Essential British Folk

Not Now's 2014 compilation mixes up British folk with British folk-rock -- a fair move because at some point after the '70s, the line became blurred anyway. Over the course of 40 tracks, such heavy hitters as Fairport Convention, Ewan MacColl, Amazing Blondel, the Albion Band, and Shirley Collins can be heard (sometimes more than once) along with lesser-known but strong artists, making this a worthy (and affordable) sampler. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine