Unhalfbricking

Prior to their second album, vocalist Sandy Denny-a regular at London’s Troubadour and Les Cousins folk clubs-joined Fairport Convention. She had already recorded two low-key albums, along with a third (unreleased) with the Strawbs, All Our Own Work. Spurred on by Denny’s arrival, Fairport now took cues from traditional British music-in a move similar to progressive rock’s relation with classical music-ready to set a new standard for electric folk rock. Released in January 1969, What We Did On Our Holidays was a significant step forward for the band, containing two compositions that would be famous in the Fairport catalog: Denny’s “Fortheringay” and Richard Thompson’s “Meet on the Ledge.” But their next album, Unhalfbricking, would further cement their path as folk rock pioneers. It was again recorded at Sound Techniques with producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood. A curious mix of covers (Bob Dylan’s “Million Dollar Bash,” “Percy’s Song” and a French rendition of “If You Gotta Go, Go Now”), originals include Denny’s most famous composition, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” and two from Thompson. But the album’s highlight is undoubtedly the epic eleven-minute reading of the folk standard “A Sailor’s Life.” A slow-building raga, Denny’s captivating voice eventually yields to the ever-rising rock tempo, ultimately punctuated by Thompson’s guitar and guest Dave Swarbrick’s fiddle. Truly epic and above all, British. The album was a success, rising to No. 12 in the UK Charts, while the single, “Si Tu Dois Partir” b/w “Genesis Hall” rose to No. 21.