Various Artists - Mojo Presents Island Folk

AN ACOUSTIC-LED CELEBRATION
John Martyn, Fairport Convention, Nirvana, Sandy Denny, Richard And Linda Thompson, The Incredible String Band, Jethro Tull and more!

Tracks
01. John Martyn - Go Down Easy (3:34)
02. Fotheringay - The Sea (5:29)
03. Jethro Tull - We Used To Know (3:58)
04. Nirvana - Lonely Boy (2:26)
05. John and Beverley Martyn - Primrose Hill (2:52)
06. Sandy Denny - No More Sad Refrains (2:48)
07. Richard and Linda Thompson - The End Of The Rainbow (3:53)
08. The Incredible String Band - Red Hair (2:01)
09. Claire Hamill - Where Are Your Smiles At (2:18)
10. Fairport Convention - She Moves Through The Fair (4:07)
11. Dr Strangely Strange - Dark Haired Lady (4:23)
12. Quintessence - Pearl And Blood (3:55)
13. Amazing Blondel - Willowwood (3:25)

Total time: 45m 9s

"The early years of Island are legendary. Successes poured out of that small office in the late '60s; Traffic, Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens, Spooky Tooth, Free, King Crimson. My roster of Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, and John And Beverley Martyn made only a modest contribution to their bottom line, but our critical acclaim added to their reputation as the hottest label in Britain."

SΟ WROTE JOE BOYD IN HIS ACCLAIMED 2006 MEMOIR, WHITE BICYCLES, detailing the creative outpouring that defined Island Records as it moved from its Jamaican roots into the rock mainstream via it's Portobello office.
Boyd famously cut a deal with Island founder Chris Blackwell on the back of napkin in an Italian restaurant whereby the latter would fund and release the recordings made by the former's Witchseason Production. "We never sold enough records," admits Boyd of his roster and yet, despite Blackwell's fearsome competitive streak, Island was never a label based purely on commerce. Indeed, MOJO's bespoke Island Folk compilation is an unbridled celebration of the libertarian spirit that helped define the label. As Island celebrates its 50th anniversary, that spirit remains more precious than ever….

Phil Alexander
Editor-in-Chief, MOJO Magazine
London, England. April 2009