Our Price: £9.99

BRUCE JANAWAY - Puritanical Odes. CD

Artist: Bruce Janaway
Title:  Puritanical Odes
Cat No: SBRCD5088

• Ultra-rare UK acid folk classic
• First time on CD
• Booklet includes full lyrics

1. Odes (A)
2. Odes (B)
3. Odes (C)
4. Odes (D)
5. Odes (E)
6. Labour Pains

Originally circulated in a private edition of just 200 vinyl copies in 1977, Puritanical Odes is among the most intensely personal and poetic albums ever made in Britain. Setting startling words to haunting 12-string guitar, it has been described as ‘one of the ultimate incarnations of what today is referred to as downer folk’, and makes its first appearance on CD here.

‘I became aware of Puritanical Odes when a friend found five copies in a junk shop, long before the term ‘acid folk’ had been coined. Neither of us had heard of it, but its homemade, simple-but-stunning sleeve was enough to warrant further investigation. As soon as I played it I was smitten. It is at once melodic, literary, uncompromising, beautifully performed and extremely strange. Janaway’s amazingly complex and technically brilliant 12-string guitar technique has to be heard to be believed. His voice is rich and deep, his lyrics thought-provoking, sometimes downright disturbing. It became something I would introduce to people I knew would love it, and my copy is now a well-used but treasured artefact. To finally see it available to all, and recognised for the masterpiece it is, is exciting and vindicating’ – Nick Saloman (The Bevis Frond)

‘Bruce Janaway’s debut is one of the ultimate incarnations of what today is referred to as ‘downer folk’. The lyrics are nihilistic and sarcastic, almost aggressively so, as if he is daring you to enter deeper into his world, assuming you don’t have the guts to do so. Obscene language and twisted sexual references pop any soft hippie folk balloons in a 10-mile radius. There’s a few acoustic guitar instrumentals that are as edgy and arresting as the vocal numbers, the latter which find Janaway soaring from dark troubadour mutterings into Tim Buckley-like wailing and back. The emotional commitment is absolute, a fearless head- first dive into the abyss’ – Patrick Lundborg (Galactic Ramble)

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