Album Reviews |

Sandy Denny



The Best Of Sandy Denny 10 ( 1996 )
Listen Listen / Lady / One Way Donkey Ride / It'll Take A Long Time / Farewell Farewell / Tam Lin / Pond In The Stream / Late November / Solo / The Sea / Banks Of The Nile / Next Time Around / For Shame Of Doing Wrong / Stranger To Himself / I'm A Dreamer / Who Knows Where The Time Goes

A baby will respond to it's mothers voice and instinctively know from the very first second of it's life where it belongs. Who can explain why a record, a recording of music and human voice - can make you feel the same way? Years pass, the usual excitements and disappointments of life passes. Years flow by, a water flowing under a bridge - always passing by. The sky is blue, the sky is grey, the sky is rose tinted - and everything in life is led this way. Everyone else is moving in directions all around at angles. You understand that something is missing, that something out there can speak to you, that you don't even comprehend or imagine. It could be a beautiful girl ( or guy ) whom you are immediately attracted to, for no apparent reason. It could be their eyes. It could be their presence. It could be something less tangible. It may not even be something real. Responding to the singing voice of someone long dead - is a peculiar thing. Sandy Denny's voice speaks to me. It caresses me, hugs and loves my very soul.

I can't even remember the first time, or why. I'm fairly sure I bought this without having heard a single note of any of her records. I cannot remember why I bought this in the first place. I guess I’d read something about her that attracted me. The very song that especially drew me in, appears last of all. So, upon first listening, I would have sat through the entire proceeding songs - still willing myself onwards, still intrigued. 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes' is my very being and soul. Her voice, so tender - so fragile and loving. So pure. It pleads, it quivers. It's so very English and I grew up in a very English countryside fashion. She wore terribly unfashionable dresses and clothes. She looked the epitome of the traditional English house-wife. She wasn't. She loved a drink, she was loud and unsubtle. She sang like an angel. Everyone has an angel. Some ideal of the person for them. The person for me - the ideal, which never exists - would sing like Sandy Denny. 'Farewell, Farewell' - a Fairport Convention tune beautifully played by Richard Thompson showcases Sandy’s voice especially well. In all of it's purity and loving, pleading and longing. 'Listen, Listen' which opens this compilation. She sounds so strong and apart. She sounds like everything I’ve ever wanted. 'The Sea', 'Solo'. The vocals on those songs in particular are powerfully strong and clear.

I'm a tragic soppy romantic who has lost in both love and life. The very fact and existence of music keeps me plugging away. I’ve never met anybody else who likes Sandy Denny. Never found anybody else to convert to her voice. She's my secret, my treasure. The knowledge she is highly loved and respected pleases me enormously. Some day I’ll meet a fellow Sandy Denny fan and we can talk about her music over a pint or two. Well, maybe - but perhaps not. I can dream. I can feel loved all over again in my time of dying. I can be with Sandy's voice and nothing else will matter in the entire world.

