England

• Artist: Amazing Blondel
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1972
• Total Time: 34:19
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

Amazing Blondel's fourth album is a gorgeous evocation of the England that seems to exist in so many of the land's loveliest folk songs, a peaceful world of picturesque farming folk, doughty fishermen, immortal sunsets, and halcyon summers. Just six songs convey this impression, all dominated by the side-long three-piece suite "The Paintings," which places into words and gentle orchestrations the impressions conjured by the imagery of "Seascape," "Landscape," and "Afterglow." Described by the band itself as "three pastoral settings for voices, flute, guitars and orchestra," it's an incredibly ambitious piece, but never so much that it loses sight of its intrinsic romance. Played alongside Roy Harper's "One of Those Days in England," it could set even the sternest expatriate's thoughts winging homewards. The shorter songs are less entrancing, with "A Spring Air" coming so close to TV ad theme territory that one can almost see the spring lambs bouncing through fields of freshly laundered shirts and sheets. The chanted "Cantus Firmus to Counterpoint," however, is a stirringly churchical piece, with just a hint of "We Three Kings of Orient Are" floating around the melody, while "Sinfonia for Guitar and Strings" is as well executed as its title suggests it ought to be. The finest moment, however, has to be the Gothic organ-led "Lament to the Earl of Bottesford Beck," whose own country churchyard tones take listeners straight back to the start of the album, and another 20 minutes spent with "The Paintings." ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
The Paintings: Seascape	John Gladwin	Amazing Blondel	(6:13)
The Paintings: Landscape	John Gladwin	Amazing Blondel	(7:38)
The Paintings: Afterglow	John Gladwin	Amazing Blondel	(3:40)
A Spring Air	John Gladwin	Amazing Blondel	(3:41)
Cantus Firmus to Counterpoint	John Gladwin, Terry Wincott, Edward Baird	Amazing Blondel	(3:21)
Sinfonia for Guitar and Strings (From the Suite "For My Lady's Delight"	Edward Baird	Amazing Blondel	(3:11)
Dolar Dulcis (Sweet Sorrow)	John Gladwin, Edward Baird	Amazing Blondel	(3:25)
Lament to the Earl of Bottesford Beck	Terry Wincott	Amazing Blondel	(3:10)

Credits

Amazing Blondel (Main Performer), John Gladwin (Bass), John Gladwin (Guitar), John Gladwin (Vocals), John Gladwin (Bells), John Gladwin (Double Bass), John Gladwin (Tabor), Adrian Hopkins (Conductor), Adrian Hopkins (Harpsichord), Adrian Hopkins (Horn Arrangements), Adrian Hopkins (String Arrangements), Jack Laroque (Leader), Terry Wincott (Flute), Terry Wincott (Guitar), Terry Wincott (Percussion), Terry Wincott (Bongos), Terry Wincott (Harmonium), Terry Wincott (Keyboards), Terry Wincott (Recorder), Terry Wincott (Vocals), Terry Wincott (Mellotron), Terry Wincott (Pipe Organ), Blonde L (Producer), Phill Brown (Producer), Phill Brown (Engineer), Edward Baird (Dulcimer), Edward Baird (Guitar), Edward Baird (Percussion), Edward Baird (Vocals), Edward Baird (Guitar (12 String))

england	england journal
Clarks England	this england magazine