Various Artists – The Magic Forest – More Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975 (Strawberry/CherryRed, 2025)
The sequel to 2022’s Deep in the Woods, The Magic Forest continues Richard Norris’s exploration of psychedelic, pastoral, and funky folk with another expansive triple-CD compilation. This remarkable set presents rare tracks and cult classics spanning 1968 to 1975, delivering a fascinating mix of traditional folk storytelling and experimental sounds.
Highlights include hidden gems from revered acts such as Mellow Candle, Forest, Agincourt, Knocker Jungle, and Zior, alongside other rare finds.
The late 1960s and early 1970s was a time of musical exploration and discovery. It gave birth to some of the most significant modern musical genres in the 20th century, from folk-rock and psychedelia to jazz fusion, progressive rock, world fusion, southern rock, blues rock, proto heavy metal and more. Significantly, The Magic Forest celebrates the unique alchemy of folk with psychedelic studio techniques, jazz influences, and rhythm and blues grooves, creating boldly inventive, mind-expanding, engaging, and splendid songs.
The set is packaged in a striking digipack featuring Lyndon Pike’s colorful wraparound collage that provides a perfect psychedelic feel. Available January 24, 2025.
Disc One
- Fat Mattress – Magic Forest
- The Woods Band – Dreams
- Mellow Candle – Sheep Season
- Shelagh McDonald – Stargazer
- Knocker Jungle – I Don’t Know Why
- Amber – She Shell Rock Me
- Prelude – God
- Paul Brett – Empty Dreams/Flying Machines
- Gary Farr – Don’t Know Why You Bother Child
- Aidan Nolan – Out On A Limb
- Keith West – Leit Motif
- Agincourt – Barn Owl Blues
- Julian Jay Savarin – Cycle
- Natural Acoustic Band – Learning To Live
- Forest – Fading Light
- Zior – I Was Fooling
- Affinity – Night Flight
- Clifford T Ward – A Dream
- Kevin Lamb – Frost On The Pasture
- Barrington Davis – Strange Days
- John Williams – I Wonder Why
Disc 2
- Sandy Denny – Next Time Around
- Fairfield Parlour – Aries
- Family – My Friend The Sun
- Chris Harwood – When I Come Home
- Heron – Yellow Roses
- Jade – Fly On Strangewings
- Merrell Fankhauser & H.M.S Bounty – Ice Cube Island
- Fresh Maggots – Rosemary Hill
- The Coterie – Dawn
- The Music Box – Downstairs On The Floor
- Tim Hollier – Seagull’s Song
- Bill Nelson – House Of Sand
- John St. Field (Jackie Levin) – Soft Lowland Tongue
- Ian A Anderson – One More Chance
- The Occasional Word – Missed My Times
- Paper Bubble – Sorry About That
- Ancient Grease – Mystic Mountain
- Oberon – Summertime
- Tim Rose – If I Were A Carpenter
- Mark Fry – The Witch
Disc Three
- Jade Warrior – Morning Hymn
- The Ghost – Hearts and Flowers
- Honeybus – For Where Have You Been
- Majority One – Rainbow Rockin’ Chair
- Fotheringay – The Pond and The Stream
- Friends – One Sweet Day
- Pentangle – The Snows
- Maldoon – Sit and Talk About It
- Comus – In The Lost Queen’s Eyes
- Ithaca – Questions
- Bruce Spelman – Sandcastles
- Carolanne Pegg – A Witch’s Guide To The Underground
- Alan Hull – Picture A Little Girl
- John Fandinando & Peter Howell – Jabberwocky
- Mortimer – Last Of The “H”
- Roy Harper – Sophisticated Beggar
- Marsha Hunt – Southern Man
- Snafu – Goodbye USA
- Siren – Asylum
- Bridget St John. – Ask Me No Questions
Buy The Magic Forest.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.