FEATURED CD - Strawbs : From the Witchwood

[Trane]

Yeah. For a novice, I would say no more than Antiques thru Nomadness (if even). That's a run of 7 albums. Anything else is just for Strawbs freaks. You have to realize this was a folk band in the 60's, that turned into a prog band in the early 70's, that then slimmed down to a rock band by the late 70's. Interesting to explore, but the prog stuff is wherein lies the gold.

Exactly... though I'd rather say from Dragonfly (with that excellent 11-mins track on it..; lady Of The Lake, I think)) rather than Nomadness.. Even the Dragonfly title track tops anything on Nomadness, IMHO.

and for the first try at Strawbs I'd suggest one Hooper Hudson & Ford era album and one Lambert, Chans & Cronk era

[Lopez]

If I had a gun to my head, here are the 12 I'd pick

1. Hero
2. Ghosts
3. Grave
4. Busrting
5. Nomadness
6. Deep Cuts
7. Witchwood
8. Antiques and Curios
9. BBC in Concert
10. Burning
11. NY 75
12. Broken Hearted Bride

BG

Excellent list, Brian. Glad to see Nomadness there. I despised that album when it first came out and rarely listen to it after the first spin. I then got it cheap as a used CD with the extra tracks. I listened to it a lot then and came to like it a lot. I rank it up there as high as you have it. Also, really like the Broken Hearted Bride (wish I had a copy with the originally intended cover).

[Garyhead]

the first 8 (I had 2 on vinyl) deep cuts and 3 live disc's including the Nearfest 04 show.

Actually, in the 80's to take refuge from Punk, I got into the Folk genre.....returned to Prog in 93 with IQ's Ever.......still like the folk too.

[JIF]

Inspired by this thread, I dig out this album. Don't listen it often. I reach for the next four more. I do love it, though. Nice balance of folk and prog. Dig Wakeman's organ, his piano playing on The Shepard's Song, his Moog playing, and his harpsichord playing on Cannondale, and In Amongst The Roses. Too bad Rick had to leave for Yes. I wonder what Busting At The Seems, Hero And Heroine, and Ghosts would've sounded like with his playing. If this Anderson, Wakeman, and Rabin project doesn't pan out, he should rejoin The Strawbs. Or, they should rehire Oliver. Btw, that's not meant to knock Blue or John, as I like their playing in the band. In fact, a older guy that worked at a record store played me the Hero and Heroine title track, because I told him that I liked prog. I bought Hero And Heroine right there on vinyl. Then, I later bought all the Strawbs classics(including Hero And Heroine) on CD, remastered. Sorry to derail the thread.

[Brian Griffin]

the first 8 (I had 2 on vinyl) deep cuts and 3 live disc's including the Nearfest 04 show.

Treasure trove haul

I would definitely get Broken Hearted Bride when you recover and weed through what you bought - very strong later day effort

BG

[Musitron]

I really like Cousins and I'm definitely more of a fan of the Lambert, Hawken days than the Hooper, Hudson & Ford days.

They are still alive and Deja Fou and Broken Hearted Bride are not bad at all.

[grego]

Deja Fou is recorded rather poorly, but the music is very good. My favorite of recent Strawbs albums.
From the Witchwood is great, a line of classic 70's albums starts with it. Grave New World, Bursting At Seams, Ghosts, Hero & Heroine, Nomadness..

[Musitron]

Grave New World, Bursting At Seams, Ghosts, Hero & Heroine, Nomadness..

I don't know about Nomadness. Not as good as the other 4 for sure.

[JIF]

I don't know about Nomadness. Not as good as the other 4 for sure.

I have always wondered what would have happened if Rick had played on all of that album, and didn't rejoin Yes.

[bill g]

I really like scattered Strawbs tracks, including some from this album, such as Cannondale and Witchwood. I also enjoy In Amongst the Roses. Pretty nice album.

[Brian Griffin]

I don't know about Nomadness. Not as good as the other 4 for sure.

Perhaps, but still very worthwhile IMO

BG

[Trane]

I have always wondered what would have happened if Rick had played on all of that album, and didn't rejoin Yes.

Was there a plan for him to do so, at the time??

[grego]

Wakeman's contribution was always very helpful for them. But anyway, Nomadness I found a strong album - I happen to hear it in '75, when it was their new release)
Golden Salamander, Absent Friend, So Shall Our Love Die, Hanging in the Gallery, - all these tunes I like.

[Musitron]

Nomadness was made to please the American. There is a blues(absent friend), country-rock(Back to the farm) and a very commercial rock song a la USA(Little Sleppy). It was like the end of the prog for Cousins. Fortunately, he came back in 2000.

[JIF]

Was there a plan for him to do so, at the time??

I don't know either way. Wasn't that album recorded around the same time that he re-joined? If so, I doubt it.

[grego]

Nomadness was made to please the American. There is a blues(absent friend), country-rock(Back to the farm) and a very commercial rock song a la USA(Little Sleppy). It was like the end of the prog for Cousins. Fortunately, he came back in 2000.

Little Sleepy is Lambert's song, if I'm not mistaken - the chorus I found similar to RS "Dead Flowers"

[Garyhead]

First shipment of 5...of 12 arrived today. REALLY enjoying them!

REALLY bummed out tho......when sync'ing one of my iPods, 5000+ songs out of 22,500 disappeared! WTF? afraid to sync the other one.......anyone know how I can restore them.....? You can imagine the hours required to reload these.....and yes, I keep ALL my physical media.......