Folk

KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHERFOLKER!

  • Re-Creation -- God Will Set Us Free Re-Creation — God Will Set Us Free

    Way back in 1912 when the St. Rita’s Parish started talking about a Jew named Jesus, they probably didn’t anticipate the 1973 folk-rock album that was to come.  August of ‘73 saw the congregation throw together a little slab of choral-folk that was highlighted by a few choice tunes.  Loose arrangements, [...]

  • Judy and The P.T.S. - Blue / You Need Love Judy and The P.T.S. – Blue / You Need Love

    The Huntington Beach, California-based Outstanding Records label may be better known to Waxidermists for releasing the “It’s Broken” LP by Bob Chance, but they’ve been responsible for numerous other interesting releases since 1968, including this little gem of a single.  Both sides feature a keyboard-dominated soft folk pop sound, with a bit of a jazzy [...]

  • Graciela Susana - Adoro, La Reine De Saba Graciela Susana – Adoro, La Reine De Saba

    From what I can Google, Graciela Susana is an Argentinian singer who had a fair bit of success singing in Japanese for the Japan market in the 70s. This LP mixes more traditional pop fare with sparse latin/folk stylings. It’s a mixture of traditional songs and tracks written by Japanese writers which [...]

  • R.A.P. Donovan Jr. & J.Kevin Fulton: Too Fine Villains R.A.P. Donovan Jr. & J.Kevin Fulton: Too Fine Villains

    This one has really grown on me. From the Edgartown Massachusetts address of the label and publishing company I would say that it is a safe bet that this was recorded on Martha’s Vineyard. It has all of the heartfelt singer folk writer intentions that an image of 1972 island living conjures. As the liner [...]

  • St Kentigern College - 1969 St Kentigern College – 1969

    This an LP showcasing the then music program at the College where I am now a music teacher. This was recorded a fair bit before my time, unfortunately we don’t do showcase LPs anymore. This features the usual suspects of Pipes & Drums (the College is proud of it’s Scottish heritage), [...]

  • Watching The Door - Ken Lindsey Watching The Door – Ken Lindsey

    Ken Lindsey put out a handful of unremarkable rockabilly sides on the Prince label.
    This sleepy instrumental b-side was reissued on 51 West’s Long Gone compilation in 1976.
    It feels odd to post a review of a label comp, but I got tired of waiting for the single to turn up.
    If anyone has heard it, I [...]

  • Ellis And Lynch - Songs For Our Children Ellis And Lynch – Songs For Our Children

    According to Ken Scott’s Archivist book, Ron Ellis and Michael Lynch recorded no less than six LPs of Xian melodic folk music with their families between 1974 and 1979, all released on their Seattle-based Ra-O or Raven Records labels.  “Songs For Our Children” is their fifth release (from 1977), and the title is pretty self-explanatory.  [...]

  • Joe Cohen - Pages Joe Cohen – Pages

    Private folk/ssw/light rock from Illinois 1975. Released on the small Friendship Store label, there is a pretty wide range of stuff on here. On the folk stuff Cohen wears his Dylan influences on his sleeve while the more pop/rock offerings head into a more typical mid-70s style and direction. Interesting [...]

  • Stephen Rose / Rolled Away Stephen Rose / Rolled Away

    I don’t have a ton to say about this record, but I wanted to share my favorite track — Plant Your Seed.

  • Arian Calandra Arian Calandra

    Charmingly disjointed Uni-Bomber looking dude who had me from the very first listen. Half the tracks have vocals and should appeal to anyone with a soft spot for oddball sincerity. There is an off-kilter feeling that, combined with his sunny themes, I just find super pleasant and refreshing. The rest is instrumental guitar improvisations which [...]

  • Terry Telson: While In Exile Terry Telson: While In Exile

    I just don’t quite understand dudes dropping a G plus on motherfuckers like BIXBY while records like Terry Telson are still out there getting little to no shine. He’s lonely, too broke to afford a full-color sleeve, and yours for a mere fraction of the price. What more do you need? Seriously though, this is [...]

  • Sparky Rucker - Cold & Lonesome On A Train Sparky Rucker – Cold & Lonesome On A Train

    This is a really solid set of mid-late 70s folk/country/blues. Everything is well played & Rucker has a great singing voice. Variations in instrumentation keep things fresh throughout (harmonica, banjo, fiddle etc) & Rucker is adept & convincing over all the material. Of the thirteen tracks here four of them are [...]

  • Carole Caroompas - Target Practice Carole Caroompas – Target Practice

    Probably the most unique and unassuming record I purchased at the 2008 WFMU record fair. Housed in a plain sleeve with a screen printed bird and real feathers waxed-on to the cover, Carole Caroompas’ only record from 1981 is a sure winner for fans of minimal pop. Carole is/was an established L.A. visual artist who [...]

  • Jef Gilson: "A Gaveau" SFP. 1965 Jef Gilson: “A Gaveau” SFP. 1965

    Featuring the Jef Gilson Big Band recorded at the Salle Gaveau concert hall (Hence the title) The track Modalite Pour Mimi is a swinging, piece that features some great blowing over a lovely rhythm. The whole band seem absorbed in this groove which sounds unmistakably French. There is also a vocal version of this on [...]

  • Experiência - Passo a Passo Experiência – Passo a Passo

    I bought this LP in Lissabon some eight years ago. I’d never seen it before or since. Rock is not my expertise, but it seems to me this is a record that should be better known. I’m afraid it’s really rare though. They play folk-funk with some latin-rock influences, cool percussion in the mix. It [...]

  • Surman/Skidmore/Oxley: Jazz in Britain '68 - '69 (Decca Eclipse) Surman/Skidmore/Oxley: Jazz in Britain ‘68 – ‘69 (Decca Eclipse)

    Featuring the cream of Brit experimentalists this LP highlights some of the creativeness going on in the UK scene towards the end of the 60’s. The track included here is “Shepherd Oak”. Featuring: John Surman, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osbourne, Harry Beckett, John Taylor and others. Surprisingly restrained for these particular players who are / were [...]

  • Les Moore: S/T Les Moore: S/T

    Decent folkie man from NOLA with an warbley, nasal voice. He’s got the lonely room ambiance, and his style is likable enough, but he sorta kinda comes up short in the song department. Oddly enough it’s his cover of Lennon’s “A Day in the Life” that sticks with ya. If some of his originals took [...]

  • Bob Reidenbach - Come Touch The Air Softly Bob Reidenbach – Come Touch The Air Softly

    As interest continues to surge in the softer sounds of yesteryear, it is apparent that a Soft Renaissance is upon us. This is no secret to deep diggers around the globe: rival collectors are frantically scouring the earth, scrambling to Out-Soft each other with unheard obscurities of extreme gentleness. Every now and then, the collecting [...]

  • Fuat Saka - Ayrılık Türküsü Fuat Saka – Ayrılık Türküsü

    With it’s use of delayed percussion, eastern scales and jazzy ney (flute), this folk pop album manages to create a nice psychedelic mood, despite the release date (1984). The 10 songs featured on it are very contemplative, sung with a dark brooding voice, but still there’s a drive to the music, not in the [...]

  • Jean Yves Tourbin - Gayan Jean Yves Tourbin – Gayan

    Jean Yves Tourbin managed to peek out of his nest of gratuitous facial hair and somehow emerge with a tender eastern instrument augmented folk album. The grueling frenchness* of the vocals may repel most, but most tracks are filled with gorgeous finger picked guitars, harps, strings and flutes. For some reason this found its [...]

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