THE STRAWBS

"GRAVE NEW WORLD     "
Original released as LP A&M AMLH 68078, UK 1972-02-04 

Side one

A1. Benedictus

A2. Hey, Little Man… Thursday’s Child

A3. Queen of Dreams

A4. Heavy Disguise

A5. New World

A6. Hey, Little Man… Wednesday’s Child

Side two 

B1. The Flower and the Young Man

B2. Tomorrow

B3. On Growing OLder

B4. Ah Me, Ah My

B5. Is It Today, Lord?

B6. Journey’s End

CREDITS:

David Cousins:  vocals, guitars, dulcimer, recorder

Tony Hooper:  vocals, guitars, autoharp, tambourin

Richard Hudson:  bass, acoustic guitars, vocals

John Ford:  vocals, guitars, dulcimer, recorder

Blue Weaver:  piano, organ, mellotron, harmonica, clavioline

Produced by David Cousins, Richard Hudson, John Ford, Blue Weaver and Tony Hooper

Sleeve design (3 flap folding)

The front cover 'Glad Day' by William Blake (British Museum)

Inner sleeve illustrations / booklet design: Paper Tiger

Recorded mainly at Morgan Studios in November 1971, but also at Island Studios (engineer: Frank Owen) and Lansdowne Studios (engineer: John Mackswith)

 

“Grave New World” é considerado o album favorito de muitos dos fans dos Strawbs. Contém algumas das canções mais conhecidas do grupo (“Benedictus”, “New World” ou “Heavy Disguise”) mas é sobretudo o todo que sobressai: uma mistura perfeita dos antecedentes folk de Cousins (ainda com Sandy Denny) com uma nova tendência de enveredar por caminhos mais roqueiros. Depois da saída de Rick Wakeman, os Strawbs reagruparam-se com a entrada do pianista Blue Weaver, que tinha começado nos Amen Corner, tendo tido logo a seguir um grande êxito (nº 1 no Reino-Unido) com os Fairweather: “Natural Sinner”. Weaver integrou-se muito bem no grupo, especialmente com o seu trabalho no mellotron, e o resultado foi este excelente album, que mais de meio século depois continua a ouvir-se com grande prazer.

As faixas variam consideravelmente em estilo, de acústicas a faixas eléctricas muito mais pesadas, e a presença forte da bateria faz-se notar do princípio ao fim. Todos os quatro vocalistas são de primeira classe, a musicalidade envolve-nos por completo e não existem faixas fracas. Quando se chega ao fim do curto tempo de audição (cerca de 36 minutos) a vontade é recomeçar tudo outra vez.

Foi o primeiro LP da história do rock a apresentar uma capa tri-partida na edição original, como que a chamar a atenção para o facto de um disco de vinil ter já ultrapassado o simples conceito musical para se tornar num objecto artístico e coleccionável. A primeira de rock mas não da música em geral. Essa honra cabe-nos a nós, portugueses, com a edição em 1969 do album “Epopeia”, dos Filarmónica Fraude.

SANDY DENNY & THE STRAWBS

Original released on LP Hallmark SHM 813

(UK, 1973 - recorded July 1967)

In 1967, folksinger Dave Cousins heard a young woman named Sandy Denny singing at a club in London, and was so impressed with her voice that he immediately invited her to join his group, the Strawbs. Before the year was out, Sandy & the Strawbs landed a deal with a small label based in Denmark and recorded an album, though a few months after it was released, Denny parted ways with the Strawbs and joined Fairport Convention, replacing founding vocalist Judy Dyble. Denny's short tenure with the Strawbs made their album together, "All Our Own Work", something of an orphan in both of their catalogs, but it's a fine record that shows both Denny and Cousins to their advantage. While Cousins was the principal songwriter on "All Our Own Work", Denny recorded her signature tune, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," for the first time on these sessions, and it sounds like an immediate classic, while Denny's vocals, strong, clear, and wise, leave no doubt she was already a talent to be reckoned with, both as a lead singer and harmonizing with her bandmates. And if the Strawbs are somewhat outclassed by Denny on this album, here Cousins is a more than capable singer, a splendid guitarist, and a strong tunesmith who offers up gems like "I've Been My Own Worst Friend," "Tell Me What You See in Me," and "Two Weeks Last Summer." (Cousins' bandmates Tony Hooper and Ron Chesterman also shine on the instrumental features.) Both Denny and the Strawbs would move on to bigger and more ambitious projects in the years that followed, but "All Our Own Work" is a lovely souvenir of their short-lived collaboration that shows they made the most of their time together. (Mark Deming in AllMusic)