Be Thou My Very Armour (Mod) [CD]

Seelie Court - the world's premier label for rare and previously unreleased archive recordings of underground folk, rock, proto-metal, and psychedelic music present Lifeblood - Be Thou My Very Armour. Recorded in the winter of 1971 at Gooseberry Sound Studios, a tiny four-track room tucked away in a Gerrard Street basement, this album captures Lifeblud at a decisive moment. The band had already been together for several years, refining a sound that blended British folk roots with emerging progressive ideas. These recordings present reworked versions of earlier songs alongside more expansive material, shaped by bowed strings, 12-string guitar, Mellotron textures and extended instrumental passages. There's a strong sense of exploration throughout: medieval-tinged melodies sit next to heavier sections, reflective lyrics give way to long, flowing codas, and the playing balances intimacy with ambition. Made during a single long session, the performances retain the rough edges and spontaneity of the time. Half a century on, these tracks stand as a rare document of a band operating just below the surface of the early-70s progressive scene, capturing both their musical identity and the moment before it slipped away.