Magna Carta: Songs From Wasties Orchard - 1971

The group's third album was a good one and it was notable for featuring Davey Johnstone on guitar, who would join Elton John's band later the same year.

The album begins with the very Simon & Garfunkel-ish the Bridge At Knaresborough Town, an atmospheric, haunting folk song that brings to mind Scarborough Fair as well as The Byrds' He Was A Friend Of Mine. We get what sounds like a sitar solo on here, mid-song.  

White Snow Dove is what is by now archetypal Magna Carta - an harmonious, folky, acoustic offering enhanced by some flute and Elizabethan-sounding keyboards. Parliament Hill is a marvellous serving of rhythmic early seventies groovy UK folk. Love it, even though parts of its rhythm are decidedly Mrs. Robinson. It still has its own identity. I first heard it on a compilation of UK folky numbers. 

Wayfaring is a soft number notable for one of those lovely warm basslines. Down Along Up is also very folky, but more upbeat and breezy. It has a most winsome backing - lovely percussion, crystal clear guitar and violin. Country Jam is a yee-haw US-styled romp of the type that I reckon Ringo Starr would have loved, as indeed would Paul McCartney. It is very much of the Americana style of the period. 

Time For The Leaving brings us back on side two to that more recognisable Magna Carta ballad sound. There is some nicely subtle orchestration on it and a great bass, of course. Great vocal harmonies too. Isle Of Skye is peaceful and beautiful as you somehow would expect it to be. Sponge is an instrumental reel of the type that Steeleye Span would specialise in during the same period. Listen to it and you will know what I mean.

If you want a quiet, sleepy, reflective folk song, then you get it with Sunday On The River, which once more suits its title. The sound is again amazingly good. We then get some very sixties rock in the catchy strains of the Donovan-esque Good Morning Sun. The song features some attractive soloing in the middle. 

The album ends with the vibrant country rock of Home Groan, whose riff reminds me strongly of something else but I can't think what it is. Something from the period I guess - actually, I think it's a live version of Dylan's Maggie's Farm. Anyway, it is the album's most rocky cut. Overall, however, this was a very laid-back offering with nothing incredibly remarkable on it, but perfectly listenable.

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