The 'Spill (Free subscription) | 11/29/2009
This week's album in the "Carole's Seminal Albums" series is Fairport Convention 's 1969 ground-breaking Liege and Lief . It was Fairport's fourth release and was a departure from what had come before; there were no Bob Dylan covers and the West Coast inspired folk-rock was replaced by a totally English folk sensibility. This was something that had been hinted at on Unhalfbricking 's most...
The Independent (Free subscription) | 11/29/2009
Things you need to say in any review of Hoop's debut album: she has a stint as nanny to Tom Waits' children on her CV. Things you don't: Björk and Kate Bush. That's that out of the way.
KK & R Music Blog (Free subscription) | 11/18/2009
What a well covered song
Song, by Toad (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
I know I promised the Notcraigcast last week, but it didn’t happen I’m afraid. After last week’s amazing Craigcast Neil and I were intending to introduce Craig to all sorts of modern music which we thought continued some of the traditions of the blues music he was describing to us, but circumstances have rather [...]
Tiny Mix Tapes (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
But remember when music was passed down by ear? Remember the aural folk tradition? Remember when that continued through the years and, slowly but surely, folk became more of an aesthetic decision than anything else? When folk meant acoustic guitars and finger pointing? That was cool, too. When playing and recording in their band Mythical Beast, Corinne Sweeney, Jeremiah Cowlin, and Aaron Hawn may or...
The 'Spill (Free subscription) | 10/30/2009
A longer list from me than usual, and as varied as the things that came out of the Hobgoblin's hat... Moon Gone Down - the Gourds The Moon Shines Bright - Shirley and Dolly Collins Kiko And The Lavender Moon - Los Lobos Spanish Moon - Little Feat No More The Moon Shines On Lorena - Kev Russell's Junker Lovers' Moon - Any Trouble Midnight Moonlight - the Be Good Tanyas Fever Moon - Diana Jones Teenage...
Word Magazine blogs (Free subscription) | 10/24/2009
As the title says: Its payday for me on Tuesday I'm going to buy an album. Which should I get? I want the massive to guide me. Peace and Love
UK Commentators (Free subscription) | 10/18/2009
I mentioned a while back Harry Robinson's work with Nick Drake and Sandy Denny, but most of Nick Drake's string arrangements were done by Robert Kirby, a fellow Cambridge student when they met. Times obituary : At this stage, Kirby’s ambitions in music extended no further than becoming a music teacher at a public school: “doing the choir, a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan,” as he put...
Cogitamus (Free subscription) | 10/18/2009
"Who Knows Where the Time Goes" - Fairport Convention Happy birthday to Deborah. A beautiful song, beautifully sung by the late, lamented Sandy Denny, who had one of the purest voices I've ever heard, asking the musical question that everyone...
wears the trousers magazine (Free subscription) | 10/16/2009
Mary Hampton ‘Island’ Brighton-based singer Mary Hampton is among the new crop of artists taking an experimental approach to the traditional folk style. Her most recent album, My Mother’s Children, was among the top 50 albums of 2008 as voted for by Wears The Trousers readers, and her songs have been described variously as unnerving and enchanting, [...]
The XPN All About The Music Blog (Free subscription) | 10/13/2009
One of the best parts of music is hearing your favorite artist or band cover a classic. That is why for today's Under Cover set, we are bringing you artists who have perfected the art of covering a song._____________________UnderCover 10/13/09 Song: "Little Bit of Rain" Covered By: Amos Lee Originally performed by Fred Neil, "Little Bit of Rain" is truly a classic. Found on Neil's...
SoundsXP (Free subscription) | 10/08/2009
Damon & Naomi: The Sub Pop Years We all liked Galaxie 500 but Damon and Naomi’s solo work is more of an acquired taste; words like "poetic", "ethereal" and "soaring" spring easily to my mind, but equally I admit that some can find it dry and austere. Damon and Naomi shouldn’t have existed after More Sad Hits anyway, as they only planned to release one...
Bearded Magazine (Free subscription) | 10/07/2009
French chanteuse Helene Gautier’s voice has drawn comparisons to everyone from Nico and Marianne Faithful to Hope Sandoval and Sandy Denny, so it‘s clearly an instrument of variety - even if she doesn’t really sound like any of them. Whatever, it’s a beautiful adornment to this fine second album by Manchester-based Starless and Bible Black, following on from their 2006 debut....
The 'Spill (Free subscription) | 09/18/2009
I think I may have used this picture before, but if I have I'm sure you won't mind seeing it again. It was very unusual for poor families in the past to have a photo like this taken - in this case, it is 1896 and the two elder sons of the family have joined the army (because there wasn't enough to feed them all) and are about to set off for the North-West Frontier. They had the photo taken in case...
Hongkie Town (Free subscription) | 09/14/2009
More old photos - many of these have seriously faded but I think have some historical interest (at least for me!) Sandy Denny from the folk festival in Chelmsford 1972. She offered my friend and I a ride back to London but my pussy friend turned her down because he was scared of her dogs. Can you freaking believe that? Three hours in a car alone with Sandy Denny (and two huge dogs) and he said no?...
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