June Tabor, I'Ve Always Kept A Unicorn - The Acoustic Sandy denny, LP UK Island Records 2016 - 570797

Released 38 years after her death and timed to coincide with her posthumous induction into the 2016 Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame, I’ve Always Kept A Unicorn: The Acoustic Sandy Denny is much more than the conveniently-packaged soundtrack for nostalgia and reading (it bears the same title as Mick Houghton’s 2015 biography) that it might appear to be. Granted, there is little here that won’t already be in the collection of any dedicated fan – with the possible exception of three 1971 demos for The Bunch’s Rock On – but where this 40-track compilation really scores is in its drawing together of the best of her solo and acoustic recordings.

Pubblicato 38 anni dopo la sua morte e programmato per coincidere con la sua introduzione postuma nella Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame del 2016, I've Always Kept A Unicorn: The Acoustic Sandy Denny è molto più di una colonna sonora opportunamente confezionata per nostalgia e lettura (porta lo stesso titolo della biografia di Mick Houghton del 2015) di quanto potrebbe sembrare. Certo, c'è poco qui che non sarà già nella collezione di qualsiasi fan sfegatato, con la possibile eccezione di tre demo del 1971 per Rock On dei The Bunch, ma dove questa compilation di 40 tracce segna davvero è nel suo mettere insieme il meglio delle sue registrazioni soliste e acustiche.

Tracks: A1. Strawbs, Sandy Denny - Who Knows Where The Time Goes 4:04A2. Sandy Denny - Milk And Honey 4:24 A3. Fairport Convention - Now And Then 3:51 A4. Fairport Convention - She Moves Through The Fair 5:06 A5. Fairport Convention - Fotheringay 3:07 A6. Fotheringay - The Pond And The Stream 3:10 A7. Fotheringay - Winter Winds 2:24 B1. Fotheringay - The Lowlands Of Holland 2:37 B2. Sandy Denny - Wretched Wilbur 2:38 B3. Sandy Denny - Late November 3:43 B4. Sandy Denny - The North Star Grassman And The Ravens 3:47 B5. Sandy Denny - Next Time Around 4:46 B6. The Bunch (3) - When Will I Be Loved 3:17 B7. The Bunch (3) - Learning The Game 2:08 B8. Sandy Denny - After Halloween 2:58 C1. Sandy Denny - Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood 2:46 C2. Sandy Denny - The Lady 3:01 C3. Sandy Denny - Bushes & Briars 2:35 C4. Sandy Denny - The Music Weaver 3:07 C5. Sandy Denny - No End 7:35 C6. Sandy Denny - Solo 4:36 C7. Sandy Denny - Like An Old Fashioned Waltz 3:31 D1. Sandy Denny - The King And Queen Of England 3:12 D2. Fairport Convention - One More Chance 3:46 D3. Fairport Convention - Sandy's Song (Take Away The Load) 1:43 D4. Sandy Denny - No More Sad Refrains 3:14 D5. Sandy Denny - I'm A Dreamer 4:51 D6. Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark 3:36 D7. Sandy Denny - One Way Donkey Ride 3:53 D8. Sandy Denny - Moments 3:45