Perth County Conspiracy: self-titled [RETURN TO ANALOG]

Why you'll love it

This Return to Analog reissue is limited to 500 numbered copies. It brings back one of the great Canadian psychedelic folk records, with "Welcome Surprise" and "Lace and Cobwebs."

This edition

• Limited to 500 copies
• Numbered

About the album

In Stratford, Ontario, the evening's entertainment didn't end when the curtain came down at the Shakespeare festival. It moved over to Harry Finlay's Black Swan Coffee House, where Perth County Conspiracy would play until almost four in the morning for actors, locals and anyone else still awake.

Founded in 1969 by Richard Keelan, formerly of the American band the Spike Drivers, and Cedric Smith, with Terry Jones, Michael Butler and George Taros, the group signed to Columbia in 1970 and made this album. It mixes folk and folk rock with Shakespearean dialogue and audio collage, landing somewhere between a coffee house set and a radio play. "Welcome Surprise" opens warmly, "Take Your Time" and "If You Can Wait" drift gently, "Mr. Truthful Licks" grooves, and "Lace and Cobwebs" has a lovely, spooky glow.

The band toured universities across Canada and played Massey Hall, and in 2011 CBC Radio's Inside the Music gave them a full hour. Few records sound quite so much like Stratford at three in the morning, and we mean that as the highest compliment a theatre town can offer.

Also at Kops: more Perth County Conspiracy on vinyl · browse CDN Pop / Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Return to Analog (cat# RTA-048), a reissue of the 1970 album.