Nigel Mazlyn Jones "Ship To Shore" 1976 UK Private Acid Folk masterpiece..!!
Stunning debut album from 1976 by legendary/cult UK folk musician Nigel Mazlyn Jones. Originally issued as a private pressing, Ship to Shore combines 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars with electric textures, effects and unusual soundscapes, culminating in the haunting progressive-folk 11-minute title-track. A folk-rock/acid-folk masterpiece highly recommended to anyone into John Martyn, Nick Drake, Michael Chapman, Bob Theil, or Pink Floyd. Mastertape sound, including an insert with photos and extensive liner-notes by Richard Allen. "... A pure, simple, thought-provoking, frightening and uplifting collection, it evoked timeless themes of environmental concern, spiritual surrender, natural wonderment, doubt and love all woven into a sparse yet entirely original acoustic folk sound." --Richard Allen (Freak Emporium)
A fascinating UK private pressing that sounds like it is from an earlier time, although it does occasionally give off touches that do firmly date it to the mid 1970's. Nigel has released 10 albums on his Isle of Light label, with this debut and the second album being the most sought after by collectors. On hearing the first track you could be forgiven for pigeon holing this as a Folk album, even an Acid Folk album. However, that's even less than half the story. Nigel was active on the live circuit and has collaborated with many well known 70's artists including Roy Harper, Nik Turner and even Hawkwind. These influences show on the rest of the album, with a gradual progression away from the folk sound into an earlier 70's singer/songwriter territory.
Side two journeys further into that singer/songriter territory but with a classic left field sound, with some impressive guitar work that is ever present on this album that helps lift it above many similar albums. However, the title track (for some reason placed as the last track) is where the whole album comes together in a most impressive finale. It starts with an almost frantic Acid Folk vocal and guitar interplay before it enters a middle ground between the folk and rock influences before rounding it all off with an elongated finale that keeps you drifting effortlessly on, as if floating in some dreamy Pink Floyd styled interlude.
Those Old Records (Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK).....
Beautiful and incredibly rare debut album by this UK underground legend still going strong today. Made by a UK folk rock artist often compared to early John Martyn, Nick Drake and Mick Softley the album is filled with haunting tracks featuring electric and acoustic guitar, violin, cymbals and sublime vocal harmonies. The centrepiece of the album is the epic title track, but tracks like the uplifting 'Follow Every Sunset' and the opening 'Singularly fine Day' are waves of summer magic.
Pure class that's highly recommended to lovers of UK folk rock....
Personnel
Nigel Mazlyn Jones - guitars, bass, waves, vocals
Dik Cadbury - basses, vocals
Johnny Coppin - guitar, vocals
Alleyn Menzies - drums
Jerry Riley - guitar
Rob Lloyd - guitar, mandolin
Martin Mitchell - violin
