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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Masterpiece from Scottish folk legend. His ninth album. After the collapse of folk supergroup Pentangle, Bert Jansch was labeless. It must have been a tortuous time for the music legend. He was snapped up by Charisma Records owner Tony Stratton-Smith who recruited Monkee Michael Nesmith to turn his fortunes around in 1974. Nesmith went on to produce three Jansch albums, Santa Barbara Honeymoon, A Rare Conundrum and L.A. Turnaround, all of which have been reissued this summer by Virgin Records. The albums have out of circulation for over 25 years and have never been available on CD until now, remastered under Jansch’s supervision along with previously unreleased material. This enhanced CD has an accompanying film. At the time it was a bold move for Jansch who went to LA to make what would be a cultural shift, which had mixed reviews from the purists. Nevertheless, Nesmith being a shrewd operator saw the opportunity of bringing Jansch’s music to a much bigger audience by creating a much fuller sound for the potential American market.
We’ll never know his inner thoughts, but he must have wondered what the hell a bubblegum pop star could bring to the table. Jansch effectively put his fabulous reputation on the line. Softly spoken Bert just got on with it and the music spoke for itself. Critically at least, it paid off. To bring an American feel to things Nesmith masterfully employed pedal steel player Red Rhodes for some tracks, along with Byron Berline on fiddle / mandolin, bassist Klaus Voorman, Danny Lane on drums, Jesse Ed Davis and Jay Lacy on guitar, Michael Cohen on electric piano and Nesmith himself on guitar – hence the fuller sound, though this is still very much a Jansch thing in all its glorious beauty. Fans’ fears were unfounded, because the songwriting is amongst his best ever, still retaining his deep-rooted British balladry that made his name. The country folk template with Rhodes’ pedal steel shine on opener Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning with Jansch’s plaintive and understated vocal softly skirting this little gem and later on perky Travelling Man, Stone Monkey and Needle of Death. The main feature of his work is the exquisite digital workouts found here on Of Love And Lullaby (also check the sublime bass work by Voorman) but even more so on the stripped -back acoustic instrumental Lady Nothing, also found further- in on the quirky and deeply countrified Cluck Old Hen and jaunty The Blacksmith. Nesmith’s vision is best encapsulated on the gorgeous There Comes A Time with Rhodes giving a masterclass. The alternative bonus tracks are superb, especially Open Up The Water Gate with Rhodes playing out of his skin, which isn’t on the chosen version and the amazing In The Bleak Midwinter. The verdict – Fantastic. Go buy now!
Weblink: bertjansch.com /
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
