What We Did on Our Holidays
Their second album captures Fairport Convention poised between the more embryonic, American-influenced rock of their debut and the more pronounced British folk-rock that would follow. Newly arrived vocalist Sandy Denny contributes her haunting songs and indelibly husky voice, Ian (later Iain) Matthews lofts his angelic tenor into the mix, and the set list is the most diverse they would ever offer, stacking solid covers of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan beside traditional English songs and stirring originals from Denny, Matthews, Richard Thompson, and Ashley Hutchings. As such,Holidaysworks both on its own terms and as a position paper on Fairport's emerging ambition to find a distinctive accent for their alternately hearty, witty, and somber music.--Sam Sutherland