Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick - But Two Came By (Fontana, 1968)

"Ship in distress" is a song that begins this fourth album from Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick. The song concerns the story of a crew of a ship that is out of food for days. The crew draw lots to see who shall serve as food for the rest of the crew. It is the frightening story of the one member of the crew that is chosen. I will not spoil the ending of the story here. But it is one of eleven interesting traditional English folk songs on this wonderful album, recorded in 1968.

Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick continue their bold and virtuosic transformation of traditional songs and melodies on this set, adding a memorable treatment of Sidney Carter’s Lord of the Dance.

Fans of Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span will find the clean, stripped down, spirited performances here a revelation: The beautiful, original "Lord of the Dance" (which transforms the Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts" into something wonderful in its own right), a delightfully ominous reading of "The White Hare," a lively "Banks of Sweet Primroses" (which, in various forms, became part of the repertories of numerous folk-rock revival bands), and, most impressive of all, a dazzling rendition of "Jack Orion." 

Carthy's voice (featured acapella on the beautiful "Creeping Jane" and the ominous "Lord Lankin") is a very fine instrument, he gets a surprisingly rich sound from his single guitar, and Swarbrick's violin is all the support he really needs. And lest anyone doubt that this record was done during England's flower-power era, check out the acoustic psychedelic-folk version of Leon Rosselson's "Brass Band Music."

       

Tracklist:

Side 1

Ship in Distress (Roud 807) (2.28)
Banks of Sweet Primroses (Roud 586; G/D 8:1841) (2.52)
Jack Orion (Roud 145; Child 67) (4.03)
Matt Hyland (Roud 2880) (4.45)
White Hare (Roud 1110; TYG 79) (2.47)
Lord of the Dance (2.40)

Side 2

Poor Murdered Woman (Roud 1064) (2.48)
Creeping Jane (Roud 1012; Laws Q23) (3.47)
Streets of Forbes (Roud 20764) (3.20)
Long Lankin (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (5.40)
Brass Band Music (3.32)

All tracks trad. arr. Martin Carthy except
Track 3 trad. adapt. A.L. Lloyd;
Track 6 Sydney Carter;
Track 11 Leon Rosselson

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick - But Two Came By (1968) (320 kbps, cover art included)