MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT – SECOND SPRING LP – EXC+ UK

Matthews Southern Comfort – Second Spring
(Uni Records  1970  UNLS112  Stereo)
UK Pressing

EJ Day Textured Sleeve in Very Good condition
 – some discolouration marks & rubbing, small tear at opening edge – no title legible on spine
Insert in Excellent+ condition

Vinyl in Excellent+ condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality apart from some light pops/crackles – name written on side one label)

Iain Matthews (born Iain Matthew McDonald, 16 June 1946) is an English musician and songwriter. He was a singer with Fairport Convention before forming his own band, Matthews Southern Comfort, which had a UK number one in 1970 with a cover version of Joni Mitchell’s song “Woodstock”.

Born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, Matthews was known in the 1960s as Ian McDonald, then as Ian Matthews. In 1989, he reverted to the original spelling of his first name.

Influenced by both rock and roll and folk music, he has performed mainly as a solo act, although he was a member of Fairport Convention during the early period when they were heavily influenced by American folk rock. He later had a solo career and led the bands Plainsong, Hi-Fi, No Grey Faith, More Than A Song, and Matthews Southern Comfort.

Second Spring is the 1969 album by Country rock/Folk rock musician Ian Matthews’ band Matthews’ Southern Comfort. It was Matthews’s second album after his departure from Fairport Convention.

Track listing

1. “Ballad of Obray Ramsey” (Ian Matthews) – 2:25
2. “Moses in the Sunshine” (Carl Barnwell) – 6:18
3. “Jinkson Johnson” (Ian Matthews) – 5:29
4. “The Tale of the Trial” (Ian Matthews) – 2:42
5. “Blood Red Roses” (Ian Matthews) – 2:27
6. “Even As” (Carl Barnwell) – 2:49
7. “Darcy Farrow” (Tom Campbell, Steve Gillette) – 3:34
8. “Something in the Way She Moves” (James Taylor) – 4:48
9. “Southern Comfort” (Sylvia Tyson) – 7:47

Personnel

• Ian Matthews – guitar, lead vocals, arranger
• Carl Barnwell – guitar, harmony vocals
• Mark Griffiths – bass, guitar, harmony vocals
• Gordon Huntley – steel guitar
• Tom Paley – banjo
• Andy Leigh – bass, harmony vocals
• Martin Jenkins – mandolin
• Ray Duffy – drums
• Roger Churchyard – violin, fiddle
• Byard Ray – fiddle

Production

• Producer: Ian Matthews
• Production Coordinator: Steve Barlby
• Recording Engineer: Ian Matthews
• Art Direction: Paul Whitehead
• Cover Design: Ian Matthews
• Photography: Ray Stevenson