STRAWBS - AN ANTHOLOGY

[Ruby]

I was listening to Bursting at the Seams the other day and it struck me that Strawbs really are/were quite unique. Dave Cousins’ writing is second to none, and their music is gobsmackingly complex. People bandy the word ‘classic’ about, but Strawbs really and truly embody that saying, in my view. I realise there is little contemporary appetite for their sound, which could conceivably be called a tad poncy, but I still think they're awesome, so there it is!

Having never listened to their debut album, I thought I’d do that and then work my way through their catalogue chronologically. With thanks to Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawbs and Strawbsweb.co.uk - https://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/index0.asp.

STRAWBS - Strawbs



Starting out as Strawberry Hill Boys, that name was quickly shortened to Strawbs when they had to put up a stage banner – much the same experience as parents all over the planet with schoolgoing children - those wretched name tags! They had been a bluegrass band to begin with which didn’t seem to last very long! Sandy Denny was a member in the fledgeling days, and they compiled and recorded enough material for an album during her tenure while signed to Sonet Records (Denmark), but then she departed to join Fairport Convention before any release happened, and in fact that lp (All Our Own Work) was only issued in 1973.

Dave Cousins had been looking for a UK record company, when Herb Alpert who had formed A&M Records in the US appeared on the scene, to open an office in London. An exec from Sonet Records played the so-called ‘Sandy tapes’ to the A&M rep in London who then sent them on to Alpert, and the rest is history. The now Sandyless outfit became the first UK band to be signed to A&M.

With the help of Gus Dudgeon and Tony Visconti, along with some session musos who included John Paul Jones and Nicky Hopkins (courtesy of the the production team who were expecting something a bit different than what they ultimately got), in 1969, Strawbs released their eponymously titled debut album along with “Nosrati and his Arab friends” who Dave Cousins had managed to persuade to contribute on one track – some musos who played in a restaurant he frequented!

The album is critically acclaimed, despite being a bit of a mixed bag – Nosrati & Co definitely adding a far eastern flavour to “Tell Me What You See In Me”. I’ve enjoyed listening to it – more than once!

Track listing with writer/s:

1. The Man Who Called Himself Jesus (Cousins) (single banned by the BBC)
   
2. That Which Once Was Mine (Cousins)
   
3. All The Little Ladies (Cousins/Hooper)
   
4. Pieces Of 79 And 15 (Cousins/Hooper)
   
5. Tell Me What You See In Me (Cousins)
   
6. Oh How She Changed (Cousins/Hooper)
   
7. Or Am I Dreaming (Cousins)
   
8. Where Is This Dream Of Your Youth (Cousins)
   
9. Poor Jimmy Wilson (Cousins)
   
10. Where Am I/I'll Show You Where To Sleep (Cousins)
    
11. The Battle (Cousins)
    

 
Personnel:

Bass – Ron Chesterman
Guitar, Vocals – Dave Cousins
Guitar, Vocals - Tony Hooper

Production - Gus Dudgeon
Musical vibrations (elaborated upon below) - Toni Visconti
 
Sleeve note:

The Strawbs would like to thank Gus and Tony and all their friends who helped so much, including Ronnie Verral, Nicky Hopkins, John Mackswith, John Paul Jones, Richard Wilson, Lionel Ross, Tom Browne, Alan Hawkshaw, Terry Brown, and Nosrati and his Arab friends.
 
Favourites

"Tell Me What You See In Me" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_MBsAvL76E

"Oh How She Changed" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hQLgn8oNic 
 
"That Which Once Was Mine" - a lovely almost Baroque sounding number ... gorgeous double bass ... 

[Ruby]

DRAGONFLY (February 1970)


 
On their second album, Dragonfly, Strawbs head back to a folkier sound than on their debut. This is largely acoustic and produced on a much lower budget. They had enlisted cellist Claire Deniz who lends a lovely gravitas to what might otherwise have been a bit of a jangly result, in fact, I’d say the cello plays a pivotal role in the overall success of these songs. It’s also the release where a young Rick Wakeman makes his first appearance with them, this time as a session musician. I still notice and appreciate the double bass which literally provides a solid bass, anchoring the lighter instruments very successfully. David (as I have learned he preferred to be addressed) Cousins plays some unusual instruments, dulcimer and Chinese piano – and all I can say about the recorder is that Tony Visconti is no Andrew Latimer!

I’m not crazy about the title track, which goes on a bit, IMHO, and is a little too pastoral, but the rest of the album is a portent of the even greater things that were to come with Cousin’s epic storytelling abilities culminating, in this instance, in the ten minute long epic “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake” - also not my favourite. Nobody has the patience for these extended plays anymore but at the time, it was very much the order of the day! An unapologetic and well developed sense of the dramatic had Mr Cousins!

Tony Hooper shares vocal duty on this album – well, ‘shares’ might be a bit of a stretch! But he does get heard, occasionally.
 
Tracklisting:
1.      The Weary Song (Cousins)
2.      Dragonfly (Cousins)
3.      I Turned My Face Into The Wind (Cousins)
4.      Josephine, For Better Or For Worse (Cousins)
5.      Another Day (Cousins)
6.      'Till The Sun Comes Shining Through (Cousins)
7.      Young Again (Hooper)
8.      The Vision Of The Lady Of The Lake (Cousins)
9.      Close Your Eyes (Cousins/Hooper)
Bonus tracks, Universal CD release, August 2008, and Universal Japan 2019 SHM CD release
10.   We'll Meet Again Sometime (Cousins)
11.   Forever (Cousins/Hooper)
12.   Another Day (Cousins)
13.   We'll Meet Again Sometime (Cousins)
 
Personnel:
Dave Cousins (vocals, guitars, piano, dulcimer, "Chinese Piano", percussion)
Tony Hooper (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, tambourine, percussion)
Ron Chesterman (double bass)
Clare Deniz (cello)

Additional musicians:
Tony Visconti (recorder)
Bjarne Rostvold (drums)*
Rick Wakeman (piano)*
Paul Brett (lead guitar)*
*All on “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake”

Sleeve notes:
"Love and thanks to Tony Visconti for being of sound mind while producing, engineering, and adding percussive effects: to New Breed for Tony Visconti; to Ivar Rosenberg for electronics; to Torben for sunshine and magic moments; and to Roger Saunders for sleeve design and illustration."
 
My picks for this album are ...

“I Turned My Face Ino the Wind” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWLgf0gTqAA

“Forever” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlqnLbNP3pM

“We’ll Meet Again Sometime” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjRNoVm5cpU

“Josephine, for Better or for Worse”





"Another Day"

[Ruby]

FROM THE WITCHWOOD (1971)



From the Witchwood is the album where Strawbs really start to come into their own, shifting away from the acoustic folk sound to more of a progressive rock vibe – more plugged in. Rick Wakeman is here, although he’d already been poached by Yes and kinda fitted in recordings for this release whenever he could, sometimes completely separately. Busy boy back in those halcyon days! In fact, Strawbs had recorded a live album in between Dragonfly and this one, but I’m not including the live albums in this thread. What I will do, is post a link here to an instrumental on that album, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios, showcasing the not inconsiderable talents of young Rick – not yet grumpy. He was showing off for sure, and it worked! He got a LOT of attention. “Temperament of Mind” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRz60jZev34.

Incidentally, a ‘witchwood’ is also known as a Wych Elm. The image on the cover is a negative, looking up through its tangle of branches. Not the best wood for building anything as it’s very bendy, however, it was used to make coffins. And was shunned by witches, which is good to know! There is some correspondingly heavy subject matter in some of the lyrics. Wowzer. “The Hangman and the Papist” for example. Cousins does not spare one’s sensibilities! And he sort of vacillates between dire and pastoral. There is not exactly a theme running through the album, aside from a bucolic feel.

By now Mr Cousins’ distinctive style and lyrical prowess had become firmly established but there are two other writers on this album – John Ford and Richard Hudson. I very much like the Bonus Track by Ford which of course is not to be found on the lp, but his “Thirty Days” is positively Beatle-esque, despite its seriousness, and is an odd juxtaposition. The band was at musical odds with one another and still feeling their way. In any event there are some gems on this release … fabulous instruments too!

Tracklisting:
A Glimpse of Heaven (Dave Cousins)          
Witchwood (Cousins)
Thirty Days (John Ford)
Flight (Richard Hudson)
The Hangman And The Papist (Cousins)
Sheep (Cousins)
Canon Dale (Hudson)             
The Shepherd's Song (Cousins)
In Amongst The Roses (Cousins)    
I'll Carry On Beside You (Cousins)
Bonus track (A&M CD re-issues)
Let's Keep The Devil Outside (Ford)
 
Personnel:
Dave Cousins – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dulcimer, banjo, recorder
Tony Hooper – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, autoharp, tambourine
Rick Wakeman – piano, organ, celeste, mellotron, Moog synthesizer, clavinet, harpsichord
John Ford – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar
Richard Hudson – lead vocals, backing vocals, drums, sitar
with: The Choir and Congregation of Air Strawb - choir on "A Glimpse of Heaven"
 
“Witchwood”

[Ruby]

GRAVE NEW WORLD (1972)



Firstly, this album was issued in a very fab package. Triple fold with gorgeous illustrations and lyrics booklet – also embellished. That is the appeal of vinyl – the packaging! One cannot exactly pore over a CD cover – well I can’t – without visual aids, aka a magnifying glass! Flighty Mr Wakeman had sloped off to join Yes and David Cousins was undecided as to how to proceed. So interestingly, because he was a mighty maths mind, on the advice of Tony Visconti, he was persuaded to consult the I-Ching on this occasion, which said “The wanderer has far to go, Humble must he constant be, Where the paths of wisdom lead, Distant is the shadow of the setting sun”. These are the opening lines of the track “Benedictus” which is first up on the album – mysticism was very much the order of the day! Keysman Blue Weaver was recruited to replace Wakeman and his tenure with them was long. More of a team player, I gather.