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Readers Comments STEPHANIE MARCOU STEPHANIEMARCOU@aol.com I came across Sandy Denny by chance after hearing her sing who knows where the time goes in the film "crush", i was bowled over by the purity of her voice, it did remind me a little of Joan Baez, I went and bought the anthology the double album and have been completely entranced. I am a fan of classical singing particulrly sopranos and all the great singers sing in that emotional, evocative way, they are almost crying when they sing and this is what Sandy Denny does, I recommend you by an album by Claudio Muzio in the great singers series or just about anything by Maria Callas if it not too alien a sound to you. Anyway I can't wait to convert some of my friends to her Sandy Denny is definetely one of the greats. Simon Ford simon@ford5484.freeserve.co.uk In words you've captured the voice perfectly. I was lent Liege & Lief by a friend in work. I can't belive at 39 yrs of age an album (from a genre of music I have had no real previous experience of) can have such a profound effect. Much of that has to do with a voice from a lady I'd never heard of. I'm a sensible lad but I've fallen in love. Pure, romantic, essentially English. Rob mill406@aol.com I have burned CDRs with Sandy's music and given them to three people because, (this may sound arrogant) I hate to think what they are missing.I would have never discovered her, but I purchased a book by the VH1 channel about tragic rock star deaths. The article compared her to Janis Joplin and I thought they meant her musical style and I was looking for folk music to soothe my troubled soul not a blues shouter.I eventually asked the owner of a music store about her and he said her music was folk.The best music site on the web I have seen is allmusic.com (aol), it has a good biography on almost every musician from every style of music. The site is also good at rating the albums of artists and tells how the album was made ect.It said Sandy Denny is the best female singer songwriter England has ever produced.This got me thinking (O.K. I think regularly) rather, pondering. I am 48 years of age and of all the thousands of people I have come accross (musicians, doctors, lawyers, m! illionaires ect) I have never heard the name Sandy Denny come from their lips. I bought the Sandy Denny box set Who Knows Where The Time Goes from a C.D. store and the owner wanted to meet me. He said "finally someone with the intelligence not to buy a Britney Spears C.D." and the box set had been on the shelves a long time. I thimk music should be a passion above criticism and to each his own, but I like to compare Sandy's talent to Rap Stars talent. Almost all Rap stars cannot play a musical instrument, cannot write a song, and have weak singing voices so how can they be called musicians? How can anyone who cannot hit a baseball, throw a baseball, or catch a baseball be called a baseball player? The reason many female singers prance around in skimpy outfits is to distract the audience from the fact they have no musical talent. As my favorite Libertarian writer says:" Rap,and other modern popular music has been around long enough that many young people simply do not recogni! ze good music" I think he is on to someting I do not want. Take care. (but give it back I need it) P.S. In a television interview Billy Joel said Rap music cannot be considered music because it has no melody. Disa Bjarney disabjarney@torg.is I totally agree with you! Sandy Denny is a treasure! A treasure much more valuable than gold. It is a pity that her music is not mainstream, but maybe it is not supposed to be. I guess Sandy finds her way to those who want to listen, listen..... bassplayeredd eddie123zeppelin@hotmail.com I know her from when she sings on the Led Zeppelin song "the battle of evermore" that happens to be one of the few Zeppelin songs i don't like but she has a nice voice. david walsh davidxwalsh@hotmail.com back in 1977 i was going out with a girl and in her house one evening i discovered the Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking album in her sisters collection of lp's. I was immediately taken with the voice of Sandy Denny and it has haunted me ever since, i sometimes even attempt to sing farewell or crazy mAN michael in public, her tragic death was a huge loss, I still listen to her music and that of fairport convention, the girl who introduced me to them is long gone bzribee@yahoo.com I am so glad to find your site, and looking forward to listening to some of your top 100. When I was in Jr. high in Miami, Fl, I had a friend in Montreal who decided to educate me musically. Among the many wonderful cassette tapes he sent me, I still have Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and many others. Sandy's singing has always stayed with me and "Who Knows..." is one of the earliest songs I learned to play on guitar. Now I am finding myself playing music again with new friends and performing informally at a family like open mic in Southern Calif. I've gone back to all those old tapes (soon to be replaced by CDs) to re-learn these old favorites. There are many of us fans out there--we just didn't konw anyone was looking for us. If you're ever in S. CA, let's have that pint. Your site is great. Thanks. Neil Oakley npoakley@hotmail.com I'm also a recent convert to Sandy Denny, after reading something about her in a weekend magazine. I'd never really considered listening to Fairport Convention or heard of Sandy, so I bought Unhalfbricking and What We Did On Our Holidays. I agree completely with Adrian - I seem to have fallen in love with the voice of a woman who died years ago, but who seems to express so much beauty, gentility, power and as has been said, 'Englishness'. I've never heard anything like her, and I can't quite understand why I've not been listening to her for years. I'm also the only person I know that likes/knows of her, and I'm very tempted to keep it that way: she's my beautiful, fascinating secret. Ray ok2reply@tiscali.co.uk I was profoundly moved by Sandy's music when I was a teenager in the 60s but since then have not bought any back catalogue. A couple of month's ago I started to read what I could on the net and was strangely drawn again almost like an ache for a lost love. I leave roses at her grave when I can but I live in the Midlands and she's in London. I recently played and sang in a pub and everyone was chatting until I played Who Knows Where The Time Goes - it was new to most (being younger than me) but they all stopped talking and listened. I told her on my last visit. This all sounds very fey and I am the most pragmatic and skeptical of guys but she was (and perhaps is) very precious and clearly a dearly missed by many another. mflanagan marthaflanagan@hotmail.com Sandy Denny is so very far from unknown by living musicians (sorry I cannot spell) and listeners. She is even name checked in a Spice Girls song as one of The Legends Built To Last (granted the Girls probably didn't write a lyric). I recall hearing,hmm, was it Emmylou Harris, or someone like that (i,e, good, famous, talented, and sensible) saying