The vinyl has a great sheen and plays superbly with a deep, clear, rich sound. The labels are excellent, as is the cover (which was designed prior to a University gig by the band doodling on a blackboard in their dressing room!!)

VINYL: Ex

LABEL: Ex

COVER: Ex

Side 1

1. Fotheringay
2. Mr Lacey
3. Book song
4. “The Lord is in this place… how dreadful is this place.”
5. No man’s land
6. I’ll keep it with mine

Side 2

1. Eastern rain
2. Nottamun town
3. Tale in hard time
4. She moves through the fair
5. Meet on the ledge
6. End of a holiday

This album is the 1st repress of Fairport Convention’s 2nd recording ‘What we did on our holidays’. This was from Fairport’s heyday and can be considered a ‘classic’ album, with not a bad track on it. The pairing of Matthews and Denny on vocals is brilliant, as their harmonies are pure magic. With the rest of the band – Richard Thompson, Simon Nichol, Martin Lamble and Ashley Hutchings – playing their hearts out and producing a real quality sound. This has to be Fairports finest line-up. All tracks are self-penned, with the addition of a brilliant, soulful rendition of Dylan’s ‘I’ll keep it with mine’ and ‘Eastern rain’ by Joni Mitchell. The album starts with Sandy Denny brilliant delivery of Fotheringay (written by Sandy) about the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots. There are 2 Taditional songs – ‘Nottanum town’ which has some incredible guitar work by Richard Thompson and fab harmonies from Denny and Matthews. ‘Meet on the ledge’ is timeless and still used to close Fairport’s gigs to this day. The version of ‘She moves through the fair’ has to be the definitive version of such a beautiful song – nothing could be improved from the incredible Denny vocals through every member of the band – it raises the hairs on the back of your neck!! If you like the Fairports, but haven’t got this album – buy it. If you don’t know Fairport Convention – buy it, you will never regret it.