tracks 1 - 7 : Message To A Harlequin (1968)
tracks 8 - 17 : Tim Hollier (1970)
tracks 18 - 23 : Skysail (1971)
Review by Mark Coyle
UK 1968-70, released 2004
Tim Hollier is a relatively obscure musician and singer from Cumberland (though based in London) of the late 1960s who made three excellent albums for the United Artists group of labels. His albums are folk based in structure and the foundation of instrumentation but like early Al Stewart or Donovan are then merged with orchestral and pop music instrumentation in a mixture of chamber music and psychedelia that was only ever made back in that era.
His songs are quite soft studies of people and places in a quite soft, gently probing style in a post 'Eleanor Rigby' kind of way. They remind of Pearls Before Swine, the 'Teenage Opera' work by Mark Wirtz, Arthur Lee Harper, Duncan Browne's first album and the afore mentioned Al Stewart's early work. Like Arthur Lee Harper there is a whimsical, almost Victorian quality to the song writing that makes it sound somewhat other worldly (or certainly of another time). The artist never broke through to the popular stage and seems to have slipped between the genres, his music is rarely, if ever, straight folk music and traditionalists of the form would decry it. However the songs melodies, song style and structure all derive from the form.
Additional instrumentation arrangements that fill out the songs are mostly by John Cameron. John is notable for his folk influenced soundtrack to 'Kes', his psych-folk song for barmy horror film 'Psychomania' and his wonderful work as a partner to Donovan and Mickey Most in their landmark late 60s work that combined folk, jazz, classical, rock and pop in unique style.
This CD is drawn from three albums from 1968 to 1971. One further album was released in 1974 before he moved into TV and film work although this isn't incorporated here. I felt on listening that the strongest, most personal material comes from the first album and whilst all are strong the stamp of identity comes through like many artists strongest on their first works. His talent for songwriting is consistent, they are always good (although this does select the best work) but occasionally the melodies and the arrangements on the later tracks tend towards the soporific. On the first album there are clear influences from psychedelia in the woozy, dream like songs and arrangements that add the requisite 'wyrdness' that we search so much for.
First track 'Listen to the Harlequin' starts like early chamber-folk Tim Buckley, poised and stately then evolves to include more pop-rock elements sounding uncannily like The Herd at points on 'From The Underworld' (a huge hit in 1968). 'Full Fathoms Five' is the out-there classic on here with Celtic sounding harps (with added echo), reverbed vocals, flute, acoustic guitar and a genuinely light-psychedelic feel. 'Llanstphan Hill' is more stripped back towards a simple traditional folk sound and sounds all the stronger for it, like Donovan's simpler tracks. 'And It Happened To Her' sounds like mid-60s folk-rock Byrds, a style approximated on a few tracks. 'Evolution' gets towards a flute-led West Coast folk-rock style whilst 'Would I Sing' has subtle sitar and sounds very US in style. "Love Song' has a circling descending chord structure that reminds of Love's 'Orange Skies', an influence that pops up a few times in merging pop and folk together.
'Skysail' is quite lovely, with harps plucked like a child's lullaby "'Beauty Of The garden' has a forlorn cor-anglais horn and chamber style strings that is interesting. Last song 'While London's Days Increase' harks back to Tim Buckley in the use of voice but with it's typically late 60s feeling (even though it was 1971) it evokes some sort of forgotten London film of youngster's running away to the city, looking at the faded second hand glamour through shop windows of the last decade's Carnaby Street fashions and Soho decadence. It is the perfect soundtack to a time that was everybody hoped for but never really was. Soon would come the three day week, Britain being propped up by the international monetary fund and by then hippy had made way for cheap glam.
If you enjoy light folk-rock and whimsical 60s music like Farfield Parlour, Tomorrow, late period Ivy League and Small Faces or the artists mentioned in this review the Tim Hollier's work is definitely worth getting. Folk traditionalists or those looking for the spiky, strangeness of Comus or Incredible String Band will not find it here. People who find Heron, Westwind, MIdwinter and the like twee may likewise be put off by the arrangements. However it's clear that he was a talented artist and there is much to enjoy on this welcome collection. The collection is excellently prepared with good sleeve notes, an excellent psychedelic cover and lyrics.
http://www.nightwings.org/Hollier-discography.htm
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