that she'd had little interest in Folk music, growing in Texas, until she heard "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" on the radio. And in case that seems too old a story...have a look at Emiliana Torrini's WONDERFUL Fisherman's Woman, she has covered Next Time Around. It isn't the best track on the album, but if that Icelandic/Italian/UK based wonder is paying homage, you can bet the world of real musicians still know. I'd recommend that album to any S Denny fans. Ann annhwilliams@yahoo.com I've always loved Sandy Denny's voice. I was a student in Cambridge, England, in the early 70s and was lucky enough to attend a couple of concerts with Sandy. I've updated my old vinyls with CDs, of both her stuff and Fairport Convention. In fact I stumbled across your site because I was listening to Story of FC on my computer as I work on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Hong Kong. "Fotheringay" always, always gets to me - it never fails to brings tears to my eyes. Googling "Fotheringay" I came across your site, and I'm glad I did, because you write very eloquently about her. Sandy lives on in all of us who love her work! Trevor teiver1@yahoo.co.uk Thanks for the great review of Sandy!! I am also a big fan after getting her boxset (boxful of trasures) last year. Her songs are errie its like I have heard them before in a different life. Reyardine, Matty Groves, The Sea, Autospy are just some of my favourites. What a singer! paledruid paledruid@yahoo.com I first became aware of her voice on Led Zep's 4th album. I fell in love with her voice, immediately. The purity and passion that burns from her vocal chords makes me shiver every time I hear it. Sandy Denny's voice has always made me feel that I wish had met this very special person. I am listening to her while I write this; her voice seems to comfort me and scare me at the same time. She could start quietly like a mother's whisper, then swell into a summer storm. It will surprise me if I ever hear a voice that has a similar effect on me. Peter Braybrook peter.braybrook@virgin.net I first heard her in 1968. You never lose that first love of a voice such as hers.It is timeless. While a university student I spent a lot of time listening to folk music and trying to emulate it. My wife (my girlfriend/fiancee then) has a pure voice but never gets near the emotion of Sandy's clear warbling. Beauty and emotion spill out of the speakers. We all miss Sandy and wish once more we could hear her live. When I reach heaven and I am handed a violin to play perfectly, I hope that she will join us in a chorus or two! "We'll meet on the ledge." john G johnnygnote@hotmail.com I first heard Sandy on the Fotheringay Album in 1971. I was floored by the voice of this very tiney but awsome woman. Needless to say I became quite enamoured with her, You might say I still have a crush on her. Over the years I grabed every album by Sandy I could find and was blown away when I found her singing on Battle Of Evermore with Zeppelin. Wen I heard of her passing I went in to mourning for almost 2 years and a deppresion that lasted a bit longer. Most of my friends couldn't understand what I did. Being a musician, songwriter and singer, I knew that the world had lost one of the greatest artists we will ever know. Sandy lives on in my heart and I'm sure in the hearts of many others. She, like so many others we have lost, can never be replaced. People may like or dislike her music. BUT!!! in my opinion her singing, her writing, her very persona was and is a blessing on this Earth!!! Damien Aulsberry emilyandsean@eircom.net Your review was amazing never hav i read such a perfect take on a person. you describe sandy denny to a tee. i have been listening to her for 20 years and she just blows my mind everytime i hear her voice. I listen to quite a bit of folk music mainly irish but i have always had a love for sandy and fairport. its not just music its a way of life. i met the fairport line up as it was then in 1987 and they have kept in contact ever since through their newsletter.Im from Kildare and in the town of Kilcullen in particular Fairport and Sandy are Gods. Robert faial47@gmail.com My first encounter with Sandy Denny came from hearing Judy Collins sing 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" On her 1968 album of the same title. I thought it was not only the best song I had ever heard Judy Collins sing, but also one of the most beautiful songs I'd ever heard. A check of the liner notes revealed it had been written by Sandy Denny. I haunted record stores for 2 years and everywhere I went (in the US) no one had ever heard of Sandy Denny, nor were there any listings of recordings under her name. I happened one day into a store called "Pooh-Bah Records" in Pasadena, lamenting to the owner that I had been searching for a long time to find Sandy Denny records. He said " She's in a band, you know. It's called fairport Convention. I have a record that they released last year, no one's bought it yet. he pulled out a dusty copy of Liege & Lief. I bought it, took it home, and played it for 4 days straight! From that moment on, I have bought every recording of Strawbs, Fa! irport, Fotheringay, Led Zepplin, solo albums and samplers that contain her magical voice.Yes, I bought the book, too. I hav also purchased every Fairport album as well as solo efforts by Fairport members past & present. As Richard Thompson said on one of the Fairport videos, " Sandy was a one-off" There never has been, nor will there ever be anothe Sandy Denny. However, she will live forever in the hearts and minds of those who knew her. Brian Lockyer Exmouth, Devon I have recently rediscovered the beautiful voice of Sandy Denny. Her singing affects me like no other singer can and compliments the stunning sea views from the windows of my flat. A very sad loss but she has left an amazing legacy. The best English female singer/songwriter ever. TAD Port Orchard, USA Adrian: Your write-up on Sandy Denny is BEAUTIFUL. I mainly know of her from Fairport's CHRONICLES best-of -- "Listen, Listen" was the 1 that really got me, whatta voice -- but I'm still looking 4 her solo albums. Yr writeup on her is the 1st writing in quite awhile that's brot tears 2 my eyes. U're doing a LOT more than just reviewing music. Keep it up.... Kris England Reading the feedback on the article you have written on Sandy has sent shivers right up and down me. I have listened to her 1967 album over and over and although I am now 60 years of age, I am finally becoming brave enough to attempt to sing some of Sandy's songs. I hope she will come along 'in spirit' and help me sing them well. She is perfection in singing for me. Countless numbers of my generation revere her and Fairport. Bibi Sweden A baby will respond to it's mothers voice and instinctively know from the very first second of it's life where it belongs. Yes, Sandy's greatness is in her unique voice. It is tragical that perhaps we will never hear emotional warm voice from a singer of her calibre.Hearing her I feel like a motherless child. How beutiful and .... tragic.Tragic to hear this answer/question: Sandy who ???

