Pentangle singer/guitarist
John Renbourn often takes a folk-rock approach, and often investigates American folk songs, on
Faro Annie, beginning with the traditional "White House Blues," a song about the 1901 assassination of President William McKinley. "Buffalo Skinners" is a song associated with
Woody Guthrie that
Renbourn gives an unusually calm treatment to, adding for the first but not the last time a background sitar part. "Kokomo Blues" is the first overtly folk-rock track, finding
Renbourn joined by the
Pentangle rhythm section of bassist
Danny Thompson and drummer
Terry Cox. The first song with a distinctly British derivation is "Willy O'Winsbury," but before long
Renbourn is evoking Robert Johnson on "Come on in My Kitchen." That Delta blues is followed by "Country Blues," and then the original instrumental title tune. Throughout,
Renbourn and his cohorts explore the various folk styles with delicacy and restraint; that's the British element coming through, and it gives an elegance to the material. ~ William Ruhlmann