Music Reviews

Julie Felix, "Rock Me Goddess" (Talking Elephant)- Julie Felix has inexplicably faded from the public eye since those heady days when she was hailed as "Britain's First Lady of Folk," appearing at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival and hosting a primetime BBC TV show which showcased the talents of luminaries such as Leonard Cohen, Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. Julie is in her eighties now but she remains a highly listenable performer, and her first album since 2008's "Highway of Diamonds" finds the Californian expatriate working with former Steeleye Span fiddler Peter Knight to deliver captivating ditties such as "The Heron" and "Abalone Shell," alongside fine revamps of the late Dory Previn's "Lady with the Braid" and the traditional "Queen Jane." The Incredible String Band, "The Circle Is Unbroken" (Talking Elephant)- This fascinating 2 CD re-issue focusses attention on the unique musical output of Scottish psychedelic folkies The Incredible String Band. The contents are equally divided between an assortment of sometimes shaky acoustic demos which Mike Heron and Robin Williamson captured for posterity in 1967 and a typically idiosyncratic live show from the augmented ISB line-up's 1972 North American tour, featuring classic creations such as "My Father Was A Lighthouse Keeper," "First Girl I Loved" and "Black Jack David."

The Byrds,"Byrds" (Esoteric / Cherry Red)- The Byrds went through more than their fair share of personnel changes over the years but this 1973 offering found them reverting to the classic line-up of Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn and drummer Michael Clarke. The songwriting duties were shared between the four creative figures in the band , and although the venture wasn't an unqualified success it did reward The Byrds with their highest chart position since the mid sixties, peaking with Gene Clark's "Full Circle" and fine covers of Neil Young's "(See The Sky) About To Rain" and "Cowgirl in the Sand."

Michael McDermott,"Orphans" (Pauper Sky Records)-Chicago based singer-songwriter Michael McDermott follows up the critically acclaimed "Willow Springs" and "Out From Under" with a selection of typically heartfelt ditties which had been initially discarded but lodged themselves in his consciousness until they were finally captured for posterity here. McDermott has thankfully curbed the self-destructive tendencies which threatened to derail his career during the early nineties,and "Orphans" captures a performer operating at the peak of his creative powers, with "Sometimes When It Rains in Memphis," "Tell Tale Heart" and "Givin' Up The Ghost" emerging as three of the musical highlights.