Shawn Phillips - Faces (1969-72 us, gorgeous orchestrated folk with psych and prog tinges, 2014 remaster)

Shawn Phillips is one of most fascinating and enigmatic musicians to come out of the early '70s singer-songwriter boom. The mere fact that he was a musician as much as a singer and songwriter made him stand out, and helped him attract a dedicated following. His refusal to shape his music -- which crosses between folk-rock, jazz, progressive, pop, and classical -- to anyone else's expectations has allowed him to hold onto a large and dedicated cult following, without ever achieving the stardom that his talent seems to merit.......

With 15 albums behind him since the mid-1960s, Phillips has a following, in America, Europe, and Japan, and he has performed at different world music festivals. A cult figure whose peers include Van Dyke Parks and, perhaps, Leonard Cohen (though Cohen's public profile is enhanced by his following, as an established poet and author, in the literary community), he remains an enigmatic figure on the music landscape. 

Faces is a very challenging and rewarding album, with some of the most driving songs Phillips ever wrote, juxtaposed with material even more ethereal than anything on Second Contribution. Faces shows Phillips working through music so soft and reflective that at times it almost seems as though it may break, balanced with solid electric rock, some of it with a topical message yet -- check out "I Took a Walk."

by Bruce Eder 

Tracks
1. Landscape - 4:20
2. L Ballade - 7:22
3. Hey Miss Lonely - 3:36
4. Chorale - 7:34
5. Parisian Plight II - 13:19
6. We - 3:43
7. Anello (Where Are You) - 2:24
8. I Took A Walk - 4:52
9. A Christmas Song - 3:27
Words and Music by Shawn Phillips

Musicians
*Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Vocals
*Paul Buckmaster - Cello, Keyboards, Piano
*Glenn Ross Campbell - Steel  Guitar
*Jack Conrad - Bass
*Martyn Ford - French Horn
*Ed Greene - Drums
*Remi Kabaka - Percussion
*Skaila Kanga - Harmonica, Harp
*David Katz - Orchestra Contractor, Violin
*Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel
*Henry Lowther - Trumpet
*Chris Mercer - Tenor  Saxophone
*Ed Morin - Drums
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*John Pignegny - French Horn
*Caleb Quaye - Guitar
*Joe Sample - Keyboards, Piano
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*Steve Winwood - Keyboards, Organ

1970  Shawn Phillips - Contribution / Second Contribution (2009 remaster)

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