(2021) VA – Separate Paths Together: An Anthology of British Male Singer/Songwriters 1965-1975          


Review:
Separate Paths Together is the companion and follow-up to an earlier Grapefruit compilation: Milk of the Tree, an anthology of the works of the female singer/songwriters of the late ’60s/early ’70s, and Grapefruit have taken much the same approach in choosing the material to be included. Grapefruit’s first task in putting this compilation together was to ask the question: “What, actually, IS a singer/songwriter?”  The answer may seem obvious, until you think about it: surely, it’s a man, influenced by early Bob Dylan, who, with the aid of his guitar, bares his soul and innermost thoughts to an audience who are listening with varied levels of attention whilst they wait for something more exciting to happen?  Well, no – that’s not the case actually, as this collection so ably demonstrates. Yes, the genre does encompass those who took Dylan or James Taylor as a model and who sing self-composed songs to an acoustic guitar accompaniment, but it also includes composers and performers of sophisticated, intelligent, melodic rock and pop, performers who take their inspiration from traditional music forms, those inspired by music hall and early 20th century styles, poets, psychedelicsists, jazzers and leftfield experimentalists.  And there are copious examples of each of those disparate sub-genres to be enjoyed: Separate Paths Together is, indeed, an appropriate title. When you think about it, the term ‘singer/songwriter’ can be applied equally to such diverse talents as Donovan, Gerry Rafferty, Clifford T Ward, Peter Skellern, Kevin Coyne, Keith Christmas, Graham Gouldman, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Richard Thompson, Leo Sayer, Ray Dorset and Ralph McTell; Separate Paths Together is a celebration of that cohesion by diversity. And what Separate Paths Together is also able to demonstrate is the rich seam of high-quality songwriting that was packed into the short, highly creative, ten-year period that the collection covers. Whilst many of the artists’ names will be familiar, the material selected tends towards the deeper depths of each artists’ repertoire.  So, whilst there are plenty of hitmakers included in the lineup, there are relatively few well-known songs.  Gerry Rafferty is represented by the endearing Don’t Count Me Out, from his 1971 album, Can I Have My Money Back.  Instead of the ubiquitous Year of the Cat, the Al Stewart contribution is the catchy You Should Have Listened to Al from 1969’s Love Chronicles.  By way of further examples, Leo Sayer’s input is The Bells of St.Mary’s; the review of Peter Skellern’s back catalogue ignores You’re a Lady in favour of the poppier I Don’t Know; from Jona Lewie we get 1975 flop single The Swan, and Streets of London is omitted in favour of the unsettling Daddy’s Here, a stunning, true, story of the break-up of the young Ralph McTell’s family. Indeed, the only obvious (yet still welcome) selections in over 4 hours of music are John Martyn’s May You Never and Nothing Rhymed from Gilbert O’Sullivan. Even when it comes to Peter Sarstedt, the selection is 1969 single Frozen Orange Juice, rather than its zillion-selling predecessor, Where Do You Go to My Lovely! But don’t be misled – Separate Paths Together isn’t just a compilation of names familiar from the charts. Refugees from the late sixties/early seventies alternative folk scene will be delighted by the inclusion of such gems as Richard Thompson’s Poor Ditching Boy – just one of the outstanding tracks on his 1972 debut solo album, Henry the Human Fly, Harvey Andrews’ heartrending Sweet Little Fat Girl, Ian A Anderson’s sad The Survivor and Michael Chapman’s timeless Postcards Of Scarborough.  Lovers of instrumental virtuosity will enjoy the inclusion of Bert Jansch’s Tell Me What Is True Love? And When I Leave Berlin from Wizz Jones, those with a taste for the leftfield can refamiliarize themselves with gems from the likes of Kevin Ayers, Kevin Coyne and Keith Christmas and those of a psychedelic leaning are catered for by Mike Heron’s Audrey, Family Man, a 1975 single from John Howard and, from former T Bones frontman, Gary Farr, Two Separate Paths Together, the song that inspired the title to this compilation. And all of that’s just scratching the surface! There are 66 tracks spread over the three discs that constitute Separate Paths Together.  There are lots more familiar names, and, best of all, there’s lots for even the most ardent musicologists to discover – all under that huge singer/songwriter banner. — atthebarrier.com





