FolkWorld #45 07/2011

CD & DVD Reviews

Hat Check Girl "Tenderness"
Elixir Records; 2010

www.hatcheckgirl.net

There are indeed tender songs played here by this male/female folk duo with accompanying musicians. The songs are steady low-key folk with a dash of blues. They list some inspirations and I would say they are much closer to a combination of Rickie Lee Jones and Leonard Cohen and not quite as close to Shane McGowan (but with one of the songwriters named Peter Ballway, I can see why the inspiration is there). The sound sometimes gets a little too laid back for me, but if you want quiet nice music that may give you a jazzy feeling more that that of the folk idiom, then you may want to try this on for size.
© David Hintz


The Suitcase Brothers "Getting’ Outta Town"
Own label; 2011

www.suitcasebrothers.com

The Suitcase Brothers are two guys from Spain who play the blues with a dash of country. One plays guitar. The other sings and plays harmonica, from what I can tell. The songs are all cover songs of blues classics. The playing is fine. It is the blues. And after these facts, I find nothing compelling me to write further.
© David Hintz


Bert Jansch Conundrum "Thirteen Down"
Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop; 2010 (1980)

www.bertjansch.com

With easily over 30 albums in my collection featuring Bert Jansch, his music is certainly an essential part of my world. I have seen him play in simple coffee shops as well as Royal Albert Hall in London for the recent Pentangle reunion. He is getting a lot more press and attention lately, in no small part due to Neil Young providing him many opening gigs on some of Young’s arena shows. So we have this intriguing reissue of a 1980 group project called Conundrum. This is the only record they produced although Bert worked at other times with bassist Nigel Portman-Smith and former Dando Shaft violinist Martin Jenkins. They also have a drummer and Pentangle’s Jacqui McShee shows up for an excellent version of “If I Had a Lover”. The group concept works well and Jansch can certainly vary the music between folk, blues, and jazz as Pentangle clearly showed that. It is not too surprising that the intricacy is not as spectacular here as in Pentangle, but the players certainly bring high quality and creative sparks to many of the songs here. “Sweet Mother Earth” is another lovely song with its walking rhythm, undulating guitar parts, and fine vocal work. This album has been reissued previously and I do not detect any remastering or improved sound quality. The song order is different for some reason. So if you do not have this one already, now is as good as anytime to pick this up. It ranks fairly high in the Bert Jansch catalogue for me. Not at the top, but a record that is worth going back to regularly.
© David Hintz


Davy Cowan "The Journey"
Own label; 2011

www.davycowan.com

When I encounter an album called “The Journey” with liner notes hoping I will enjoy this musical journey through a passage a time, I am not too optimistic. Thankfully, it took only a few minutes before my skepticism wore off and I was left with some good solid singer-songwriter folk-rock songs. Cowan had been in the Scottish band Coinneach, but has now released his second solo album. Much of the time, he sounds like he could be from almost anywhere, but other times he clearly shows his Scottish roots. I preferred those latter songs with the traditional mixed into his songs. “Can’t Stop the Rain” is the best example as it begins with a very traditional sounding acoustic guitar before his gutsy vocal carries the melody forward. “1000&1” also had a modern/traditional balance working. Ultimately this journey is not a bad one, but some ports of call are more interesting than others.
© David Hintz


Cinzi Lavin & Jennifer Love
"Dreamer – The Music of Stephen Foster"
Own label; 2011

www.cinzilavin.com

Most everything you need to know is spelled out in the title. This is a singer and instrumentalist/background vocalist performing the music of Stephen Foster. There are no oddball electronica effects at work, just straightforward arrangements. It’s nicely done, but a bit too straightforward for me. It has that simple background comfort of a Christmas music album. So if you are in the mood for some nice mellow Stephen Foster music, look no further.
© David Hintz


Marion James "Essence"
EllerSoul Records; 2010

www.myspace.com/queenothefblues

Marion James is a well-known R&B/blues singer from Nashville. Although she is not on the Mississippi River circuit, she probably worked many of the juke joints throughout the south and Midwest. In fact she had a touring band in the early 60s that had Billy Cox on bass and some guy named Jimi Hendrix on guitar. This record was her “come out of retirement record” and was recorded in 2003. For reasons unknown to me, it is just now making its belated appearance. There is certainly no problem with the twelve songs here. James has great style and a good emotive voice. The backing musicians, while not quite up to Hendrix abilities, do an excellent job laying down R&B, blues and even some jazz moves. This record stands ahead of many others I listen to due to the quality vocal work and balanced, smart playing of the musicians. No need for fireworks, just great communication from artist to listener.
© David Hintz


