AMAZING BLONDEL

THE GROUP'S LAST ALBUM AS THE AMAZING BLONDEL -- FOUNDER JOHN GLADWIN APPARENTLY TOOK PREFIX WITH HIM WHEN HE LEFT AFTER ITS RELEASE. 1972'S ENGLAND IS BOTH THE PINNACLE AND THE END OF THE GROUP'S FASCINATION WITH TRADITIONAL ENGLISH FOLK MUSIC OF THE ELIZABETHAN AND TUDOR PERIOD. UNLIKE, SAY, STEELEYE SPAN OR FAIRPORT CONVENTION, WHO COMBINED TRADITIONAL FOLK WITH ROCK ARRANGMENTS AND ORIENTATION, THE AMAZING BLONDEL WERE PURISTS. STRICTLY ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTATION, FEATURING LUTE, WOODWINDS AND MINIMAL PERCUSSION, AND A VOCAL STYLE HONED IN FIERCELY TRADITIONAL MUSIC PRESEVATION SOCIETIES MEAN THAT THESES EIGHT TRACKS, CENTRED AROUND THE LENGTHY AND INSPIRED "SINFONIA FOR GUITAR AND STRINGS" (FROM THE SUITE "FOR LADY'S DELIGHT," ARE MUCH PURER IN STYLE AND INTENTION THAN FOLK-ROCK WORK OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES. "ENGLAND" IS A CLASSIC BLONDEL ALBUM FEATURING TRAFFIC'S JIM CAPALDI ON DRUMS ALONG WITH SIMON KIRKE OF BAD COMPANY & FREE FAME. RELEASED IN 1972.