Vinyl: Cunning Stunts

Artist: Caravan
Owned on digital media: No
Want to replace: Yes

Caravan's sixth album, and the second one to feature Geoffrey Richardson on viola. By this time, I was warming to him a bit, although I still found his live performances a little... theatrical. But in spite of any personal antipathy I felt towards him (having, obviously, never met the poor guy), there was no getting away from the fact that he could play, and several of the tracks on this album are warmed and made more melodic because he's on them.

I note that some reviewers bemoan the fact that with this album Caravan strike out in a more commercial direction, but for die-hard fans like me it was just good to have another record of good Canterbury tunes to add to my swelling collection. Their, by now traditional, single long track this time around is Dabsong Conshirtoe, which ranks in my mind among the very best stuff they ever did. It's worth buying the album just for this.