Folklaw "Nation’s Pride"
Own label; 2010

www.folklaw.co.uk

This is a solid folk outing covering both old traditional themes such as the instrumental number “Air n Reel” along the lyrical numbers featuring mostly protest lyrics. I enjoyed the more personal touches on “My Dreams” as opposed to the lyrics complaining of all the things gone wrong. I certainly would not want to suggest folk singers stop protesting, but the specific lyrics here are a bit too simplistic and lack a certain bite needed to transcend. Still, there is some nice material here, so I would recommend a listen. The music is acoustic with guitars, violins and mandolins keeping the melodies moving. It sounds a bit like an acoustic New Model Army to me, especially with the way the breathy vocals sound. Mixed results, but the spirit is there.
© David Hintz


Rob Longstaff "Boogaloo"
Blackbird Records; 2011

www.roblongstaff.de

This German singer has an interesting mix of styles at work on this album. There is a bit of scat singing, lounge jazz, blues, even a stripped down reggae feel along with plenty of folk moves. The cut “The Birds are Hungry” exemplifies this best and has a nice pace to it. That song and many others are playful and fun to tap your foot to. I would think his live show would be hard not to enjoy if he brings even half the enthusiasm he displays here. This was a nice surprise in that it is a bit outside of my normal listening zone, but fits right in with many of my other recent favorite records.
© David Hintz


Iain Morrison and Daibhidh Martin "Haunted Bird"
Peat Fire Smoke; 2011

www.hauntedbird.com

This duet features a musician/singer with a poet/spoken word artist. They are supplemented with some cello, piano and additional vocals. When the first song is “Ghost” of an album called “Haunted Bird”, I would like to try to avoid using the worded haunted to describe the quiet bursts of folk music, but it simply fits too well. The music is lovely, deep and quite haunted. The artists have a firm grasp on the airy nature of the music as it seamlessly blends traditional folk and the modern sonic landscapes of recent years. The additional vocals of Anais Mitchell, who has worked with Richard Thompson, Josh Ritter and many others, is a real harmonic plus. There is a bite to some of the songs, which makes the album a breeze to zip through. The other key is the integration of spoken word is so seamless, that it sounds like it is far more common an occurrence in folk music than is the case. This is an easy record to like and it is not hard to like it a whole lot.
© David Hintz


Kaye Bohler "Like a Flower"
Own label; 2011

www.kayebohler.com

This is no shrinking violet that we have here. Bohler has a strong bluesy voice and leads the way throughout this workout covering ten songs. They are all original songs, which is a positive with the producer Tony Lufrano arranging the music. The backing music has plenty of strength and guts to it as well. I did recognize Robben Ford, whose lead guitar work has been a part of albums by Joni Mitchell and George Harrison among many others. This is pretty much straightforward blues with a nod in the direction of Rhythm and Blues. It is balanced between a sound that you would hear in a juke joint, but could also hear in a dressier more expensive club. It sounds like it could be a great live show. But for now, the album is certainly worth a listen for fans of this genre.
© David Hintz


The Ukrainians "20 Years –
The Best of the Ukrainians 1991-2011"
Zirka; 2011

www.the-ukrainians.com

This was a real treat seeing this album poke out at me from amidst the stacks and stacks of CDs that I receive. Not that I needed to spend any real time with this, as I already own most of the material on this greatest hits collection. This band formed as an offshoot from David Gedge’s long running The Wedding Present. It took on a life of its own and for good reason. The ethnic folk music is revved up and played with passion that few bands outside of the Pogues were doing at that time. This collection is nice even for long term fans as it contains some rarer cuts off of their EPs, such as covers of “Anarchy in the UK” and the Smiths’ “What Difference Does it Make?” They also have their great version of the Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs” here as well. But I really enjoyed the originals they collected such as the lightning fast “Cherez Richku Cherez Hai”. Between the pace and the rousing choruses, it is hard for me to stay on my couch. Rousing folk rock fun here for anyone whose heart can handle it. I am happy to be singing their praises 20 years after I first started (although my friends are tired of hearing it by now)!
© David Hintz


Marc Schönberger Band "Walk on Water"
CoraZong Records, 2010

German CD Review

www.marcschoenberger.de

This band is five strong with a mix of electric rock instruments and acoustic folk instruments. Schonberger handles lead vocal work with female backing vocals frequently heard. The music is a balance between folk, light western-US rock, country and Americana. The lyrical content seems fairly universal and most of the music is dedicated to his German homeland, so this is not a case of someone trying to be something they are not. He succeeds well enough in creating music in the style he likes, but keeping it original and personal. It has a mainstream feel in the arrangements and production, so if you find that appealing, this album will work for you. It needed a bit more punch or variety for me, but it made for a nice enough listen, nonetheless. I thought the longest song “Closer” was particularly well done.
© David Hintz


