Mr. Fox - Mr. Fox / The Gypsy
SKU
28-BGO1214126.2
Excellent sounding reissue of these very early 70's folk rarities originally released on Transatlantic; at one time, when I was trying to snag more UK Transatlantic rarities, I remember searching for anything by Mr. Fox in vain. This has both of their two albums both complete and in full, and is sure to please folk/folk rock fans.
The eclectic instrumentation is notable, as the album veers from fairly straight folk to quite wild electric-freak-folk with fuzz cello & organ, especially on their second! Also notable is the very dark lyrical imagery. This is definitely a good one.
"Mr. Fox was a septet formed in 1970 by Bob Pegg (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Carolann Pegg (then known as Carole Pegg) (vocals, fiddle). Contemporaries of Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention, Mr. Fox was unusual in that they avoided relying on electric guitars and their music's deep origins in the folklore of the Dales. Mr. Fox, whose other members were Alun Evans (drums), Barry Lyons (bass, dulcimer), Andrew Massey (cello) and John Myatt (winds), started out with a self-titled debut album on Transatlantic that generated a massive amount of enthusiasm and controversy, over their mix of traditional folk forms and experimental touches in the rhythms and other embellishments.
They were serious rivals to acts like Steeleye Span for a time, especially upon the release of their second album, The Gipsy, which featured a smaller line-up and a more experimental approach to their material.
Multi-instrumentalist Nick Strutt, in particular, was heavily showcased along with the Peggs on that album. This was to prove their last album, however, as the group splintered soon after."-Bruce Eder/All Music Guide