A band actually, rather than a solo release as such, although lack of communication and confusion on the part of producer Joe Boyd led to Sandy splitting the group in an attempt to keep Joe Boyd in England. Sandy Denny and Trevor Lucas. Jerry Donahue and a rhythm section of Pat Donaldson on bass and Gerry Conway on drums. Post Sandy of course, Fairport released the eccentric in places 'lads' album, 'Full House'. Sandy forms Fotheringay, a very harmonious, tasteful and classy band. Exceptional players yet well within the confines of musical acceptibility. Indeed, the most common critiscm of this era of Sandy's all too brief career is that Fotheringay were too harmonius a bunch, hence the album lacking some of the fire and tension that produced Sandy's best work with Fairport. Oh, only one of the songs here, 'Banks In The Nile' is traditional. There's no fiddle. The sound is more akin to then contemporary singer/songwriter than folk-rock. Sandy contributes a number of piano based tunes, Trevor Lucas is responsible for penning 'The Ballad Of Ned Kelly' and co-pens 'Peace In The End' with Sandy. He also leads the band through their renditions of Dylan's 'Too Much Of Nothing' and Gordon Lightfoot's 'The Way I Feel'. So, i'll ignore the Sandy penned tunes for a moment and concentrate on what else is contained within the CD. By far the weakest cut on the album is Trevor's 'The Ballad Of Ned Kelly', sitting uneasily as it does alongside the superior Sandy material. He does better with other peoples songs, 'The Way I Feel' for instance featuring a Lucas lead vocal and sterling, storming guitar work that really does make it a highlight of the entire LP set. The Dylan cover is very much in Fairport mode I suppose, yet with such competition in the Dylan covers genre, fails to quite distinguish itself. The Denny co-penned hippy singalong of 'Peace In The End' also sports a Lucas lead vocal and is quite enjoyable. What such Lucas led material adds upto is something solid, yet without moments of sheer magic. Fortunately for Fotheringay as a band, Sandy had a few self-penned aces up her sleeve.

