(Ten) Years Together - PETER PAUL & MARY*****

Blowin' In The Wind/Too Much Of Nothing/Lemon Tree/Stewball/Early Mornin' Rain/500 Miles/I Dig Rock & Roll Music/Leaving On A Jet Plane/Puff The Magic Dragon/For Lovin' Me/Don't Think Twice Its Alright/If I Had A Hammer/Day Is Done

Subtitled The Best Of Peter Paul & Mary this album was released at an opportune moment when the trio were about to split. They will be remembered as a cornerstone of the American sixties folk revival. (US:15 UK:60)

"Peter, Paul & Mary's Ten Years Together is an excellent introduction to the group for anyone who's not familiar with their work. It shows off their seamless, sumptuous harmonies, their willingness to step back and let the songs be the stars of the show, and the ease with which they move from ballads to more upbeat tunes. Showcased here, of course, is Mary Travers' voice, an instrument of such crystalline purity that it has something of the angels in it. Paul and Peter back her up beautifully, content to let her be (usually) the main vocalist while they harmonize. Their choice of material is top-notch."

"Where the bywords of the late 60s were 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll', the bywords of the earlier part of the decade were 'freedom and equality'. The music of Peter, Paul and Mary perfectly exemplified the age's gentler aspect. For those who lived through those times and resonate with the struggle of blacks, migrant farmers and others to achieve fairness, this LP will bring back the heady feeling of those glorious days. When they sang If I Had A Hammer, there was a palpable and still stirring sense that freedom was achievable. The wistful whimsy of Puff The Magic Dragon and the softened, harmonized versions of Bob Dylan's Blowin' In The Wind were so characteristic of the longing and dreams of the age."

"Combine Bob's melodic edge with Peter, Paul and Mary's fine songmanship and what have we got? A truly masterful product of the highest musical standard." "What's so good about this trio is their superior choice of materials coupled with the ability to give the materials the right treatment that they deserve, whether they are Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot or John Denver tunes. Their perfect harmony, delivery and guitar work are simply outstanding."

"This trio sometimes wrote their own material, but most of the songs they are famous for are covers. Not just any covers - often they selected songs by people who were unknown at the time, but who became famous partly as a result of Peter Paul and Mary's hits."