Pink Fairies
Pink Fairies and Friends Volume 2
(Retroworld)
★★★

THE Pink Fairies’ unconventional approach to music-making was never likely to bring them too much in the way of fame or fortune but their visceral brand of high-energy rock did ensure a wealth of exhilarating entertainment for anyone who came across their work during their creative heyday in the early ’70s.

This uncompromising three-CD set from the good people at Retroworld focuses attention on the band’s appearance at a Finnish festival in 1971, where  their audience were regaled with intense, feedback laden versions of The Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows and The Ventures’ Walk Don’t Run.

The astute compilers have also found space here for a batch of more recent recordings from sometime Fairies’ members Mick Farren and guitarist Andy Colquhoun, including a string of hitherto unreleased tracks and instrumental covers of everything from Summer in the City to Shakin’ All Over.
 

Ashley Hutchings
Presents More Songs From The Shows
(Talking Elephant)
★★★★

THIS veteran performer has been hailed as “the single most important figure in English folk-rock” by no less a cultural icon than Bob Dylan, and this absorbing anthology offers ample evidence of the unique qualities which have made his work so richly rewarding during a career which now extends over six decades.

Hutchings is well into his seventies now, but this eclectic character shows no sign of wishing to grow old gracefully, and Talking Elephant’s new CD draws on some choice moments from four of the musical and spoken-word projects that he’s been involved with recently.

Memories of Ashley’s early days with Fairport Convention sit snugly alongside three affectionate Dylan covers from the 2019 Isle of Wight Festival and a selection of songs and readings from Paradise and Thorns, which is the great man’s personal favourite from his sizeable recorded repertoire.

Jefferson Starship
Live at BB King’s Club, New York, 2000
(Retroworld)
★★★

THIS expansive three-CD set showcases a particularly relaxed and stripped-down performance from the then current incarnation of Jefferson Starship two decades ago.

Paul Kantner, Marty Balin and company plundered their extensive back catalogue to excellent effect.

With vocalist Diana Mangano proving a more than able replacement for the by then long departed Grace Slick and guitarist Mark Aguilar often coming close to stealing the show with his fluent electric interjections during what would otherwise be a drum and bass free acoustic package.

A string of classic Jefferson Airplane creations are given a welcome airing in this interesting new format, and  devotees of the later Jefferson Starship version of the band are also well catered for by  perennial crowd-pleasers, such as Ride The Tiger, Caroline and Miracles, the latter embellished with some trademark harmony vocals from Messrs Kantner and Balin.