LP – Single sleeve, printed inner, download card included. There is something quite special about a live album—provided you can get over the envy at not having been present(!) It can sound a lot better than the gig itself without the risk of one’s toes being trodden or a shower of a fellow reveller’s beer. Certainly a Bert Jansch gig was a treat however you experienced it, especially when he was at the top of his game, as captured on Downunder: Live In Australia. Eschewing the familiar stalwarts of previous live sets, this memorable recording saw Jansch debut two new (at the time) songs; ‘Downunder’ and ‘My Donald’, as well as ‘Little Max’ which never had a studio outing (but will feature among the recently discovered home recordings in Earth’s 2017 Living In The Shadows collection). There is a warmth about this recording which echoes that of Live at The 12 Bar, recorded three years before. It’s mostly just Bert and his guitar, with the a welcome addition of intuitively placed flourishes of bass and percussion. This ambience is heightened by Brian Pyle’s sensitive remastering, bringing a real intimacy to this enduring collection of songs. Recorded live at Continental Cafe, Melbourne, Australia in March 1998. Pete Howell (bass); Ian Clarke (percussion). Liner notes by Colin Harper. Remastered from original tapes by Brian Pyle. Tracklist A1 Paper Houses A2 Toy Balloon A3 My Donald A4 Born and Bred in Old Ireland A5 She Moved Through the Fair A6 Carnival B1 Little Max B2 Strolling Down the Highway B3 Angie B4 Curragh of Kildare B4 Downunder B5 How It All Came Down
