Formed in 1970 around Sandy Denny and future husband Trevor Lucas, Fotheringay barely lasted a year, bequeathing just one hastily-recorded album. This release sees the master tapes of its abandoned follow up carefully restored by surviving members Jerry Donahue, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway, and it’s a real delight. Capturing their enthralling mix of Fairport-style folk rock and American country folk, it simply towers over their debut: two songs were remade for Denny’s The Northstar Grassman after she split the group, but two breathtaking, unheard Denny performances emerge here in “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Silver Threads And Golden Needles” while she and Lucas duet passionately on the fiery, traditional “Eppie Moray”. Lucas’ contribution, indeed the whole group‘s exquisite, integral playing should not be overlooked. A truly tragic “if only”… MICK HOUGHTON Pic credity: Rex Fetures
Formed in 1970 around Sandy Denny and future husband Trevor Lucas, Fotheringay barely lasted a year, bequeathing just one hastily-recorded album. This release sees the master tapes of its abandoned follow up carefully restored by surviving members Jerry Donahue, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway, and it’s a real delight.
Capturing their enthralling mix of Fairport-style folk rock and American country folk, it simply towers over their debut: two songs were remade for Denny’s The Northstar Grassman after she split the group, but two breathtaking, unheard Denny performances emerge here in “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Silver Threads And Golden Needles” while she and Lucas duet passionately on the fiery, traditional “Eppie Moray”. Lucas’ contribution, indeed the whole group‘s exquisite, integral playing should not be overlooked. A truly tragic “if only”…
MICK HOUGHTON
Pic credity: Rex Fetures