Track Listing:
CD 1:
01 - Duncan Browne - Journey
02 - Kevin Ayers - Girl On A Swing
03 - Richard Thompson - The Poor Ditching Boy
04 - Clifford T. Ward - The Cause Is Good
05 - Jim Capaldi - It's All Up To You
06 - Gerry Rafferty - Don't Count Me Out
07 - Kevin Coyne - Mad Boy
08 - Harvey Andrews - Sweet Little Fat Girl
09 - Mike Cooper - Paper And Smoke
10 - Keith Christmas - The Fawn
11 - Ian A. Anderson - The Survivor
12 - Dave Ellis - I Don't Know
13 - Peter Skellern - Hold On To Love
14 - Mike Heron - Audrey
15 - Peter Hammill - Easy To Slip Away
16 - Graham Gouldman - For Your Love
17 - Ray Dorset - Maybe That's The Way
18 - Pete Atkin - Beware Of The Beautiful Stranger
19 - Eddie Hardin - California Sun
20 - Leo Sayer - The Bells Of St. Mary's
21 - Phil Cordell - Red Lady

CD 2:
01 - David McWilliams - The Days Of Pearly Spencer
02 - Al Stewart - You Should Have Listened To Al
03 - John Martyn - May You Never
04 - Steve Tilston - I Really Wanted You
05 - Murray Head - Say It Ain't So Joe
06 - John Howard - Family Man
07 - Dave Cousins - Two Weeks Last Summer
08 - Bert Jansch - Tell Me What Is True Love
09 - Andy Roberts - All Around My Grandmother's Floor
10 - Gary Farr - Two Separate Paths Together
11 - Peter Sarstedt - Frozen Orange Juice
12 - Wizz Jones - When I Leave Berlin
13 - Patrick Campbell-Lyons - Jesus Christ Junior
14 - Beau - There Once Was A Time
15 - Meic Stevens - Love Owed
16 - Jimmy Campbell - Frankie Joe
17 - Dave Cartwright - Song For Susan
18 - Michael Chapman - Postcards Of Scarborough
19 - Ralph McTell - Daddy's Here
20 - Mick Audsley - Dark And Devil Waters
21 - John Williams - She's That Kind Of Woman
22 - Richard Digance - My Friend Upon The Road
23 - Gilbert O'Sullivan - Nothing Rhymed

CD 3:
01 - Steve Gibbons - One Of Those Days
02 - Al Jones - Jeffrey Don't You Touch
03 - Marc Brierley - Welcome To The Citadel
04 - Bryn Haworth - Miss Swiss
05 - Stephen Jameson - Thought Of You Instead
06 - Mick Softley - Caravan
07 - Jackie McAuley - Country Joe
08 - Dave Bundy - Inside A Hole
09 - Bob Bunting - Soliloquy
10 - Mike Hart - Disbelief Blues
11 - Paul Brett - One Sunday Morning
12 - Chris Baker - Naked Fingers
13 - Keith Riley - What You Gonna Do Now
14 - Bill Fay - Sing Us One Of Your Songs, May (Demo)
15 - John Pantry - Jewel
16 - Tony Hazzard - Fox On The Run
17 - Crispian St. Peters - Love, Love, Love
18 - Jona Lewie - The Swan
19 - Phillip Goodhand-Tait - Reach Out For Each Other
20 - Dave Morgan - So Weary
21 - Gerald Thomas Moore - Wake Up
22 - Donovan - Turquoise


Media Report:
Genre: folk, rock
Country: UK
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits


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