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- Summary: The venerable British band led by original member Simon Nicol releases its latest album of electric folk rock.
- Record Label: Matty Grooves
- Genre(s): Folk
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 6
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Mixed: 2 out of 6
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Negative: 0 out of 6
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Apr 27, 2011Whilst Festival Bell lacks the visionary presence that made 1969's game-changing Liege & Lief so influential, and established the group's pre-eminent position in the folk-rock firmament, this album nevertheless confirms Fairport's reputation as an ongoing repository for quality songwriting.
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Apr 27, 2011Forty-four years on, Fairport Convention are still in great form, even without their former superstars, Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick and the late Sandy Denny.
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Apr 27, 2011Festival Bell is by no means perfect. It can, at times, become somewhat samey, and, at just over an hour long, could definitely do with a trim. But none of that's really important; because the music stored within Festival Bell's grooves is living proof that the venerable Cult of Fairport.
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Dec 21, 2011In 2011, the band is still going strong... Several tunes here sound like they could end up on Fairport's next greatest-hits compilation.
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Apr 27, 2011Fairport Convention are like the Stanley Matthews of folk music--age does nothing to erode essential quality.
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UncutMay 2, 2011It would be silly to expect surprises from the Fairports at this late point, and their first album in four years proves as well tended and predictable as a Cotswold village. [May 2011, p.85]