BERT JANSCH - LIVE IN AUSTRALIA

LP black vinyl with download card

There is something quite special about a live album—provided you can get over the envy at not having been present(!). It can sound a lot better than the gig itself without the risk of one’s toes being trodden or a shower of a fellow reveller’s beer. Certainly a Bert Jansch gig was a treat however you experienced it, especially when he was at the top of his game, as captured on Downunder: Live In Australia. Eschewing the familiar stalwarts of previous live sets, this memorable recording saw Jansch debut two new (at the time) songs; ‘Downunder’ and ‘My Donald’, as well as ‘Little Max’ which never had a studio outing (but will feature among the recently discovered home recordings in Earth’s 2017 Living In The Shadows collection).

There is a warmth about this recording which echoes that of Live at The 12 Bar, recorded three years before. It’s mostly just Bert and his guitar, with the welcome addition of intuitively placed flourishes of bass and percussion. Available on vinyl for the first time, this ambience is heightened by Brian Pyle’s sensitive remastering, bringing a real intimacy to this enduring collection of songs.

Recorded live at Continental Cafe, Melbourne, Australia in March 1998. Pete Howell (bass); Ian Clarke (percussion).

Liner notes by Colin Harper. Remastered from original tapes by Brian Pyle.

“Jansch’s guitar arrangement makes it truly stand out.” NPR

“You hear this master traversing a musical map of his life, hard times and all.” Pitchfork

“Powerful and gentle, thoughtful and utterly riveting.” MOJO

Track Listing:
A1 Paper Houses
A2 Toy Balloon
A3 My Donald
A4 Born and Bred in Old Ireland
A5 She Moved Through the Fair
A6 Carnival
B1 Little Max
B2 Strolling Down the Highway
B3 Angie
B4 Curragh of Kildare
B5 Downunder
B6 How It All Came Down