Limited Edition 180g Blue Marble Vinyl LP!
A Lost '70s Folk Blues/Acid Folk Classic!
First Vinyl Reissue Since Original 1973 Release!
Chris Thompson started out his career in Hamilton, New Zealand in 1965, then turned professional in 1968. In the early seventies he moved to England, where he played the guitar with Californian folk singer Julie Felix. While in England, Chris also played with British Folk-Blues legends Wizz Jones and Davey Graham and made his debut album in 1973. Originally issued on the Village Thing label, it has been claimed as one of the best acid folk albums of the 1970s. Recorded in numerous locations, it features guest appearances from Clem Alford and Keshav Sathe (of Magic Carpet fame), and casts a hypnotic spell. The album is presented in its original version with alternate takes, rare photos and detailed notes from the man himself.
"Early-'70s London was not exactly lacking for phenomenal folk guitarists, but even amid the likes of Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, et al, Thompson must have stood out. His fretboard expertise is the most immediately striking aspect of the album: his fingerpicking technique rivals that of anyone on the scene at the time, and on stand-out tracks like 'Her Hair Was Long' (which was wisely repurposed a couple of years later on Thompson's major-label debut), the New Zealander achieves an intensity of tone that only an artist like Jansch could match. Thompson is sometimes tossed under the psych-folk umbrella, and the striking opening cut, the instrumental 'Hugo Spellman,' certainly falls into that category, taking on a raga feel with help from members of Magic Carpet on Indian instruments. But for the most part, this is a relatively straightforward outing typical of the Village Thing catalog, incorporating some traditional blues and folk influences but mostly striking a distinctly '70s singer/songwriter tone. And despite the focus on Thompson's fleet-fingered instrumental capabilities, he comes off as a skilled songwriter as well, with more lyrically oriented tunes like 'Don't Be Afraid' and 'Dream' comparing favorably with the work of any of his aforementioned peers." - James Allen, AllMusic
Features:
Limited Edition
180g Blue Marble Vinyl LP
Top rare Kiwi/British folk classic album of all time
First vinyl reissue since original 1973 release
Beautiful original artwork with insert including unseen photos and liner notes by Chris Thompson himself
Remastered from 4 track master tapes with 4 bonus tracks
Obi strip
Import
Made in the EU
Selections:
Side A:
1. Hugo Spellman
2. The Song Of Wandering Aengus
3. De Debil Take De Blue-Tail Fly!
4. The River Song
5. The River Song (alt. take)
6. Dream (unreleased)
Side B:
1. London Blues
2. Her Hair Was Long
3. Young Lust
4. Love
5. Love (alt. take)
6. Where Is My Wild Rose? (from the album Minstrelsy)
A Lost '70s Folk Blues/Acid Folk Classic!
First Vinyl Reissue Since Original 1973 Release!
Chris Thompson started out his career in Hamilton, New Zealand in 1965, then turned professional in 1968. In the early seventies he moved to England, where he played the guitar with Californian folk singer Julie Felix. While in England, Chris also played with British Folk-Blues legends Wizz Jones and Davey Graham and made his debut album in 1973. Originally issued on the Village Thing label, it has been claimed as one of the best acid folk albums of the 1970s. Recorded in numerous locations, it features guest appearances from Clem Alford and Keshav Sathe (of Magic Carpet fame), and casts a hypnotic spell. The album is presented in its original version with alternate takes, rare photos and detailed notes from the man himself.
"Early-'70s London was not exactly lacking for phenomenal folk guitarists, but even amid the likes of Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, et al, Thompson must have stood out. His fretboard expertise is the most immediately striking aspect of the album: his fingerpicking technique rivals that of anyone on the scene at the time, and on stand-out tracks like 'Her Hair Was Long' (which was wisely repurposed a couple of years later on Thompson's major-label debut), the New Zealander achieves an intensity of tone that only an artist like Jansch could match. Thompson is sometimes tossed under the psych-folk umbrella, and the striking opening cut, the instrumental 'Hugo Spellman,' certainly falls into that category, taking on a raga feel with help from members of Magic Carpet on Indian instruments. But for the most part, this is a relatively straightforward outing typical of the Village Thing catalog, incorporating some traditional blues and folk influences but mostly striking a distinctly '70s singer/songwriter tone. And despite the focus on Thompson's fleet-fingered instrumental capabilities, he comes off as a skilled songwriter as well, with more lyrically oriented tunes like 'Don't Be Afraid' and 'Dream' comparing favorably with the work of any of his aforementioned peers." - James Allen, AllMusic
Features:
Limited Edition
180g Blue Marble Vinyl LP
Top rare Kiwi/British folk classic album of all time
First vinyl reissue since original 1973 release
Beautiful original artwork with insert including unseen photos and liner notes by Chris Thompson himself
Remastered from 4 track master tapes with 4 bonus tracks
Obi strip
Import
Made in the EU
Selections:
Side A:
1. Hugo Spellman
2. The Song Of Wandering Aengus
3. De Debil Take De Blue-Tail Fly!
4. The River Song
5. The River Song (alt. take)
6. Dream (unreleased)
Side B:
1. London Blues
2. Her Hair Was Long
3. Young Lust
4. Love
5. Love (alt. take)
6. Where Is My Wild Rose? (from the album Minstrelsy)