I love the way Sandy's songs seem to occupy their own worlds and sense of time. 'The Pond And The Stream' is vague story-telling, strong impressionism and leaves much to the imagination. The emotion present in the voice lends added emotions, the result is as the singer intended. Certain words and phrases are sung in such a way as to make them focus, such as bold type on a page. The medieval guitar passages are all too fit for a song that's as timeless as it's creators voice. 'Winter Winds' is another medieval sounding piece akin to a new 'Fotheringay' the song, appropriately enough. 'Banks Of The Nile' is pure excersize in Sandy as a singer, and as such is clearly great. 'The Sea' and 'Nothing More' are both among the finest Denny compositions. Her voice is still at full strength, possibly the best it ever was, in 1970. Fotheringay benefitted, but nobody was under any illustions what the main attraction was. Still, half of the best solo Sandy ever and half of a decent and competent folk/country/rock band is still pretty good. As such, this falls just shy of classic yet Sandy's song are enough.

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Readers Comments Simon Patten qwhizzer@yahoo.co.uk By and large I agree with your comments in respect of the above album although I'm inclined to think that your admiration (entirely deserved) for Sandy's contribution means you are a bit unfair to Trevor Lucas. My own view for what it's worth is that his contributions stand up pretty well in the context of this particular album and that he and Sandy were probably at their happiest as a couple at this time. This may in turn have contributed to her own performance on the album which, I quite agree shows off her voice and songwriting at its very best. This was the band's first album and it all came apart before they could produce a second although some of the material did end up on Sandy's solo albums. What a shame they didn't stay together! Still this is one of my all-time favourite albums. Phil Morris Israel I saw here solo and with Fotheringay in Manchester...stunning voice, stunning songs, it has been said a lot but finally like Nick Drake her work is being re-assessed. Like many others, awaiting Fotheringay 2 with great anticipation. And I too think that Trevor Lucas is greatly underestimated as writer and singer--his live version of Dylan's Forever Young on the Attic Tracks just reminds you of how much time sadly has passed since Trevor and Sandy were around and performing. Barbara Kirk Wakefield I find the Trevor Lucas track 'Ballad Of Ned Kelly' much too derivative of Bob Dylan's 'You Ain't Going Nowhere', but him and Sandy singing together on Gordon Lighfoot's 'The Way I Feel' is much better.I always liked 'The Pond & The Stream' best on this as it relates so much to a relationship I had with a man who was always going to different places when I just stayed at home a lot.

