The cover is absolutely excellent. The labels are great, but there is a message on the label for Side 1 reading ‘To Penny, love on your birthday March 1973. Love Joe xxxx’ (please see photo). The vinyl is in immaculate condition. Cleaned on a VPI Cyclone RCM. For photos and music review, see my .com site

VINYL: Ex

LABEL: VG+

COVER: Ex

Side 1

1. Nice
2. Thank you for …
3. Lazarus
4. Goodbaby goodbye
5. Love minus zero, no limit

Side 2

1. Silver coin
2. Happy day
3. Fly high
4. To leave your cover
5. Every day
6. A song is as long as it wants to go on

Bridget St John was one of the first acts to be signed by John Peel to his legendary Dandelion label. This, however, was her third and last album for the Dandelion label. She sings beautifully in a low-key/reflective sort of way, a bit like a female Nick Drake, with slightly melancholic songs. This is a folk rock gem which has a haunting, but quietly powerful sound. Bridget was a big friend of John Martyn (who appears on this album) and crossed paths with the aforementioned Nick Drake (she appeared in a Nick Drake tribute show in 1999). This album has several gems, in particular – ‘Nice’ – which starts the album, the title track, which is quickly followed by the folk classic ‘Lazarus’ and Bridget’s interpretation of this song is stunning. Side 2 starts with a great cover of the Terry Hiscock song ‘Silver coin’, followed by Bridget’s son ‘Happy day’ which is one of the more upbeat tracks and has an early Fairport feel to it by the time it reaches its conclusion (great track). ‘Fly high’ and ‘To leave your cover’ are other great compositions by Bridget and these are followed by a great version of the Buddy holly hit ‘Every day’. This was a fantastic album that deserves to be heard again and again, as it gets even better with each listening. Bridget did not achieve the commercial success that her music deserved. Highly recommended album!