Recorded during Fairport Convention’s 1979 farewell tour (a hiatus that lasted for only six years) and originally released on vinyl as Farewell Farewell, Encore Encore: Farewell Tour isn’t the best live Fairport album — that would be House Full, from the classic 1970 lineup — but it’s a surprisingly solid release from a lineup of the band too often discounted by casual fans. Highlights include a spirited take on the old chestnut “Matty Groves,” this time puckishly incorporating a snatch of the traditional bluegrass tune “Orange Blossom Special” courtesy of Dave Swarbrick, and a powerful, blues-tinged take on “John Lee.” This remastered edition also includes a rare 1979 single, “Rubber Band,” a playful tune about Fairport’s ever-shifting lineups, and three instrumentals, including a sterling version of the classic “Dirty Linen.” Encore Encore is for true Fairport Convention fans only, but it’s well worth picking up. – Stewart Mason