Fotheringay lasted less than a year and released just one album during their lifetime - this project completed some 38 years after it was first abandoned. Surviving band members Jerry Donohue, Gerry Conway and Pat Donaldson reworked the original tapes, including the best takes and adding new parts where necessary. The result is a remarkably complete set of songs that will provide much joy for Sandy Denny and folk-rock fans everywhere. '2' presents alternating lead vocals, beginning with Sandy's 'John The Gun', a different take of which would appear on her solo debut. Trevor Lucas provides us with 'Eppie Moray' then Sandy beautifully delivers 'Wild Mountain Thyme' and so on. Dylan's 'I Don't Believe You' gets transformed by Fotheringay and provides one of the highlights of the set. Unusually as far as the critics will tell you, Trevor provides this highlight not Sandy. Sure, he wasn't a patch on Sandy as a vocalist, then again, who was? As it stands, one of my least favourite Dylan tunes is brought to life and links Fotheringay to Fairport in more ways than one. Speaking of vocals, Denny's voice throughout the country tinged 'Silver Threads And Golden Needles' are absolutely superbly heartbreakingly lovely.

'Bold Jack Donahue' is the album's epic, seven minutes of folk story-telling sung by Lucas. Sandy sings the closing track, a delicate guitar pattern over which she sings softly, seemingly without effort yet the effect is certainly there, a moment of understated class to brings things to conclusion. Not the best album Sandy was involved in, then again, she did leave half-way through proceedings which is why only two Denny compositions feature. Yet, 'Fotheringay 2' is certainly a worthwhile addition to your Fairport/Denny catalogue.

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Richard Thompson co-produced this album with Sandy and engineer John Wood. Everybody wanted a true Thompson/Denny collaboration, sadly, 'North Star Grassman' wasn't to be the kind of collaboration we wanted. Richard's guitar parts are always technically impressive and 'right', yet creatively, he's in the shadows here, hiding behind Sandy. Sandy plays piano and presumably wrote the majority of these songs on piano. Richard plays the majority of the lead guitar parts. The rhythm section are far too polite and nobody seems to want to take the lead. Sandy should have been taking the lead, of course. Her songs feature, eight of the eleven songs are Denny compositions. Yet, there is no clear artistic direction and everybody merely seems to be playing their own parts. Richard's parts often sit behind Sandy's piano melodies, making them rather redundant. Sandy, following the break-up of Fotheringay, it could be said, wasn't at her most confident here. Having said all of this, of course, there are still some terrific compositions and performances present.

The opening tune 'Late November' works, Richard Thompson plays a distinctive melody seperate to Sandy's Piano which dominates. Good lyrics and flowing into the traditional 'Blackwaterside' forming a strong album opening. You still wish that Richard would let go though and truly play creatively. He seems too in awe of Sandy throughout the album, always wanting to support her but not wanting to cause any conflict. It wasn't this way in Fairport where every member was seen as equally important. 'Down In The Flood' continues on from Fairport covers of Dylan tunes, yet again, nobody really seems to be holding this cover version together. Excellent Piano playing from Ian Whiterman and lead vocals from Richard Thompson effectively sees Sandy relegated to backing vocalist on a song for her own album! It's just a strange thing the lack of confidence issue she had. Good tune though, good cover, excellent rock n roll Piano parts.

Three guitarists along with violin and a good rhythm section see that 'John The Gun' is one of the highlights here. Sandy sings well of course and but for a slick lack of pace, this is a perfect performance. Fairport in their pomp could have done this Sandy tune better justice, but it's still pretty good as we have it here. Nobody steps on anybody else's toes, that's the problem. Great violin though and a great tune. Still, 'Next Time Around' is a mighty highlight. The strings frame Sandy's voice well, her Piano is always prominent, playing minor key melodies. This tune has a late at night feel and her vocal is very emotionally affecting. Lyrics as poetry, those strings. John Wood, engineer on the Nick Drake albums, sure knew how to record strings. Still, for all the tasteful and well performed songs, the album rarely rises above a mid-tempo stupor. Sandy alone with her voice and songs hold this album together. The excellent title track, for example. Even with the lacklustre energy, it's still a brilliant song. 'Crazy Lady Blues' is great instance of a stellar Sandy song suffering from this albums lack of idenity. The album remains wonderfully listenable though, as most of Sandy's discography does.

