Fairport Convention are indisputably one of the best groups in the Californian-inspired wave of British folk rock, and have been since their first eponymous album, released in 1968. With voices that sound like something from the Mamas and the Papas, Dylanesque acoustics, and talented songwriters, the group got better with each passing album. What We Did On Our Saturday is made up of no fewer than 25 tracks which provide a masterful account of the tradition. Blending traditional British folk, steel guitar, Californian sounds, and solo picking, all into a rock groove, Fairport Convention knew how to seduce the USA. A year after they celebrated their half-century, they retrace their musical steps in this double volume. It's no surprise, then, that Time Will Show The Wiser should be the first track, followed by Reno Nevada from 1968. But then there is a little surprise: the sublime Suzanne by Leonard Cohen gives us the voice of Judy Dyble, the first Fairport singer. Chris Leslie picked this classic: a poignant and faithful version. This is not a simple playlist, but a real revisiting of some songs, interpreted by new members or with an enriched composition. It's an album where current or old members rub shoulders, including Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings, Iain Matthews, Dave Mattacks, Judy Dyble, Martin Allcock and Ralph McTell. © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz