Whether this is intended to be a best-of for British folk-rock of the late '60s and early '70s is unclear from the packaging, but
New Folk Routes
is a pretty good 18-track survey of the scene (though one cut is of a fiddler from the early 1900s). As you might expect,
Fairport Convention
and their spinoffs are the main axis, with selections not only by
Fairport
, but also
Sandy Denny
,
Fotheringay
Richard & Linda Thompson
the Albion Country Band
, and other projects in which
Fairporters
appeared (like
the Bunch
). Other major names aren't neglected, though, with selections by
Nick Drake
the Incredible String Band
(and one of their members,
Mike Heron
),
John Martyn
Amazing Blondel
, and
's Irish counterpart,
Dr. Strangely Strange
.
Traffic
's famed
"John Barleycorn"
is also here, and probably the only cut that's familiar to most classic rock fans, especially in the U.S. If you're looking for the best early British folk-rock compilation,
Rhino
's
Troubadours of British Folk, Vol. 2
remains the top choice; even though it has many of the same artists (and a couple of the same tracks), its range of artists is a little wider and the songs a little more outstanding. But as kind of a second dip into the same well that favors somewhat lesser-known songs (especially
Denny
's spooky
"Man of Iron,"
for a long time available only on a rare 1972 soundtrack EP), this is a good route for further investigation, with good liner notes by
Andy Morten
. ~ Richie Unterberger