Downunder: Live in Australia
Bert Jansch · 2001
58 min · 15 tracks · folk rock
Intimate acoustic performances blend traditional folk with personal storytelling, capturing the essence of Jansch's artistry in a live setting.
Top tracks — play these first
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Blues Run the Game — This track opens the album with a haunting melody that encapsulates Jansch's ability to convey deep emotion through simple yet profound lyrics.
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Come Back Baby — A classic blues-infused number, this song showcases Jansch's skillful fingerpicking and serves as a testament to his roots in traditional music.
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She Moved Through the Fair — This rendition brings a fresh perspective to a well-known traditional song, highlighting Jansch's interpretative prowess and haunting vocal delivery.
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Carnival — With its intricate guitar lines and vivid imagery, this track exemplifies Jansch's storytelling ability and melodic inventiveness.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album captures Jansch's intricate guitar work and storytelling in a live setting, showcasing his distinct style.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent acoustic guitar style, with intricate fingerpicking that varies in tempo and complexity across tracks.
- Jansch's vocal delivery is intimate and conversational, often accompanied by minimal instrumentation that emphasizes storytelling.
- Several tracks include traditional folk melodies, while others showcase original compositions, blending the two seamlessly.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- heartfelt storytelling with warmth
- captivating evening acoustic sessions
- immersive live performance atmosphere
- intricate guitar work for detail
- nostalgic reflections on tradition
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of high-energy tracks
- prefer studio polish over live
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By 2001, Bert Jansch was in a reflective phase of his career, having experienced both acclaim and obscurity since his 1965 debut. 'Downunder: Live in Australia' marked a return to live performance after a period of reduced activity, showcasing his enduring influence in the folk music scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- John Renbourn· Nick Drake· Davey Graham
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Blues Run the Game 3:08
- 2 Come Back Baby 3:34
- 3 The Lily of the West 4:14
- 4 Paper Houses 3:09
- 5 Toy Balloon 3:59
- 6 My Donald 2:57
- 7 Born and Bred in Old Ireland 3:04
- 8 She Moved Through the Fair 5:22
- 9 Carnival 4:31
- 10 Little Max 3:25
- 11 Strolling Down the Highway 3:19
- 12 Angie 3:50
- 13 Curragh of Kildare 4:20
- 14 Down Under 4:59
- 15 How It All Came Down 4:13
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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