https://greatlakeswimmers.bandcamp.com/album/uncertain-country folk rock ⭐️ ⭐️ released April 28, 2023 This just isn’t the direction I want this band to move in. Their music is much more potent stripped down. The production on this doesn’t make any sense in relation to the band’s strengths. They’re no Lambchop but they started with the potential to be onContinue reading “Uncertain Country by Great Lake Swimmers”
Category Archives: folk
Bob Dylan – Shadow Kingdom
There’s three main reasons why this is an important release: 1) It’s Bobby Dylan. That’s what my dad called him – growing up I used to have a poster of him on my bedroom wall and my dad would point at it and exclaim “Baaaahbee Dylan!!!” It was this poster: 2) It’s the only DylanContinue reading “Bob Dylan – Shadow Kingdom”
PROCESSION by Jarboe
Goddamnit I just wrote a nice chunk about this and didn’t save it. Never had to before switching to whatever the fuck jetpack is. I wrote some nice reflective stuff about how Jarboe’s voice was built into the fabric of my being from being so prominent in my post-coming of age coming of age collegeContinue reading “PROCESSION by Jarboe”
Prism by Powers / Pulice / Rolin
https://cachedmedia.bandcamp.com/album/prism Americana Jazz Fusion ⭐️ ⭐️ released March 3, 2023 The selection of instruments is great: hammered dulcimer, guitar, and sax. There is so much potential here a the droning foundation provided by the other two musicians is certainly fertile ground to work with but Cole Pulice doesn’t do their part. The saxophone sounds likeContinue reading “Prism by Powers / Pulice / Rolin”
A Better Trip: Live at The Jean Cocteau Cinema Supporting Shane Mauss by Michael Garfield
https://michaelgarfield.bandcamp.com/album/a-better-trip-live-at-the-jean-cocteau-cinema-supporting-shane-mauss Genre: Folk Rating: Recommended released March 31, 2023 Full disclosure: I like Garfield as a person not just an artist. I’m not fortunate enough to be an actual friend but he has responded to a few direct messages online. I only mention that because I typically review the music of complete strangers. From timeContinue reading “A Better Trip: Live at The Jean Cocteau Cinema Supporting Shane Mauss by Michael Garfield”
Tonkori in the moonlight by OKI
https://oki-tonkori.bandcamp.com/album/tonkori-in-the-moonlight Genre: World (Ainu Folk) Rating: Definitely Worth Checking Out Released February 4, 2022 (BandCamp) I lived in Japan for around a decade, including about three years in Aomori, in the northern most region Honshu, Japan’s central island. I also visited Hokkaido. Despite my apparent proximity, I never knowingly encountered an Ainu person. I takeContinue reading “Tonkori in the moonlight by OKI”
Feel safe by Alba Liv
https://forlagetkornmod.bandcamp.com/album/feel-safe Genre: Folk Rating: ☁️ ⛅️ 🌧 ✨ ⛈ 5/5 highest released November 27, 2022 Feel Safe is folk music broke down to its purest essence building on the relatively recent traditions of shoe gaze and ambient. More wistful and ethereal than Grouper but the comparison comes to mind as do the tenderest moments fromContinue reading “Feel safe by Alba Liv”
I tell you everything, just not out loud.by .Sue Ann Harkey
https://sueannharkey.bandcamp.com/album/i-tell-you-everything-just-not-out-loud Genre: Freak Folk Rating: World Treasure I wish I were a better writer so I could really give this the review it deserves. My first exposure to this was in 1987. It came along with an issue of the cassette culture zine Sound Choice. It soon became one of my favorite records of allContinue reading “I tell you everything, just not out loud.by .Sue Ann Harkey”
screen time by Thurston Moore
https://thurstonmoore1.bandcamp.com/album/screen-time-2 Genre: Experimental Rating: 📖 📕 📚 📑 💻 Released in 2021 feels like thurston fired up a fatty put on some loren mazzacane connors and thought goddamn i need to do some of this often i think we think our idols of yesteryear shouldve been killed and we ignore too much with this releaseContinue reading “screen time by Thurston Moore”
Doc Watson’s Self Titled Debut Long Play
Rating: 🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂 Genre: Folk Released in 1964 Doc Watson’s debut is a powerful and interesting musical landmark. The Watson Family already had a degree of fame and had released a record. Doc had also made a splash at the 1963 Newport Festival whose lineup included, incredibly, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Freedom Singers, Peter,Continue reading “Doc Watson’s Self Titled Debut Long Play”
loosies by contron
Genre: Folk Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ released on Bandcamp July 29, 2016 Going by discogs and bandcamp release dates best I can figure, Contron, who just popped into my bandcamp feed with a new single was most active in 2013 and then again in 2019. He’s a lofi folk musician somewhat in the vein of Smog.Continue reading “loosies by contron”
Canti di guerra, di lavoro e d‘amore by Silvia Tarozzi & Deborah Walker
https://unseenworlds.bandcamp.com/album/canti-di-guerra-di-lavoro-e-d-amore Genre: Folk Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ released on bandcamp June 10, 2022 The Bandcamp notes can guide you about what this music is and what it’s about. I’m just here to put a very zealous seal of approval on it. It has AOTY written all over it. Strings that evoke bothContinue reading “Canti di guerra, di lavoro e d‘amore by Silvia Tarozzi & Deborah Walker”
I Live In A Utopia by Ignatz
https://aguirrerecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-live-in-a-utopia Genre: Freak Folk Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp May 6, 2022 This is extraordinarily beautiful ghostly folk music borrowing from the richest traditions. Frankly, if its bad ass you can hear it in this: B. F. Shelton, Roscoe Holcomb, John Fahey, Nick Drake (when you can here those little suicidal hints) , even theContinue reading “I Live In A Utopia by Ignatz”
Level One Mage by Erik Gundel
https://erikgundel.bandcamp.com Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp April 8, 2022 LOM is a surprisingly diverse record. The bandcamp notes and a little googling lets you know that Brooklyn resident (how do they afford it?), Gundel, takes his craft seriously and has been at it for a while and his professional approach pays dividends. ThereContinue reading “Level One Mage by Erik Gundel”
progress by Jarrad K
https://jarradk.bandcamp.com/album/progress Genre: Folk Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp April 4, 2022 I’m listening to this and I’m dumbfounded by the lack of attention this has received. Partly, I’m aghast at the injustice of it, but mostly I’m thinking holy shit what a huge fucking score for my blog to write about it first. First off,Continue reading “progress by Jarrad K”
A Maid of Constant Sorrow by Judy Collins
Genre: Folk Released November 1961 Judy Collins’ debut, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, is a beautiful record of stunning purity. It opens with the title track, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, a variation on A Man of Constant Sorrow, a song with obscure origins but was brought to mainstream public attention by The Stanley Brothers.Continue reading “A Maid of Constant Sorrow by Judy Collins”
Smog Choir by Carnivorous Plants Quartet
https://liquidlibrary.bandcamp.com/album/smog-choir Genre: Instrumental Folk Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp April 16, 2021 Owen Chambers’ Carnivorous Plants release Burning Apricot is one of my editors picks for so far 2021 so I was super excited to see this release in my bandcamp feed this morning. And it certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s plenty of room to beContinue reading “Smog Choir by Carnivorous Plants Quartet”
Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan
Retrospective: On this day, March 19, back in 1962 Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut album. First thing I want to say is that at this point any critic that still refuses to give thisi masterpiece a highest rating possible five out of five stars is frankly putting his ignorance on display. This album isContinue reading “Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan”
Warmth Highest 