Violets of Dawn

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Although otherwise a behind-the-times, corny commercial folk album, this would be worthy of rescue from archival meltdown if for only one cut, "The Sound of Protest (Has Begun to Pay)." Released just after folk-rock had swept the airwaves, it's a merciless satire of the movement, down to the extremely Byrdsian arrangement (complete with Roger McGuinn-esque electric guitar, dense harmonies, and drums). Co-written by Fred Hellerman of the Weavers, it may have been intended to mock the insincerity of folk-rock protest. Yet it actually sounds more like the desperate last gasps of early-1960s commercial folk veterans who saw their very livelihood (successfully) threatened by a new wave of electric music. It's the sole electric rock cut on the album, which was otherwise business as usual for the group, presenting a variety of sing-along folk that could have been done in 1963, not 1966. Awareness was shown of emerging singer/songwriters via the inclusion of three songs by Tom Paxton (who wrote the liner notes), Fred Neil's "Another Side of This Life," and Eric Andersen's "Violets of Dawn." A left-of-center sentiment was evident via the inclusion of the Paxton tunes and "Your Friendly, Liberal, Neighborhood Ku-Klux Klan." However, the execution was so whitebread and innocuous that it would not have endured as a relevant contribution to folk no matter what the date of release. It does feature one of John Denver's most notable early recordings. He is the only member of the band to play on "Bells of Rhymney," which features his 12-string guitar playing (and was anthologized in 2001 on the Washington Square Memoirs box set). ~ Richie Unterberger