Festival Bell


Festival Bell is the twenty-fifth studio album by British folk rock band Fairport Convention, released in January 2011.

Overview

The name of the album is a reference to the bell of the same name that currently rings in St Mary's Church in Cropredy, Oxfordshire. The track "Ukulele Central" features guest appearances from comedian Frank Skinner and singer Joe Brown. The song "Mercy Bay" tells of the ill-fated voyage of to search for Franklin's lost expedition, itself searching for the Northwest Passage.

Release and critical reception

The album was released four years after the band's previous studio work, Sense of Occasion. It consists of 14 tracks, mixing original compositions with four cover versions including a reworking of the title track from the band's 1975 album Rising for the Moon. Record Collector magazine's 4 star review of the album stated: "Festival Bell is a work of maturity and depth, yet delivered with a lightness of touch that will delight fans old and new".

Track listing

  1. "Mercy Bay"
  2. "Rui's Guitar"
  3. "Danny Jack's Chase"
  4. "Reunion Hill"
  5. "Wouldn't Say No"
  6. "Around the Wild Cape Horn"
  7. "Celtic Moon"
  8. "Ukulele Central"
  9. "Albert and Ted"
  10. "Darkside Wood"
  11. "London Apprentice" / "Johnny Ginears"
  12. "Rising for the Moon"
  13. "Danny Jack's Reward"
  14. "The Festival Bell"

    Personnel

;Guest musicians