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Readers Comments Noel Herbert Newport, S Wales 4 hours this review cost me 2 to find it and 2 to listen to it a few times THANK YOU i forgot how good this is the best female singer GB has produced such a loss to music they played a clip on last nights later with jools on BBC2 and Robert Plant was talking about her Thanks again

I watched X-Factor tonight. Inbetween songs, I went to my local Chinese and the girl at the counter was chatting up a big, bulky type of guy. Tracksuit, tall, fat, probably plays rugby and probably left school with no qualifications. I don't mean to sound jealous at his obvious immense attraction to women, it was more his comment that the contestent that was on the TV (in the chinese) was actually a good singer. Yes, X-Factor was on the little telly in the Chinese. He was probably six foot, weighing 18 stone. I'm five foot seven and weigh nine stone. After he'd expressed his admiration for this extremely bad karaoke type X-Factor performance I firmly told him she was shit, that I could throw a brick out the window and find a better singer. I'm not sure the food I eventually received hadn't been doctored. People in Coventry should probably beware. Me? Well, I don't like arriving at a food outlet and finding the staff flirting with a particular customer and not actually paying attention to what they are doing. Why is this important when reviewing a Sandy Denny box set? Well, apart from the fact the very box and artwork should mark this as some kind of masterpiece designed to be held in a museum? We also have to put up with people accepting sub-standard singers. We have to put up with people praising style. We have to put up with people never knowing Sandy Denny and how important she was - the greatest singer the British Isles has ever produced and probably ever will.

19 CDs here, 11 of which contain your regular and complete Sandy albums, with Fairport, Strawbs, Fotheringay, etc, etc. The other 8 CDs contain bonus material, much of which is rare, some of which has never been released before. Genuinely, everything is here. A 72 page hardback book, a reproduction of one of her notebooks. Yes, this set costs an awful lot of money but think of it as a lasting piece of art and something to hand down to generations to come. Keep the voice alive, keep the voice alive.... On the very first disc, a genuine gem pops up track four, 'Milk And Honey'. My, this is early Sandy with her flowing, sensual, strong and evocative voice. Tricky guitar work, what could have been acoustic bass.... it's utterly gorgeous. Folk-rock from the Sixties with The Strawbs fills up much of disc two, 'I'm On My Way' proving that a Sandy Denny vocal could elevate almost any run of the mill American/Byrds influenced slice of folk/pop. Her first version of 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes', Sandy and acoustic - some people prefer this version. 'Rock On' by 'The Bunch' recorded in 1971 and 1972 was a Fairport reunion of sorts. A bunch of covers were recorded, Trevor Lucas produced and nobody bought any copies of it. I've never heard anything from it til now, even with Pat Donaldson on bass rather than the usual Fairport guy, even without Dave Swarbrick involved, it's lots of fun. Disc twelve is early home demos, CD 15 has 'Northstar Grassman' demos. A revelation here is a duet with Richard Thompson titled 'Walking The Floor Over You', a slice of rock fun, very loose but a Duet between Sandy and Richard? Hey, Richard sounds like he's learning how to sing!

Fairport Convention live in LA in 1974 have a whole disc devoted to themselves, very good it is too, Dylan cover included. Disc 17 features an interview with John Peel, both sound very English, particularly Sandy of course - she seems quite happy here which is good. John Peel seems different to the John Peel of the 80s and 90s that I know, still terribly polite but actually asking Sandy Denny about single sales which made me smile. Naturally, Sandy never sold any quantity of singles, ever. Disc 19 is a gem, demos recorded between 1974 and 1977 and almost worth the price of the box-set by themselves. 'One More Chance' sports an impressive, awe-inspiring vocal and many of these Sandy and Piano demos just shine. She really didn't need anything else and I wish she'd made a regular album this way. 19 discs of Sandy Denny? There's not much more really that needs to be said. A whole lifetime of listening is here.

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