Ashley Hutchings

A different label, and 18 songs that cover the same period as Volume One but don't overlap at all. "You Never Wanted Me" by Fairport Convention in 1968 is so beautiful (with a killer performance by Sandy Denny) that it's worth the price of the CD by itself, and the Sandy Denny-sung version of "Sir Patrick Spens" (a song more familiar in the version off the post-Denny Full House album) from 1969 will be a must-own for any Fairport fan. All but two other tracks are from the Albion Band, either live or in unreleased or rare studio performances, in various line-ups (including Shirley Collins in a gorgeous multi-voice concert version of "Old Sir Simon The King") doing jigs, reels, and Morris dances as well as songs (among them a rendition of "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" that couldn't be more different than the one by Steeleye Span on the previous volume). Some of the sound quality is uneven, but overall this is practically a gift from heaven for any lover of good English folk music, whether they are fans of Hutchings or not. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide