Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Aurora Arborealis Dept.

Trees wus swell. Two albums for major label CBS in the U.K. of England that I don't think made much of an impact in the U.S. and A. Folk-rock, leaning towards the rock, lovely vox from posh bint Celia Humphris, hoedowns and acid freakouts, and a stunning, unforgettable cover for their second, On The Shore [leftish - Ed.], which we stared at while the tin angel chimed over the candle and our eyes glittered with Afghan black.

Then they broke up, reformed with a different line-up, and recorded demos for a third album, which got a gray release as Trees Live! (with the obligatory! exclamation mark! for excitement!). 

On The Shore got a baffling re-release with a selection of pointlessly remixed tracks (unless the point was to demonstrate how perfectly okay the original mix was), plus a couple of tracks from the third album sessions, which I've added to the bootleg, which isn't exactly kind to Steve Hoffman Snowflake Ears, but the music is dizzyingly good. 


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26 comments:

  1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 23, 2021 at 6:31 PM

    If by some sad twist of fate you ain't heard these people, you're in for a treat. I'll loadup later, honest I will, when me fingers follows me brain a little more faithfully.

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  2. LopezNovember 24, 2021 at 1:11 AM

    I wait patiently.

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  3. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 2:49 AM

    From jazz rock to folk rock, in the blink of an island, you can't beat it. Trees is good, I like Trees, and if you like them you may also like Mr Fox, indeed they even include two future Trees. So, whilst awaiting our hosts' finger exercises, these may keep you entertained.

    Mr Fox were a husband and wife team of Bob and Carolanne Fox, who recorded two albums before they ceased to be a husband and wife team if you get my drift. They have a totally different sound to a lot of the 1970's folk rock stuff, on account of them being from and singing songs about North Yorkshire as well as unusual instrumentation without any guitar, electric or acoustic.

    If the Trees didn't get as far as the USA, then I bet the Mr Foxes didn't get as far as Wetherby roundabout. Actually this is blatantly untrue as they got at least as far as Kent as you will see below.

    My personal favourite is their second album, The Gypsy, but that's probably just because I heard it first in the early '80 's and didn't hear their first album, Mr Fox, until many years later when I got the Compleat Mr Fox on ceedee, this had both albums on apart from one track, which I have added in from the lp, or some other sauce, I can't remember how I did it now nor how many 320s or 128s it has in it.

    I also managed to track down a live recording Live at the Old Ox Tree in Kent 01 11 1972, but this is probably only of interest to any so called completists out there, as it sounds like it was recorded with a tape recorder and microphone propped up on a table in the corner of the pub, which is not surprising really considering that it was.

    Both the unmarrieds went on to record some more fine lps as individuals, which could be supplied in a similar fashion if needed, and you can of course read all about them using the usual googles.

    Belt and Braces links for the inept (me)
    Mr Fox : https://www.imagenetz.de/d36NA
    The Gypsy : https://www.imagenetz.de/gSjbv
    Live : https://www.imagenetz.de/aeYcf

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    1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 24, 2021 at 6:22 AM

      Thank 'ee kindly, sorrr!

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    2. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 6:35 AM

      Just keeping the natives entertained until the master returns, or ..only plucking pheasants 'til the pheasant plucker comes.. if you will

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    3. MrDaveNovember 25, 2021 at 8:28 PM

      Thank you AFOEN! I gots lots of Trees but only a few stray Foxes around these parts so this is a welcome addition to my collection of fine flora and fauna.

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    4. mik0mNovember 27, 2021 at 9:42 PM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    5. mik0mNovember 27, 2021 at 10:09 PM

      Bob Peggs book on folk music called er... Folk.. is also a good read.. if you get a chance check out the photo of the rock band.. incidentally for those in the UK Bob Pegg was picked up by the Leeds police for questioning about the Yorkshire Ripper murders in the 70s due to a track he recorded called the Werewolf of Old Chapeltown (once a red light area of Leeds) to which a later track called Mr Fox the Ripper may have been a response to this unfortunate incident

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  4. geNovember 24, 2021 at 3:36 AM

    This duo's later project i believe---especially like the mystic mysteriousness of the 'Mountains' song
    Bob & Carole Pegg ‎– He Came From The Mountains

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    1. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 5:28 AM

      Yep, its a good un.

      By sheer coincidence I just heard a John Peel session by Swan Arcade, a Yorkshire acceppella folk group, who I know nothing about, but liked the sound of. When I was looking up Mr Fox on wikipedia just now, they were singing on the Gypsy album. So I now need to track down their lps, anyone?

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    2. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 24, 2021 at 6:26 AM

      I have a veritable slew of Swan Arcade. Watch this space!

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    3. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 6:47 AM

      The 1973 John Peel session can be found here on a later 'Peel's Pleasures' show

      https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/17_July_1982

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    4. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 6:49 AM

      Ps thanks for the offer, much appreciated

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    5. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 24, 2021 at 7:31 AM

      Swanning around: https://workupload.com/file/CW6vM8f7w65

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    6. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 24, 2021 at 7:59 PM

      Thanks, Farq (hope you don't take offence to the familiarity of my tone, but I feel like I've known you for at least a week).

      Great to hear a cover of the Rab Noakes song 'Together Forever' which as anyfuleknows was the best track on Fog on The Tyne -for those of a UK persuasion don't miss the Alan Hull story on bbc4 this friday.

      Now I'm on the lookoutfor the first lp.

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    7. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 25, 2021 at 2:07 AM

      I relish a familiar tone. Really. Internet tone is a tricky thing to convey (especially as we don't use smileys here), but if we all work from the basis of old friends kidding around together, everything will be fine. But lightness of tone isn't well-served by the internet, and typed conversation.

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    8. A Fine Old English NoblemonNovember 25, 2021 at 3:44 AM

      Very well said, and I congratulate you on how well you have managed to create that atmosphere on your island home. May the kidding around long continue.

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    9. MrDaveNovember 25, 2021 at 8:33 PM

      :)

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  5. cdelintNovember 24, 2021 at 5:45 AM

    Carolanne Pegg's solo album is ade light, a mix of songer-songerwriter/trad with witchy themes.

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  6. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 24, 2021 at 6:21 AM

    Here lies the linkage
    On a cold November morn
    With a rilly-dilly download
    From my hard drive torn



    Here

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  7. AnonymousNovember 24, 2021 at 7:35 AM

    Speaking of coincidences ... I was listening to Trees "On the Shore" earlier this week on my commute. Interesting music that I never heard about when it was new, but that I read about and picked up on years later. It's good to know that neglected releases get a second chance ...
    Alan

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  8. BambiNovember 24, 2021 at 9:42 PM

    Like Alan I only discovered Trees "On the Shore" recently, and great it is too. Fairport were my gateway into folk rock, and a bit of Steeleye Span here and there.

    About 10 years ago I discovered this 'new' group called Trembling Bells, I thought they were superb, and saw them live a few times, but they broke up about 4 years ago. Check out this rather trippy video.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTx1HfsQAi0

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  9. One Buck GuyNovember 25, 2021 at 1:34 AM

    Farq, just to be sure: The "Forest Fire" album is nine tracks and the track numbers are incorrect? (As in no 1, no 9 and 10). Or did the album not unzip correctly and that's why tracks are missing?

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    1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 25, 2021 at 2:03 AM

      Sorry, I messed up. Nine tracks. If you slide Forest Fire to the top, and leave Little Black Cloud at the end, it will sound better. That's how I had it, but forgot to tag it before I packed it up. I cut the run-through of Polly On The Shore, because there's no way that was intended for the third album, and was probably a warm-up exercise. But you can order them how you like, of course.

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  10. pjNovember 28, 2021 at 3:18 AM

    I know you've given up on my blog because you don't like Soulseek, even though you only have to email for a direct link and I'm happy to share the files, but I too am a great fan of Trees, and I also put together a reconstruction of what their third album could sound like. I spent lot of time restoring intros, patching in dropouts, and removing the audience, so that it sounded as much like a studio album as possible, so if you like what you've heard and want to hear it in full then check it out here. https://albumsiwishexisted2.blogspot.com/2021/07/trees-tom-of-bedlam-1973.html. If you don't use Soulseek then email for a direct link, as that's the very reason that I set up the email address.

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    1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIINovember 28, 2021 at 8:27 AM

      pj, I have emailed you in the past for a link and will do so again for this. Thank you.

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