Track Listing

1. Sandman’s Song
2. Highlodge Hare
3. Fire and Wine
4. Step Right Up
5. Ride, Ride
6. The Time Has Come
7. Clea Caught a Rabbit
8. Tangled Man
9. Wishing Well
10. Standing On the Shore
11. Everytime
12. Fine Horseman

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #134170 in Music
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

flawed but beautiful
Anne Briggs was reportedly far more comfortable giving impromptu performances in pubs and taverns up and down the country than she ever was stepping into a studio. this is after all, the lady who lived for a number of years in a friends' gypsy caravan and shunned public attention. why then has she achieved such a cult status, respected by fellow folk luminaries such as Bert Jansch (who was also for a brief time her lover)and Sandy Denny (whose vocal style is greatly indebted to her) and even, oddly enough indie art-rocker Thurston Moore?

the answer is simple - her voice. delicate yet arresting, evocative of that particular strand of melancholy unique to english trad-folk, certainly a case could be made for Briggs being the strongest female folk vocalist of her generation.

so why can we say that 'The Time Has Come' is, although a classic, none the less one not without faults? the answer lies not with Briggs herself but with the material chosen. Briggs always shone brightly with traditional material, here the choice of largely contemporary covers for the most part don't give her that opportunity to shine - 'Fire and Wine' nice enough but essentially throwaway, similarly 'Ride Ride' and 'Everytime' both pleasant but unmemorable.

however, where 'The Time Has Come' really comes into its own and what justifies its status as a classic is Briggs own material. the title track you may recognise from The Pentangle's cover version, here the tempo is gentler, more subdued allowing a whistful aching of longing to be wrung from the words. 'Sandman's Song' has beautiful lyrics painting a clear picture of childhood memories, Briggs voice full of nostalgia. 'Wishing Well' is a great collaboration with Jansch. Finally, out of character with the weaker covers Henry McCulloch's 'Step Right Up' is given a great performance, Briggs vocals particularly strong on this track.

chances are if you know your sixties folk then you already own 'The Time Has Come'. certainly if you're a fan of Sandy Denny (both solo and with Fairports) then this is essential. fans of Espers might also find something here to enjoy. in any case, flawed or no, it deserves a place in your collection.

I'm just waking up...
Briggs undoubtedly has a beautiful voice, but that's it. I nearly fell asleep with this on - that is not what I want music to do. There is absolutely no variety in this album. I expected her to break out in a stream of sleepy hi-tro-nonny-nonny-isms too: this sounds so affectedly 'English'.

Wonderful - what more can one say about this singer?
A mixture of her own songs with a few covers. No 'traditional' material - but when does a song become traditional? Lal Waterson's 30+ year old 'Fine Horseman' is surely well on the way. Not to mention some of Anne's own songs!

Beautifully simple vocals with fairly spare accompaniement (guitar, bouzouki), allowing the voice and lyrics to shine.