LINDISFARNE: "Fog on the Tyne" (+ 3 bonus)

Original released on LP Charisma CAS 1050

(UK, September 1971)

Lindisfarne's second album, "Fog on the Tyne" fulfilled and expanded on the promise of their debut, offering a brace of memorable folk-rock (or, perhaps more properly, acoustic rock) songs that were compared favorably with Bob Dylan's work and that of the Band, and even the "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"-era Byrds, among others, without ever sounding like any of them. "Meet Me on the Corner" and "Fog on the Tyne" are the two best-known songs here, but there's plenty else that's their equal, including "Uncle Sam" and "Together Forever." The only cautionary element to the album was its short running time, an indicator that perhaps the group was being pressed to hard to get records out too quickly. (Bruce Eder in AllMusic)

LINDISFARNE FIRST ALBUM

Original released on LP Charisma CAS 1025

(UK, October 1970)

Easily the best album the group ever recorded, "Nicely Out Of Tune" is one of the prettiest folk-rock albums of the late 1960s. If Lindisfarne had never recorded anything else, they'd be one of the most fondly remembered acts of their era just for this album. "Lady Eleanor" is a very pretty tune that manages to incorporate elegant mandolin over some heavy rock riffing. "Road To Kingdom Come" is closer in spirit to the group's usual pub-rock sound, a singalong-type number with lots of really crunchy harmonica, mandolin, and fiddle, and a really catchy chorus. "Jackhammer Blues" is pretty nearly as good a rocker. But "Winter Song" is one of the gentlest, most haunting folk ballads of its period, almost too pretty to have come from a rock band, and "Alan In The River With Flowers" isn't far behind. The rest is in the same class and league, and as a bonus the CD contains 8 more tracks! (Bruce Eder in AllMusic)