> Shirley Collins > Records > The Foggy Dew
Shirley Collins: The Foggy Dew
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The Foggy Dew Collector Records JEB3 (EP, UK, 1959/60) |
Recorded in London in March 1959;
Engineer Bernard Mattimore;
Produced by Paul Carter and Colin Pomroy;
Cover photo by Colin Tait
Musicians
Shirley Collins, vocals, 5-string banjo;
Robin Hall, guitar
Tracks
| Side 1 | Side 2 |
|---|---|
Review
This review is from Gramophone, March 1960:
Sweet England, eighteen love songs and ballads “from Southern England” sung by Shirley Collins (Argo LP RG150), carries a sleeve-note in which Alan Lomax predicts that within ten years Miss Collins could be a major artist. He may be right, but at the moment I should like to hear more assurance and more variety in her singing. It is right and proper for a folk singer to sound anonymous, but that is hardly the same thing as lacking presence. Nevertheless, this is a useful collection of songs, including such delightful items as The Cuckoo and The Bonny Labouring Boy. It seems a little odd, though, to find an Irish, a New Zealand and three American songs in the line-up, even if one of the American items—Omie Wise, a mountain murder ballad—is given the dead-pan, faintly sardonic treatment it demands. Purists may also object to the accompanying banjos and guitars, which add an extra transatlantic flavour to the music. Similar criticisms can be levelled at The Foggy Dew (Collector JEB3), on which—in addition to the title-song—Miss Collins sings Brigg Fair, The Berkshire Tragedy and Geordie. Fuzzy recording doesn't help to improve matters.
> Shirley Collins > Records > English Songs
Shirley Collins: English Songs
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English Songs Collector Records JEB5 (EP, UK, 1959/60) |
Recorded in London in 1958/59;
Produced by Paul Carter
Musicians
Shirley Collins, vocals, 5-string banjo;
Robin Hall, guitar
Tracks
| Side 1 | Side 2 |
|---|---|
|
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Review
This review is from Gramophone, February 1961:
I suppose Shirley Collins is aiming at a similar effect to A. L. Lloyd, but anonymity is not the same thing as apathy, and too much of Miss Collins's singing on Collector JEB5 sounds both transparent and sleepy. Apart from The Unquiet Grave, a song which inevitably rivets the attention, the performances on this EP are sadly lacking in vitality. (And after praising Collector Records for an improvement in quality, I now have to back-pedal and warn would-be purchasers of this Shirley Collins EP—not one of their most recent issues—that my copy contained one or two flaws.)
> Shirley Collins > Records > English Songs #2
Shirley Collins: English Songs volume 2
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English Songs volume 2 Collector Records JEB9 (EP, UK, 1959/60) |
Recorded in London in 1958/59;
Engineer Bernard Mattimore;
Produced by Colin Pomroy;
Cover design S. Hudson
I'm a stymied about the release date of this EP. I presume it was recorded and published at about the same time as the English Songs EP above, which should make it to 1959 or 1960 as there is the Grammophone review from March 1960. But then, this EP has the printed note “C.R. Recording First Published 1964”.
Musicians
Shirley Collins, vocals, 5-string banjo;
Robin Hall, guitar
Tracks
| Side 1 | Side 2 |
|---|---|
|
> Shirley Collins > Records > Shirley Sings Irish
Shirley Collins: Shirley Sings Irish
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Shirley Sings Irish Collector Records JEI1508 (EP, UK, 1959/60) |
Recorded in London in 1958/59;
Produced by Paul Carter
Musicians
Shirley Collins, vocals, 5-string banjo;
Robin Hall, guitar
Tracks
- Love is Teasing
- She Moves Through the Fair
- The Bold Irish Boy
- Must I Go Bound
- Dennis O'Reilly
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Alistair Banfield for the cover pictures of the two English Songs EPs.
Thanks to Quentin Kean for pointing me to the Gramophone reviews which help to determine the issue date of these EPs more precisely.