Never Thought I’d See The Day

Description

Never Thought I’d See The Day is the sole album by the British folk band Paradise Square, independently released on PFR74 in 1974.

Pete Ryder, one of Britain’s most original and idiosyncratic singer/songwriters, was a key player on two of the most rare and sought-after private folk albums from the UK: Never Thought I’d See The Day by Paradise Square and Some Other Morning by Cair Paravel. Paradise Square was his first project, a group formed at Sheffield University’s Christian Union in the early 70s. In 1974, the band released their only album as a private pressing of 100 copies. Fragile, homemade lo-fi psychedelic folk with acoustic guitars, violin, delicate male-female vocals, Xian overtones and hints of Incredible String Band or Dando Shaft.

Positively gorgeous UK acoustic folk private from the same team responsible for the Pete Ryder and Cair Paravel albums. Delicate dual acoustic guitar work and soft male/female vocals define the group’s sound, combining to fashion a fragile melancholy presence on songs like «Freedom», «Bird In A Cage», «Lullaby» and «Rosemary’s Song», the latter a strong contender for the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. Sometimes a single guitar and singer, as on «Spaces» and «Lead Me To Jesus». Even the two titles featuring Ryder’s less-than-perfect voice maintain a certain charm. Some of the selections are earlier versions of tracks that would later be re-recorded for the Cair Paravel LP («A Song For Judas», «Winter Lady») and Ryder’s On Our Way Home («Day Sinks»). Beautiful gentle violin work gracing a few of the tracks. Four different lead singers (three male, one female) taking turns. Periodic glimmers of respected artists like Presence and Water Into Wine Band. A five-star record and one of the most impressive entries from the whole UK progressive folk scene. A stupendously rare item too, with something like a 200 press, so expect four-digit figures should one happen to turn up in collectors’ circles. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Never Thought I’d See The Day” – 3:28
A2. “Freedom” – 2:21
A3. “Bird In A Cage” – 3:40
A4. “Rosemary’s Song” – 4:01
A5. “Ask Me Who I Am” – 4:55
A6. “Lorraine” – 3:52

Side Two
B1. “A Song For Judas” – 3:10
B2. “Winter Lady” – 2:43
B3. “The Lord Jesus Said” – 4:48
B4. “Spaces” – 3:18
B5. “Lead Me To Jesus” – 3:12
B6. “Lullaby” – 4:05
B7. “Day Sinks” – 1:41

Note: Recorded as a demo and pressed in an edition of 100 copies. Re-issued on vinyl by Sommor Records in 2014. Digitally remastered from a mint copy of one of those demo pressings, as the master tapes have long disappeared. Includes a reproduction of the original insert along with liner notes written by Richard Allen.

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