become superfluous when the group is laying it down so quietly, Simon Nicol joins Richard Thompson on guitar and between them they per¬form some classic examples of good, tasteful musicianship. Ashley Hutchings' bass playing is so good you won't even notice he's there, and that is rare.
Joe Boyd is producing albums of infinitely higher quality each time he works with a band, if the album cover says 'Witchseason Produc¬tions', buy it, it has to be a good investment.
That's all really, at it's best Fairport Convention's music is good for the soul, throw out your iron pills, take a daily dose of conventional music.
John Coleman New joomla templates
Plastic Ono Band Live Peace in Toronto Apple Core 2001
Any doubts that this album is both live and in Toronto, are dispelled by the compere. With reverential hoarseness in his voice, he sounds strangely like a Bible belt preacher seeing the Lawd. Following his announcement comes John, apolo¬gising for the band being completely new to the numbers that they are about to perform.
The numbers themselves are the Ono Band's last two singles, 'Give Peace a Chance' ('This is what we really came for' says John) and Cold Turkey—in a version that lacks the intensity (and studio equipment) of the single. There are also two numbers from the Hamburg days—'Dizzy Miss Lizzie' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'—and one from the early albums—'Money'. With a backing like the Plastic Ono Band (Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Alan White plus Yoko and John) the treatments are obviously more com¬plex than these numbers had when they were brought out before. But even so, they're nothing special. They make an enjoyable side. Sportmaxum
Side two will have a mixed audience. You either get into Yoko's music and dig it or not. There isn't really a middle path. The other side of 'Cold Turkey' appears in a lengthier form, for which the Band deserve no thanks. Yoko howls on.
Doubtless the fans love it, but . . . Mummy may have lost her hand in the snow, maybe she should have
lost her voice as well.
The start of the second track on this side, 'John, John Lets Hope For Peace' starts off like Madame Butterfly backed by John Cgae but soon degenerates back to the old keening. The whole track in fact begins to sound, after a few repeti¬tions, like a Greek chorus doing one of their big wail-ins after the death of some gargantuan hero.
The Plastic Ono Band album looks as if it's going to be another Apple offering of which only one side is played. Lots of people are going to dig the whole thing, and will in¬evitably call this heresy. But, subjectively, sorry . . .
Simon Viridian