Atrax Records: TheSwarbStore: Other Back-Catalogue: Smiddyburn & Flittin'

Dave Swarbrick

'Smiddyburn' and 'Flittin'

Ł12.00 (inc. UK p&p)

EUR 19.00 (inc. European p&p) / $20.00 (inc. worldwide p&p)

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Information; Track-Listing; Reviews etc.

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Swarb's sixth and seventh solo albums; recorded in two weeks in the summer of 1981 and originally released on subsidiaries of the Transatlantic label. Now re-released as a double CD on the Transatlantic/Castle label. Musicians featured on the two albums are Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks, Beryl Marriott, John McCormick and Bruce Rowland.

SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST!

 

Fairport Convention - Broughton Castle - Summer 1981:

Bruce Rowland, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Pegg, Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks.

Track-Listing:

'Smiddyburn'

01. Wat Ye Wha I Met The Streen/ The Ribbons of the Redheaded Girl/ Ril Gan Ainm
02. Sir Charles Coote/ Smiths
03. I Have A Wife of My Own/ Lady Mary Haye's Scotch Measure
04. Wishing/ The Victor's Return/ The Gravel Walk
05. When The Battle Is Over
06. Sword Dance/ The Young Black Cow
07. Sean O'Dwyer of the Glen/ The Hag With The Money/ Sleepy Maggie
08. It Suits Me Well

 

'Flittin'

09. The Bride's March/ The Keelman's Perdition/ Show Me The Way To Wallingford/ Sword Dance
10. Parthenia/ Pittengardener's Rant/ The Floggin'
11. Grey Daylight/ The Hawk/ The Ten Pound Fiddle
12. Jamaica/ With All My Heart
13. Nathaniel Gow's Lament on the Occasion of the Death of His Brother/ Rory of the Hills
14. The Rakes of Sollohad
15. Dr. Isaac's Maggot/ Cupid's Garden
16. Boadicea

 

 Reviews:

 

Published in 'The Ledge' Magazine

DAVE SWARBRICK - SMIDDYBURN / FLITTIN - RAVEN RVCD54 (AUSTRALIAN IMPORT)

For a number of years now there have been rumours of the impending release of “Smiddyburn” on CD. “Flittin” was on the German Line label a number of years ago, but they never had the rights to the first of the two albums. That may seem strange, as both albums were recorded in a fourteen-day period in July 1981, though released at different times.

Seven of the sixteen tracks are by the Full House Fairport line up, going back to the traditional material as they had done some eleven years earlier, but bringing that music to the eighties, not where they had left off in 1970. In fact it is a medley of tunes by this line-up which opens the album. “Sir Charles Coote” / "Smiths" follows, just three mandolins, Richard and Peggy joining Swarb. The album features five different line ups. The third, appearing on the third track, features some fine drumming from Bruce Rowland, with Beryl Marriott at her best leading, and then swapping lead with Swarb.

The Full House plays folk selections really kick, electric folk at its very best, while the other line ups vary towards the acoustic traditional delivery. The three-piece contribute two more medleys, with Richard on mandocello, fast fingers required! “Grey Daylight” / “The Hawk” / “The Ten Pound Fiddle” is from the folk club duo of Swarbrick and Nicol, with Beryl Marriott joining them to lead “Sean O’Dwyer Of The Glen”, Swarb taking over as the tune changes to “The Hag with The Money”, and into “Sleepy Maggie”.

The only vocal on the album comes on track 8, following a could get menacing intro from Richard, Swarb sings Sandy Denny’s “It suits Me Well”, with his mandolin well in evidence, this closed “Smiddyburn”, but is here of course only halfway through the CD. It would have been nice to have a few more songs, though I wouldn’t want to lose any of the tunes. Guess that makes me greedy.

Ian Burgess of Friends of Fairport

Last updated on 15 July 2003