[2][3] The album was produced by Ray Horricks and recorded by Gus Dudgeon; the sleeve featured a photograph by Crispian Woodgate and sleeve notes by Austin John Marshall.

[4] According to Bob Stanley, the album took inspiration from the North African scale, modal music and Miles Davis; it was the first time many of these English folk songs had been recorded with guitar backing.

Collins, Graham, except where notedFolk Roots, New Routes is regarded as a landmark album of the folk revival;[5][6][7] Jude Rogers writing for NPR called it "an uncompromising work that spearheaded innovation in the middle of the folk music revival.

It set a template for the folk-rock that followed it, and inspired 21st century psych-folk decades later.

"[8] It is described as a template for Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief (1969).