traits. They're beautiful. The rest of the album is only slightly less arresting than those two songs, but "slightly" is the important word here. With the exception of a rather rote version of Bob Dylan's "Down In The Flood," Denny is in top-form throughout, ably assisted by long-time cohorts including Richard Thompson, Gerry Conway and her former husband Trevor Lucas.

Sandy Denny left this world far too soon, but the music she made still stands up today, for all seasons. Get this CD and listen....you won't be disappointed.

I read a magazine review calling this recording an "uneven masterpiece." It IS a masterpiece, but it is not uneven. Every song on it is strong. Several are now classic. Sandy's voice was in its prime at this time. The newly-remastered CD version is an absolute delight, with an alternate take of "Next Time Around" and a few added tracks. The voice and music of Sandy Denny will live on forever and her first solo album, "The North Star Grassman and the Riverns," is her best.

ONE OF SANDY'S BEST ALBUMS, EVERY TRACK IS GREAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AWESOME SHM AUDIO FORMAT. MUST HAVE FOR ANY CD COLLECTION, BUT DON'T PAY THESE RIDICULOUS OVER-INFLATED PRICES, I BOUGHT MINE FROM THE MUSIC SPECIALIST ON E BAY, THEY ALSO HAVE A STORE IN GEMM, ANTEATERMUSIC. SAVE YOURSELF A TON OF CASH.
CHEERS!

The two-word secret weapon for this CD remaster is DENIS BLACKHAM.

Now based in Skye Mastering in Scotland, his involvement in restoration, mastering and remastering goes back to the late 1960s and his resume now shows over 680 credits to his name across a huge range of genres (including a lot of folk).

Blackham has handled all 4 of the solo albums in this reissue series and as you've no doubt read from other glowing reviews, each remaster has been endowed with truly wonderful sound quality - frankly because care was taken.

Details first - having done her stints with Fairport Convention and Fotheringay - Sandy Denny's 1st solo album was issued 3 September 1971 on Island ILPS 9165 in the UK and this 2005 remastered version of it (57:05 minutes) features 4 excellent bonus tracks - including the rare "El Pea" double-album sampler version of "Late November" - an alternate version to the album's opening track (lyrics above).

Musicians - all the good Fairport associated people are here - Richard Thompson, Pat Donaldson, Gerry Conway, Trevor Lucas and Ian Whiteman. Polydor Folkmill artists Robin and Barry Dransfield also put in violin and vocals on "John The Gun" while long-time session man Tony Reeves plays bass on the Dylan cover "Down In The Flood" and Roger Powell plays drums on the Brenda Lee cover "Let's Jump The Broomstick". But my personal fave is "The Sea Captain" where Richard Thompson's delicate guitar picking perfectly compliments the beauty of her wayfaring love song. Gorgeous stuff.

The 12-page booklet has informative and affectionate liner notes from noted writer and folk-compiler DAVID SUFF (of Fledgling Records reissue fame) peppered with photos of a young Sandy, hand-written lyrics to the title track and a quirky trade advert for the LP's release.

But you keep coming back to the sound quality, which seems to have lifted the beauty of these folk-rock gems out of their former muddiness. Sweet as...

I once had the privilege of nattering to JOHN WALTERS (John Peel's producer) in a country pub in 1994 (I worked for Reckless Records in London's Islington at the time and we were buying his extraordinary record collection - he was even more talkative than I am!) and he relayed to me his first ever viewing of Sandy Denny.

One of his friends in the music industry had begged him to come see this new English folk singer gigging in some Godforsaken bar somewhere in London - he did - and was duly blown away. I'll never forget the look in John Walter's eyes (who along with Peel must have seen so much stunning talent) - he was misty - like he knew he'd been given the not-so-common privilege of glimpsing genuine greatness.

On listening to this lovely and lovingly restored CD, you can't help but feel that all involved in this project felt exactly the same - and have done the great lady's memory and musical heritage proud.

Recommended - big time.

PS: I've posted a Denis Blackham list of remasters worth checking out in Listmania
See also the "Meet On The Ledge" 3CD Island Folk-Rock box review I did - he remastered that too and to stunning effect...

Having recorded one album with the Strawbs, three with Fairport Convention and one with Fotheringay, Sandy Denny embarked on a solo career, during which she recorded three albums before returning to Fairport Convention and recording a further album. She then recorded a fourth solo album, released in 1977, before her career was cut short by her premature death in 1978.

This 1971 album is typical of Sandy's solo albums in being mainly filled with mellow, romantic songs, most of them written by Sandy herself, with the occasional cover version. Like the others, this album was re-issued in 2005 with extra tracks, some being alternate versions of those that appear on the main album and some being different songs.

Taking the eleven tracks on the album as originally issued first, Sandy wrote eight of them herself. The other three are covers of a traditional folk ballad (Black waterside), a mid-tempo Bob Dylan song (Down in the flood) and one of Brenda Lee's rocking songs (Let's jump the broomstick), the last two breaking up the general flow of the album by being at a different tempo from the other tracks; you may either appreciate the contrast or be annoyed by it, depending on your taste. In any case, Sandy performs them well, proving she can sing more than just ballads although ballads are what she does best. As ever with Sandy's albums, it is her own songs that are the best but it's not easy to pick out highlights, but I'm inclined to agree with the writer of the liner notes, who picks out Next time around (allegedly about American singer-songwriter Jackson Frank), Crazy lady blues (allegedly about Linda Thompson). Still, there's not much to choose between all of Sandy's songs here where quality is concerned.

Two of the four bonus tracks are alternate versions of tracks that appeared on the main album , these being Late November (recorded for an intended but unfinished second Fotheringay album) and Next time around (without the strings). The other two bonus tracks are a cover of a country song (Walking the floor over you, but Sandy's folk-rock version is very different from the Ernest Tubb original) and a cover of a song whose origin eludes me (Losing game), but which gives writing credit to Richard Clapton.

This is a great album from a singer who is better appreciated now than in her lifetime.

Even though this is Sandy's first solo effort, she was far from a novice at this point. Having been in the Strawbs, Fairport Convention, and Fotheringay, she had pretty well demonstrated she had the chops and talent to venture out on her own. Still, this album features most of her Foteringay alumni, so in many places it sounds like Fotheringay II. It has more of a folky feel than her later albums (in fact my favorite is the lone traditional "Blackwaterside"). With songs like "Down In The Flood" and "Let's Jump The Broomstick", she began to stretch out.
I like this one a lot, but think that her next two efforts ("Sandy" and "Like An Old Fashioned Waltz)compell me more. But having Richard Thompson playing throughout, you really can't go wrong. The bonus tracks are good, too--especially the rocking "Walking The Floor Over You".
Overall: recommended, 4 stars.