Bert Jansch “Rosemary Lane” (1971)

I don't understand why this record is so overlooked. Perhaps it's because at the time of its release, when every other 1960s folkie was busy going electric in the wake of Liege and Lief, Bert -- ever the nonconformist -- chose to go the other direction. This is nearly all-acoustic, and it might be his most gentle and heartbreakingly sad record ever. There's a dreamy, hazy vibe to much of the music -- one of the tracks is even titled "A Dream, A Dream, A Dream" -- that creates a timeless feel; by which I mean not that the music hasn't dated (although it hasn't), but that it actually seems to stop time. I don't think Jansch ever topped his vocal on "Tell Me What is True Love", and it goes without saying that his guitar playing is superb. Seek it out. Fun Fact: Psych-folk supergroup Espers did the title track on their covers album The Weed Tree. –Brad