Wyrd-Folk Top 15 Greatest Albums.

My Wyrd-Folk Top 15 Greatest Albums

One of my absolute favourite areas of music which I could easily have filled up with another 15.

Carefully worded so as not to say ‘Acid Folk’, this is perhaps better described as Progressive Folk.

15 – Davy Graham – Midnight Man.
Close to a year-zero point for the evolution of progressive folk. Inspired by Alex Campbell’s absorption of Middle Eastern folk, The Fakir feels very much like the starting point.

14 – David McWilliams – Vol. 2.
Like The Dubliners crossed with Scott Walker via Donovan. Days of Pearly Spencer is worth the entry fee, but everything else is almost as good. And produced by Mike Leander.

13 – Sandy Denny – North Star Grassman.
No fuzz guitar here, and actually quite traditional in form, but it paints a wonderfully evocative framework for her fabulous songwriting and voice. Classy, with some superb Richard Thompson accompaniment.

12 – Clive’s Original Band – Spirit of Love.
Equal to the very best from ISB. Clive was always the most interesting member. This and Moyshe McStiff are absolute high points of the period. I found an old Daily Record from 1966 that had an article about him being busted for homemade LSD.

11 – Forest – Full Circle.
Like Tam O’Shanter played by a darker, heavier Incredible String Band. Witches, graveyards and the hanging of robbers abound.

10 – Carolanne Pegg – Carolanne Pegg.
More witches, graveyards and hangings, with added magical spells. Much in line with Sandy Denny, but with far more whimsical lyrics that feel like a blueprint for Kate Bush.

9 – Stone Angel – Stone Angel.
Even more witches, graveyards and hung robbers. One of those super-rare private pressings which was semi-officially re-released in the 90s. A fine selection of songs made suitably evocative by the primitive production. This is not a super-rare-private pressing copy though!

8 – Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band – No Roses.
A Fairport offshoot with one of the greatest singers ever. What’s not to love?

7 – Steeleye Span – Hark! The Village Wait.
Another Fairport offshoot, this time with the absolute cream of British and Irish folk. Anyone who has only heard All Around My Hat is in for a surprise – this is almost like a folk Velvet Underground, full of ancient drones.

6 – Fairport Convention – Full House.
Not as highly regarded as their previous effort, but I think this is their high point. Richard Thompson at his best. Better playing and songs all round, and somehow it works better without the star attraction of Sandy. However, Sloth does make me think of Richard Thompson’s breakfast.

5 – Comus – First Utterance.
Anyone who has heard this knows what to expect – to be scared. Very much in line with the soundtrack to The Wicker Man. One of the all-time greats of Acid Folk.

4 – Bread, Love and Dreams – Amaryllis.
Another super rarity. Released as a companion to their previous album and intended to be the more thoughtful. The great medley on side A almost supersedes the rest of the record.

3 – Incredible String Band – The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter.
Everyone knows this is their best. Even Led Zeppelin loved it. They also invented crusties.

2 – Anne Briggs – The Time Has Come.
Another of the absolute greatest singers of any genre. For years she sang unaccompanied. Here she manages to sympathetically accompany herself on guitar while allowing the listener to feel it’s merely there to accentuate the mood.

1 – Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs.
Along with the equally great Trees, this album creates the absolute template for Acid Folk. This just pips it for me due to the songwriting skills and the complete feel of the album

And bubbling under…