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Early Days
Watersons
Early Days
Genres: Folk, International Music, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (27) - Disc #1

Introducing these recordings on their first appearance in the mid-'60s A.L. Lloyd wrote of this new singing group's 'hand-crafted harmonies, an immediately recognisable and uniquely distinctive group sound which is unin...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Watersons
Title: Early Days
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Topic Records
Release Date: 8/9/1994
Genres: Folk, International Music, Pop
Styles: Traditional Folk, British & Celtic Folk
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 5016272472020

Synopsis

Album Description
Introducing these recordings on their first appearance in the mid-'60s A.L. Lloyd wrote of this new singing group's 'hand-crafted harmonies, an immediately recognisable and uniquely distinctive group sound which is uninhibited, spontaneous seeming and rich in texture.' What became of The Watersons after that is history, and can be followed step by step in Topic's other Watersons CDs. "Early Days" recaptures the youthful sound of the original quartet in 27 performances from long-deleted albums.
 

CD Reviews

Stunning unaccompanied singing.
bethnal3 | Canada | 06/01/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is vintage Watersons, and a sterling example of the English a capella vocal tradition, not overpolished but with a vigour and a freshness that wakes you up. Just listen, for example, to "King Arthur's Servants", with a young Norma Waterson singing a clear girlish lead, and the rest of the family coming in with a bracing heartiness on the chorus. I first heard this particular track in a live Clancy brothers version, which was somewhat ruined by some preceding Anglophobic remarks (please, if you're going to cover English material, at least have the courtesy not to insult the creators of it at the same time!) and I had no idea what an exciting song it could be. But that is the case with so many of the songs on this album --even if you've already heard "The Broom of Cowdenknowes", you will be amazed by the almost symphonic sound produced by the family (incredible that there were only four of them). It also contains a rarity, a calling-on song, the prelude to a miracle play, introducing and describing each character ("Ye Noble Spectators"). And they do a wonderful job with Ewan MacColl's "Thirty-Foot Trailer", and the delightfully boisterous "All For Me Grog." We also cannot forget Norma's exquisite rendition of "The North Country Maid" (otherwise known as "The Oak and the Ash". Don't write this album off because it's early Watersons. It is a gem for all that, and if you want to hear pure harmonies and authentic English folk singing you can't do much better than this."