Fairport Convention - Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975) (1999)

Fairport Convention in its early years was to British folk-rock what the Byrds were to the genre's American bookend. Boasting in their heyday a frontline of Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, and Iain Matthews, the group's impact has, if anything, grown in the years since the classic lineup split up. Fairport's stature is largely attributable to the ongoing popularity of Brit-folk touchstones Liege and Lief and Unhalfbricking, as well as Thompson's continued high-caliber solo work. Meet on the Ledge offers 32 tracks on two CDs, ranging from the band's somewhat awkward pre-Denny 1967 recordings and on into the mid-'70s, nearly a half-decade after Thompson had moved on. Instructive liner notes and a smattering of rare and previously unreleased tracks make this anthology an exceptional starting point for those who haven't immersed themselves in Fairport Convention and the movement they cultivated. --Steven Stolder