The Eighteenth Day Of May (Gold Vinyl) [2LP]

The Eighteenth Day of May - The Eighteenth Day Of May (Gold Vinyl) [2LP]

Gold vinyl. Deluxe reissue of the sole album by The Eighteenth Day Of May. Beginning life as a trio in London, 2003, the original line-up consisted of Allison Brice (vocals, flute), Richard Olson (acoustic guitar) and Ben Phillipson (guitar, mandolin) before expanding the following year to include the rhythm section of Mark Nicholas (bass) and Karl Sabino (drums, autoharp) and finally Alison Cotton (viola). This being the mid zeros, the independent music scene in the UK was reluctant to embrace a sun-dazed folk band but this, their sole album, has gradually feathered a bed of affection amongst international folk fans. Twenty years on, the album is now rightfully seen as a trailblazer for the myriad alternative/psych folk bands that emerged in its wake. Andy Childs who signed the band originally takes up the story. "I first heard their music on a cover mounted CD with the much missed Comes With A Smile magazine and as far as I could tell no-one was making music like this anymore, certainly not with such panache and confidence. To my jaded ears it all sounded so uninhibited -- old weird folk songs, Americana, original psych-folk, minimalist drones. Great melodies and all six of them could sing! A joyous, unfettered sound that could in one moment conjure up flashes of The Byrds and then effortlessly the spirit of Velvet Underground would drift through. They even covered a Spacemen 3 song. I loved the fact that they had the aplomb to tackle traditional folk songs like 'Lady Margaret' and 'Flowers In The Forest' and not be afraid to stamp their own identity on them. Signing them to the Hannibal label was straightforward. If anything the album somehow sounds fresh and undated, even better than it did in the day when perhaps eclecticism was out of synch with the times; its subtleties have become more apparent." 01. Eighteen Days 02. Sir Casey Jones 03. The Highest Tree 04. Deed I Do 05. Hide And Seek 06. Twig Folly Close 07. Lady Margaret 08. Cold Early Morning 09. Monday Morning's No Good Coming Down 10. The Waterman's Song To His Daughter 11. Seven Dials 12. Up The Hill 13. Quiet Joys 14. Would Be King 15. Stone Cold 16. Tell Me Tomorrow 17. Mary Anne 18. Dawn 19. Cod'ine 20. Flowers Of The Forest