Four CDs round up the complete and utter Lindisfarne tale, from their arrival on the mainstream scene with 1970's still stunning Nicely Out of Tune through the following year's flirtation with stardom via Fog on the Tyne, and on through the sadly diminishing returns that were Dingly Dell and Roll on Ruby. Yes, the story would continue later in the '70s, and on and off since then, too.
But the first incarnation of the band was the one that mattered the most, and those first two albums remain quintessential early-'70s folk-rock, with neither folk nor rock having much to do with any of it. Lindisfarne are, perhaps rightfully, best judged by their two biggest hits, the sad mystery of "Lady Eleanor" and the singalong joy of "Meet Me on the Corner." Add "We Can Swing Together," "No Time to Lose" (amazingly, a mere B-side at the time) and "Fog on the Tyne," and Lindisfarne could have been the new Faces if only Alan Hull had wanted to be the next Rod Stewart. But pop fame and fortune sat awkwardly on the group's shoulders, which is why Dingly Dell was the original lineup's final shout.
The band split, some to form Jack the Lad; the rest to continue as a revamped soft rock Lindisfarne whose presence here (the final disc) really does spoil the proceedings somewhat. Better to end with the concert disc that takes 1973's Lindisfarne Live album, expands it to take in the entire evening's entertainment, and reveals Lindisfarne to have been one of the most entertaining live acts of their era. That, and a near-full album's worth of bonus material drawn from period singles, compilations, and mispressings ensure this is a must-have box set, even for fans who think they already own all the Lindisfarne they could ever need.
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Lady Eleanor - 4:16
2. Road to Kingdom Come (Clements) - 4:15
3. Winter Song - 5:14
4. Turn a Deaf Ear 3:56
5. Clear White Light, Pt. 2 - 4:07
6. We Can Swing Together - 5:48
7. Alan in the River With Flowers - 3:09
8. Down - 3:11
9. The Things I Should Have Said (Clements) - 4:03
10.Jackhammer Blues (Guthrie) - 3:25
11.Scarecrow Song - 3:23
12.Knackers Yard Blues (Clements) - 3:39
13.Nothing But the Marvellous Is Beautiful - 4:42
14.From My Window (Clements) - 3:29
15.On My Own I Built a Bridge (Out Take) 4:17
16.Lady Eleanor (US Mix) - 4:15
17.We Can Swing Together (US Mix) - 3:31
18.Scarecrow Song (US Mix) - 4:02
19.Meet Me On the Corner (Demo Version) (Clements) - 2:37
Disc 2
1. Meet Me On the Corner (Clements) - 2:40
2. Alright On the Night - 3:33
3. Uncle Sam (Cowe) - 2:57
4. Together Forever 2:35
5. January Song - 4:14
6. Peter Brophy Don't Care - 2:49
7. City Song - 3:06
8. Passing Ghosts - 2:30
9. Train in G Major (Clements) - 3:10
10.Fog On the Tyne - 3:24
11.Scotch Mist (Clements, Cowe, Hull, Laidlaw) - 2:07
12.No Time to Lose - 3:15
13.January Song (Extended Version) - 6:11
14.All Fall Down - 3:41
15.Plankton's Lament (Cowe) - 1:55
16.Bring Down the Government - 1:29
17.Poor Old Ireland - 2:58
18.Don't Ask Me (Clements) - 3:31
19.O No Not Again - 3:21
20.Dingle Regatta (Traditional) - 1:05
21.Wake Up Little Sister - 2:52
22.Go Back (Cowe) - 2:59
23.Court in the Act - 3:09
24.Mandolin King - 2:34
25.Dingly Dell - 6:09
Disc 3
1. Intro 1:13
2. Together Forever - 3:06
3. No Time to Lose - 3:56
4. January Song - 5:04
5. Meet Me On the Corner (Clements) - 3:41
6. Alright On the Night - 4:31
7. Train in G Major (Clements) - 3:29
8. Scotch Mist (Clements, Cowe, Hull, Laidlaw) - 2:43
9. Lady Eleanor - 6:01
10.Knacker's Yard Blues (Clements) - 4:54
11.Fog On the Tyne - 5:50
12.We Can Swing Together - 17:52
13.Jackhammer Blues (Guthrie) - 5:40
14.Clear White Light - 11:08
Disc 4
1. Taking Care of Business - 2:57
2. North Country Boy (Duffy) - :26
3. Steppenwolf - 5:01
4. Nobody Loves You Anymore 3:05
5. When the War is Over - 5:02
6. Moonshine (Duffy) - 3:56
7. Lazy - 3:22
8. Roll On River 5:19
9. Tow the Line 2:32
10.Goodbye (Duffy) - 4:46
11.Taking Care of Business (US Mix) - 2:58
12.North Country Boy (US Mix) (Duffy) - 3:22
13.Roll On River (US Mix) - 5:25
All compositions by Alan Hull except where indicated.
Lindisfarne
*Rod Clements - Electric Bass, 12 String, Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Organ, Piano, Violin, Vocals
*Simon Cowe - Banjo, 12 String, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Ken Craddock - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
*Tommy Duffy - Bass, Vocals
*Charlie Harcourt - Guitar
*Alan Hull - 12 String, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonium, Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Vocals
*Ray Jackson - Harmonica, Harp, Mandolin, Vocals
*Ray Laidlaw - Drums
*Paul Nichols - Drums
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