This loosely conceptual album was, and is, a big fan favourite, although in my view, the best was still to come. As with the previous album, heading away from the folk base to a more rock and progressive rock orientation. “Ah Me, Ah My” is a bit daft -something of a folly by Mr Hooper methinks.

Tracklisting

1. Benedictus (Cousins)
   
2. Hey Little Man ... Thursday's Child (Cousins)
   
3. Queen Of Dreams (Cousins)
   
4. Heavy Disguise (Ford)
   
5. New World (Cousins)
   
6. Hey Little Man ... Wednesday's Child (Cousins)
   
7. The Flower and the Young Man (Cousins)
   
8. Tomorrow (Strawbs)
   
9. On Growing Older (Cousins)
   
10. Ah Me, Ah My (Hooper)
    
11. Is It Today Lord (Hudson)
    
12. The Journey's End (Cousins)
    

  
Personnel:
 
Strawbs
Dave Cousins – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dulcimer, recorder
Tony Hooper – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, autoharp, tambourine
Blue Weaver – organ, piano, harmonium, mellotron, clavioline on "The Flower and the Young Man"
John Ford – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar
Richard Hudson – backing vocals, drums, sitar, tablas
Additional personnel
Trevor Lucas, Anne Collins – backing vocals on "Benedictus"
Robert Kirby – arranger ("Heavy Disguise")
Tony Visconti – arranger ("Ah Me, Ah My")
 
For a more in-depth look at who played what on each track (which I like to know), Discogs is the place to go - https://www.discogs.com/release/1124725-...-New-World 
 
Sleeve notes: (again, courtesy of https://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/albtrack/gnw/gnw.asp - I do have the gatefold vinyl album but it’s easier to copy and paste!)
 
Produced by David Cousins, Richard Hudson, John Ford, Blue Weaver and Tony Hooper

Special thanks are due to :
Tom Allom For creative engineering
Martin Levan Assistant engineer with many good ideas
Bob Kirby for dotting perfect quavers
Sam Artis for musicians 'par excellence'
Gus Dudgeon for originally producing 'Ah me, ah my'
Frank Boulter for always getting us home safely
Dickie Bell for angle taping, equipment and tea
Tony Visconti who will surely be blessed for producing 'Benendictus', and for his musical vibrations, and hard work in the past.
And also Mike Dolan, Jim Dawson, Karl Emil Knudsen

Recorded mainly at Morgan Studios in November 1971, but also at Island Studios (engineer: Frank Owen) and Lansdowne Studios (engineer: John Mackswith)

Sleeve design
Sleeve The front cover 'Glad Day' William Blake (British Museum)
Inner sleeve illustrations/booklet design: Paper Tiger
Printed and made by MacNeill Press Ltd. London SE 1

Other information

The disc is contained in a 3 flap folding sleeve which carries the following texts:
 
"'AS A MAN OF DISCERNMENT STANDING ON A ROCKY EMINENCE, BEHOLDETH THOSE WHO ARE BELOW AND IN DISTRESS so doth the sage, who by his wakefulness hath put to flight his ignorance, look down upon suffering mankind from the Heights of Wisdom which he hath attained' - The Buddha"

"'THOU HAST HEARD WITH THINE EARS AND THOU HAST SEEN WITH THINE EYES. Millions of years have gone over the world; I cannot tell the number of them, through which thou hast passed. Thy heart hath decreed a day of happiness in thy name. Thou dost pass over and travellest through untold spaces of millions and hundreds of thousands of years; thou settest out in peace, and thou steerest thy way across the watery abyss to the place which thou lovest; this thou doest in one little moment of time, and thou dost sink down and makest an end of the hours' – Extract from 'A hymn of praise to Ra when he riseth in the Eastern part of Heaven.'"
 
I find “Benedictus” such a worthy listen – beautiful orchestration and so uplifting – a tour de force. Mr Cousins wielding his dulcimer – not a guitar ...





And on the flip side of benediction, “New World” has Cousins lamenting, if not railing against the new world order, I guess. His life was informed by WWII, his father having died while on active duty towards the end of it, when he was a mere 7 months old. Young David didn’t have it easy – at 22 he was supporting his family as his stepfather had also died by then. He was 32 when this album was recorded.



I also really like this one – “The Flower and the Young Man” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSOf-w6Et8w

That trifold ...

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i listened to your "new world" linked track, i liked that one

[Ruby]

Thanks for taking the time! Not everyone's cup of tea, I know - and less and less so. Proper, real music, skillfully played and produced and not imitating anyone else. The current blur of autotune, lewdness and rap crap is exhausting, IMHO. Throwaway sounds without a hope of lasting 50+ years - like this stuff. I don't mind electronica, which is a skillset of its own, just cannot wrap my head around what is currently on the charts - I don't even look at them. So skewed in any case that the model seems pointless - ridiculous!