Angel Delight (album)

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Angel Delight
Angeldelight.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 1971
RecordedFebruary–March 1971
Studio Sound Techniques (London)
Genre British folk rock
Length36:46
Label Island
Producer Fairport Convention & John Wood
Fairport Convention chronology
Full House
(1970)
Angel Delight
(1971)
"Babbacombe" Lee
(1971)

Angel Delight is the sixth album by the British folk rock band Fairport Convention, released in June 1971. This was the first Fairport Convention album without guitarist Richard Thompson, and the lineup consisted of Simon Nicol (guitar, vocals) (the only original group member), Dave Swarbrick (violin, vocals), Dave Pegg (bass, vocals), and Dave Mattacks (drums).

Contents

Production

The title derives from "The Angel" in Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, a former pub which the band were living in at the time, [1] [2] and the eponymous track is autobiographical, referring to "John the Wood" (co-producer), "Dave the Drum" (Mattacks), and even details such as "peer through the haze watching Top of the Pops ". The band moved out of The Angel shortly after the album's release, partly because a lorry had crashed into Dave Swarbrick's bedroom. [3] [4]

The U.K. album cover included liner notes consisting of dialogue among band members and roadies preparing to leave "The Angel" for a gig, that was replaced on American and Canadian copies by a more straightforward, biographical liner essay. [5] [6]

Musically, Angel Delight progressed little from its predecessors, although an appearance on Top of the Pops as a featured album contributed to its chart success; [7] it reached number eight on the UK Album chart, making it the band's highest charting album in the UK. [8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Angel Delight has received generally positive reviews from critics.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Lord Marlborough" Traditional 3:27
2."Sir William Gower"Traditional5:00
3."Bridge over the River Ash [10] "Traditional2:15
4."Wizard of the Worldly Game" Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick 4:08
5."The Journeyman's Grace"Swarbrick, Richard Thompson 4:35
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Angel Delight"Nicol, Swarbrick, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks 4:10
7."Banks of the Sweet Primroses"Traditional4:15
8."Instrumental Medley: The Cuckoo's Nest / Hardiman the Fiddler / Papa Stoor"Traditional3:28
9."The Bonny Black Hare"Traditional3:08
10."Sickness & Diseases"Swarbrick, Thompson3:47
Total length:36:46
Island Remasters CD reissue bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."The Journeyman's Grace [11] "Swarbrick, Thompson3:53

Personnel

Fairport Convention

on 11:

Title

The cover includes a photo of two cherubs kissing. The title may also be a reference to the UK dessert, Angel Delight.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

Fairport Convention British folk rock group

Fairport Convention are a British folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater They started out heavily influenced by American folk rock, with a setlist dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane". Vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews joined them before the recording of their self-titled debut in 1968; afterwards, Dyble was replaced by Sandy Denny, with Matthews later leaving during the recording of their third album.

Dave Pegg Musical artist

Dave Pegg is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, primarily a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of folk and rock groups including the Ian Campbell Folk Group and Jethro Tull.

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Simon Nicol Musical artist

Simon John Breckenridge Nicol is an English guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founding member of British folk rock group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band. He has also been involved with the Albion Band and a wide range of musical projects, both as a collaborator, producer and as a solo artist. He has received several awards for his work and career.

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References

  1. "History of Fairport". Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  2. Humphries, Patrick (2012). "8". Nick Drake: The Biography. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN   9781408841440.
  3. "Angel Delight lyrics". Archived from the original on 22 May 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  4. Redwood, Fred (6 November 2012). "For sale: folk band Fairport Convention's former pub home". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  5. "Angel Delight U.K. cover" . Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  6. "Angel Delight U.S. cover" . Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  7. "Angel Delight". 23 March 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  8. "Fairport Convention | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  9. Eder, Bruce. "Angel Delight Review". Allmusic . Retrieved 2 July 2008.
  10. Which flowed through the rear garden of The Angel - "Angel Delight". 23 March 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  11. Island Remasters CD reissue (IMCD 307 / 982 150-0, 2004) bonus track from BBC radio session, Stuart Henry 19 November 1970