A Foreign Field That Is Forever England

A Foreign Field That Is Forever England is a collection of highlights from the British folk trio Amazing Blondel’s final tour in 1972-1973. Playing in front of mostly European audiences does little to dispel the band’s trademark wit and sense of showmanship — they manage to goad an initially reserved French audience to clap and sing along without abandon on “Shepherd’s Song.” The recording is top-notch, especially for this time period, allowing the group’s rich harmonies and multi-instrumental work to shine through with a great deal of clarity. The trio selected tunes that span their whole catalog, focusing especially on tracks from their final studio record, England, delivering excellent versions of “Dolor Dulcis” and “Seascape.” Also, the rendition of the remarkable “Fantasia Lindum,” an ode to their native Lincolnshire countryside, is played in its full 20-minute glory. For fans of British folk or folk in general, this is a warm, unpretentious delivery from one of the genre’s most overlooked talents.