In 2010 Rob Young published through Faber & Faber Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain’s Visionary Music, a narrative survey that mapped out a native British musical voice that reflected the complex relationships between town and country, progress and nostalgia, radicalism and conservatism. To accompany the acclaimed book he has handpicked 36 songs that are ‘designed to follow the flow from acoustic to electric folk in the late 60s and early 70s, a magical time in British music’ to be released on Electric Eden, out now on Universal.
Featuring a mixture of rarities, unheard versions, familiar names and those that slipped by unnoticed, he is ‘particularly proud of including a rare original version of A Sailor’s Life by Fairport Convention, literally the first time a rock drum kit was ever used on a traditional folk song. History in the making!’
The track listing is as follows, and you can hear the offerings from Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, Bill Fay and Traffic now.
CD1
ACOUSTIC EDEN
1. Peter Bellamy – Oak, Ash and Thorn
2. Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die
3. Bert Jansch – The Waggoners Lad
4. Fairport Convention – Stranger to Himself
5. Archie Fisher – Reynardine
6. Bread, Love and Dreams – Brother John
7. Bill Fay – Garden Song
8. Water Into Wine Band – Stranger in the World
9. Tudor Lodge – Willow Tree
10. Comus – Diana
11. Meic Stevens – Yorric
12. Magic Carpet – The Dream
13. Sweeneys Men – The Pipe on the Hob
14. Tim Hart & Maddy Prior – False Knight on the Road
15. Dr Strangely Strange – Dark-Haired Lady
16. Albion Country Band – I Was a Young Man
17. COB – Music of the Ages
18. Roger Nicholson – The Carmans Whistle
19. Bridget St John – Fly High
20. John Martyn – She Moves Through the Fair
CD 2
ELECTRIC ALBION
1. Richard Thompson – Roll over Vaughn Williams
2. Steeleye Span – The Lark in the Morning
3. Unicorn – Country Road
4. Fairport Convention – A Sailors Life
5. Trees – Glasgerion
6. Fotheringay – Gypsy Davey
7. David Bowie – Black Country Rock
8. John Martyn – Glistening Glyndebourne
9. Mike Cooper – Paper and Smoke
10. Shelagh McDonald – Mirage
11. Spirogyra – Disraelis Problem
12. Mick Softley – Time Machine
13. Shirley Collins & The Albion Country Band – Murder of Maria Marten
14. Pentangle – Jack Orion
15. Incredible String Band – Painted Chariot
16. Nick Drake – Voices
