Meic Stevens - Outlander RARE EARLY REISSUE PSYCH LONER FOLK

$ 27

$ 27 Sold For

Dec 25, 2012 Sold Date

Dec 18, 2012 Start Date

$ 15 Start price

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Description

Meic Stevens Outlander Fan Club Records
Rare early reissue of great psychedelic folk ragas and Dylanesque vocals.
VINYL: VG++ ( A couple of light scuffs. Great shape)
COVER: VG+ (Sticker stain on top right corner. Light age related discoloration to top, minor edge/corner wear)

Originally released in the early 70's Outlander is Meic Stevens' only record in English that I know of. For over 30 years he's been Wales' answer to Bob Dylan. Lyrically though, I'd say he has far more in common with Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Vocally, I suppose one could compare him to Robert Plant in terms of dynamics, but Stevens is far more feral & edgy.

Signed with Warner Bros in the late 60's, Stevens could have been as huge as Van Morrison or Neil Young. According to an interview, he said he just didn't have it in him to play the game. Emerging from the same scene that gave rise to Bert Jansch & Davy Graham, Stevens was certainly a major influence the likes of Led Zepplin, Fairport Convention & Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett.

But enough background & name dropping. This is an incredible album. A misty haunted moor of a record with a garden maze of imagry. The manic acoustic strumming & howls & yelps of "Rowena" are a pretty accurate depiction of what awaits the unsupsecting listener.

Gorgeous balladry like "Loved Owed" & "Left Over Time" rival the likes of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". I could go through each track & pontificate on how great this is, but just the fact I took the time out to write this review should be enough. It's gem. Musically, it borders on Psychedelica at times, especially on mad headspinners like "Yorric". Whether Stevens chooses to strum a lone acoustic guitar or break out the sitars for a raga freakout, he's never jamming for the sake of jamming. There is a focus here. Though things may appear raw & off the cuff, it's only because Steven's knows exactly what he's doing.

At heart, I'd say Stevens' own influences lie somewhere between Woody Guthrie & the Welsh Folktale tradition. True, the fact that Stevens has dedicated most of his career to keeping the Welsh language alive has resulted in limited global accessibility. Still, we should be grateful for this reissue of his one English record. In any language, Steven's talent can't be denied. Any fan of Syd Barrett Psychedelica or Richard Thompson won't regret hitting the purchase button. One of the best Folk records I've ever heard.

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