FAIRPORT CONVENTION

 Fairport Convention walks a musical tightrope between pleasing recent converts and serving the diehard fans that still champion the days when its earlier lineups pioneered British folk-rock. Consider By Popular Request something akin to a perfect balancing act, a 45th anniversary celebration that reconsiders classic songs without adulterating them. It’d be easy to credit the fresh energy to virtuoso fiddler Ric Sanders and multi-instrumentalist Chris Leslie. It’s Leslie, after all, whose banjo chops meld perfectly with Sanders’ flawless playing on “Matty Groves,” and anyone who has seen the two onstage can attest to their musical partnership. But that would be unfair, because founding guitarist Simon Nicol, drummer Gerry Conway and bassist Dave Pegg masterfully play these songs with unbridled enthusiasm. By Popular Request presents the best of Fairport Convention, then and now. –Nancy Dunham