Growing up out of the grass-roots of the 70’s London folk scene, Wooden Horse were often likened to American acts such as Crosby Stills and Nash, Neil Young, and Peter, Paul and Mary, for their use of close vocal harmonies and acoustic textures.
Susan Traynor (a.k.a. Noosha Fox) was the female vocalist in this group. Songwriters David Mateer and Malcom Harrison provided vocals and guitar. The line-up was completed by Steve Marwood on lead guitar and Neil Brockbank on bass.
Their albums straight ahead acoustic folk with variations here and there if you are a fan of Fox then we'd say these lps are essential to see the kind of Susan aka Noosha sang in before Fox.
'Celebration Song' is a great folk-rock song somewhere between Peter, Paul, and Mary's folk enthusiasm and the Velvet Underground's flair for songwriting comes this number with glorious vocals from Noosha and the guys singing background vocals... an organ solo comes in unexpectedly with zippy enthusiasm, then begins again 'all along the st. i see the dancers...one of their very best compositions, and a tune you'll never forget....
'Wooden Horses', acoustic guitars play a slow tune, gloomy, peaceful sound. 'America', some really good lyrics for an excellent tune !, Noosha again shines out here, it's a song about leaving london and traveling thru states in the us such as washington and virginia. 'Kali', this one is in the style of Gordon Lightfoot a straight ahead folk tune.....male singer - ' Kali i can't even say i really knew your name, i only know i'd no more time, no one left to blame'....
'Pick Up The Pieces', another good one, the vioces here are prominent over the instruments. 'July Morning' another Gordon Lightfoot / John Denver style acoustic number. 'Coming Home' is a soft folk that ends wonderfully. 'For You' ,slow song with piano playing, somewhere a sax comes in and plays a melody.
'On This Day', the male singer and Noosha sing this peaceful one together , kinda in the style of Fairport Convention, and the Velvet Underground. 'Afternoon', a quiet folk tune, final track'Typewriter And Guitar, is a lovely ending, very quiet, closer to Leonard Cohen's LP of '68 than anyone else.
1. Celebration Song - 3:22
2. Wooden Horses - 4:53
3. America - 3:21
4. Kali (Malcolm Harrison) - 4:28
5. Pick Up The Pieces - 3:27
6. July Morning - 1:28
7. Coming Home (Malcolm Harrison) - 5:10
8. For You - 3:10
9. On This Day - 3:38
10. Afternoon - 2:05
11. Typewriter And Guitar (Malcolm Harrison) - 3:48
Words and Music by David Mateer except where stated.
Wooden Horse
*Susan Traynor «Noosha Fox» - Vocals
*David "Dave" Mateer - Guitar, Vocals
*Malcolm Harrison - Guitar, Vocals
*Steve Marwood - Lead Guitar
*Neil Brockbank - Bass
*Dave Young - Flute, Saxophone
*Bob Irwin - Drums
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