Monday, October 1, 2018

Friends - Fragile (1972 uk, fabulous prog folk psych rock, 2005 hard paper sleeve remaster and expanded)



The rarest, and I would dare to say best, folk/psych album from Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, musical brainchildren behind Ithaca, Agincourt, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and Tomorrow Come Someday. This fifth Howell/Ferdinando album had just been completed in or around 1974 when the partnership came to an end. Howell had been working at the BBC as a studio manager since 1970 (he'd provided a stiff upper lip voiceover for John Peels Top Gear shows), but he was now offered a position with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which he accepted, and still holds. An album so incredibly rare (only a single acetate exists), that many have doubted the album’s existence… until now! “Friends” still has the recognizable Ithaca and/or Agincourt sound, with lead vocals mainly by Peter Howell mostly, but with all the same elements and participants, and four tracks featuring the lovely vocals of Ruth Cubbin. A pastoral psychedelic folk stroll in the sunshine, with a few tracks reminiscent of 60's soft psych. Very good!!”
Tracks
1. You Need Friends - 3:00
2. A Tale Of Your Life (Ruth Cubbin, Peter Howell) - 2:39
3. Summer Sunday Blues - 2:20
4. One Sweet Day - 2:17
5. Memories - 2:10
6. Lonely Road - 3:10
7. In The Morning - 3:22
8. Come Inside - 2:43
9. Take A Walk - 3:31
10.River Song - 2:41
11.Once In A Winter Town (Ruth Cubbin, Peter Howell) - 2:02
12.Time To Run - 3:01
All compositions byPeter Howell except where noted

Musicians
*Peter Howell - Guitar, Vocals
*John Ferdinando - Guitar, Vocals, Mandolin
*Bill Aitken - Electric Guitar, Drums
*Ruth Cubbin - Vocals
*Andrew Lowcock - Flute

Related Act
1972-73  Ithaca - A Game For All Who Know

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