REVIEWS+

Electric Eden

Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music
by Rob Young
Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music. Faber & Faber. May 2011. c.672p. illus. bibliog. index. discog. ISBN 9780865478565. pap. $30. MUSIC
COPY ISBN
While rock 'n' roll and psychedelic rock dominated popular music in the late 1960s, several groups of British musicians were returning to nature in an effort to recover the roots of their culture's music. Young, editor at large of the UK music magazine The Wire, traces the idealistic endeavor that led numerous musicians back to the countryside in search of ballads, ditties, and mythical tales of an earlier Britain uncorrupted by modernity. Along the way, Young chronicles the stories of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Pentangle, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, and Vashti Bunyan. He introduces Cecil Sharp, who, much like Alan Lomax in the States, traveled around Britain seeking out the tunes and lyrics preserved over centuries by ordinary folk.
VERDICT Young's remarkable (though overly long) book brings to life a mostly forgotten group of musicians who were nevertheless quite influential in the 1960s and 1970s. It stands alone in providing in-depth sketches of seminal bands and, indeed, this entire generation of musicians. A lovely exploration of what has become known as British folk rock. For all libraries.
Reviewed by Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Evanston, IL , Mar 15, 2011
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?