Barafundle
Barafundle is the fourth album by Welsh psychedelic folk band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, which was released 7 April 1997 in the United Kingdom. The album's title comes from the name of a beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Barafundle | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 7 April 1997 | |||
Recorded | Autumn 1996 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, psychedelic folk, neo-progressive rock, Britpop | |||
Length | 47:57 | |||
Label | Fontana | |||
Producer | Gorwel Owen, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci | |||
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 8/10[5] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Select | 4/5[8] |
Sputnikmusic | 4.5/5[9] |
Songs are often sung in both Welsh and English, and the album's influences range from twee-pop to traditional folk music. Lynn Childs, father of singer Euros and violinist Megan, plays shawm and other traditional instruments on the album's occasional medieval interludes (for example, on "Starmoonsun").
Singles
Two singles were released from the album. The first single, "Patio Song", was released in late 1996 and became the band's highest charting single in the UK, peaking at #41 in early 1997. The song also ranked #8 on John Peel's 1996 Festive Fifty countdown.[10]
The second single, "Diamond Dew", reached #42 on the UK Singles Chart in mid-1997. A contemporaneous non-album single, "Young Girls & Happy Endings", was also released in 1997 and appeared as a bonus track on some American copies of the album.
Track listing
All songs written by Euros Childs unless otherwise stated.
- "Diamond Dew" (Childs/James) – 2:50
- "The Barafundle Bumbler" – 1:53
- "Starmoonsun" (Lawrence) – 3:04
- "Patio Song" – 2:43
- "Better Rooms..." – 3:46
- "Heywood Lane" (Lawrence/Childs) – 2:52
- "Pen Gwag Glas" – 3:59
- "Bola Bola" – 1:53
- "Cursed, Coined and Crucified" (Lawrence) – 2:27
- "Sometimes the Father Is the Son" (James) – 3:21
- "Meirion Wyllt" – 2:48
- "The Wizard and the Lizard" (Lawrence/Childs) – 1:58
- "Miniature Kingdoms" (Lawrence/Childs) – 4:17
- "Dark Night" – 4:49
- "Hwyl Fawr I Pawb" (M. Childs) – 1:48
- "Wordless Song" – 3:20
- "Young Girls & Happy Endings" - 2:25 (US Bonus Track)
Personnel
- Euros Childs - vocals, piano, organ, synths, electric piano, harmonium, guitar (5)
- John Lawrence - guitar, vocals, bass (1,2), jaw harp (1,12), electric piano (3), organ (3,13), recorder (3,5,12), piano (9), bodhran (3)
- Megan Childs - violin, vocals, viola, organ (9), piano (15)
- Richard James - bass, guitar, piano (10), organ (10), synth (4)
- Euros Rowlands - drums, percussion
- Gorwel Owen - piano (2,16), synth (7)
- Fiona Owen - vocals (6,11,14)
- Lynn Childs - shawm, crumhorn
- Tom Rawlins - shawm, crumhorn, hurdy-gurdy
- Stuart Evans - shawm, flute
- James SK Wān - trombone
- Andrew Frizzell - trombone, flute
- Simon James - sax, flute
- Martin Smith - trumpet, marching horn
References
- Raggett, Ned. "Barafundle – Gorky's Zygotic Mynci". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Larkin, Colin (2007). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- Smith, Ethan (26 September 1997). "Barafundle". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Sullivan, Caroline (11 April 1997). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: Barafundle (Fontana)". The Guardian.
- Cameron, Keith (5 April 1997). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci – Barafundle". NME. Archived from the original on 13 November 1999. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Levine, Robert (30 October 1997). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: Barafundle". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- Sinagra, Laura (2004). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 339. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- Male, Andrew (May 1997). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: Barafundle". Select. No. 83.
- Jared P. (28 July 2010). "Gorky's Zygotic Mynci – Barafundle". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- "Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - Festive 50s - 1996". BBC. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
External links
- Barafundle at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
- Barafundle page on Euros Childs's official website