Mario Percudani "New Day"
Tanzan Music; 2010

www.mariopercudani.it

Percudani is an Italian singer/songwriter with an admittedly American style. There is a touch of blues and folk performed in an easy listening style. It is a little too easy for me reminding me more of Kenny Rankin than Bob Dylan, but there are certainly fans of this style. He is a good, breathy voice and the arrangements are slick and tight. There is even a touch of jazz on the last cut, “God Bless the Child”. Take this one out for a test drive first to see if it is for you.
© David Hintz


Bill Bachmann "Folk-n-Roller"
Flight of the BumBillB Records; 2011

www.billbachmannmusic.com

It becomes quickly apparent that Bachmann knows what he his doing with a guitar and a song. After starting off with his title cut, the theme of which has already been used by Fred Wedlock in the UK and probably others, he rotates among very funny songs like “This New Hip Song” and nice touching folk songs like “Your Old Man”. There was more folk than rock here, but the electric guitar was given a nice workout on “Kill That Other Beer”. This is quite the likable album and is enjoyable enough, but also hints at a strong live show at a folk club or coffeehouse near you. The humor and cleverness of these songs can carry your listening pleasure a long, long way.
© David Hintz


Pierre Bensusan "Vividly"
DADGAD Music; 2010

www.pierrebensusan.com

Before I dug into this CD, I was wondering if Pierre Bensusan was still exclusively employing the famous DADGAD open tuning, brought forth by Davey Graham many years ago. Bensusan, like so many others, loved what that open tuning could do for his playing and turned to it exlusively. Not that my ear could yield the answer, but when Bensusan’s record label is called DADGAD, it is apparent he still loves it. And why shouldn’t he? His playing is as solid as ever and he employs jazz stylings as well as classic folk runs to these 14 songs. “La Java du Concessionnaire” has flowing guitar that even hints at flamenco, but thanks to his vocals, is much more a French lounge folk song. The final cut, “Les Places de Liberte” is a real gem as well using saxophone, backup female vocals, and percussion to create a smoky mystical lounge feeling.
© David Hintz


McKinley Black "Beggars, Fools and Thieves"
Stockfisch, 2011

www.mckinleyblack.com

From the fine German label Stockfisch comes this record by a woman who initially sounds more like an American country rocker than someone recording in Berlin. Black has a fine voice and her eleven original songs do capture many of the usual themes in country & western and folk music. Thankfully, the musicians behind her capture a more western feeling , which adds some expansiveness to her lovely melodies. The title cut has some nice rock moves, while “Mother” is a lovely thoughtful folk song. But just as I was settling in, she provides some fairly unique songs. “Hunger” is a dynamic folk song far removed from the country and sounding something more out of the Lou Reed songbook. Well, not that dark and obtuse, but it was a nice change of pace. “Free” is another gem with its stretched out one-word chorus and undulating rock rhythms. These songs show much more complexity than I was expecting based on the first few notes. This is a balanced album with many moods covered with conviction. A lot of adventurous listeners will enjoy it.
© David Hintz


Red Sammy "A Cheaper Kind of Love Song"
Own label; 2011

www.redsammy.com

There is a sub-genre of folk music called Loner Stoner Folk. Baltimore's Red Sammy takes Appalachian, folk, and blues, and heads off in this direction while bringing it down some more. This may be wyrdfolk, although that is not to imply there is anything other-worldly dominating here. This is grounded music and locks into a steady controlled pace with a basic rhythm section allowing guitars to maneuver about in their driving and sometimes snaky foreboding manner. The key is the slide guitar, which pushes and pulls in a gentle, mystical motion. The vocals veer a bit too much in the Tom Waits direction for my taste (as I am mixed on Waits), but after a couple of songs, they begin to fit the music more comfortably. It also depends on the song. Fans of 16 Horsepower and Peter Walker will want to listen to this along with anyone interested in darker folk songs such as you may hear from Stone Breath or even Michael Chapman at times. “Come Back Home” is the rockingest song with the rock steady beat and plenty of edges for the guitars to sharpen. “Wild Dogs” and "Cactus Flower" are the folkiest numbers. They sound like friendly songs you would hear at night on your local radio station on the highway headed home. Still the lone voice, acoustic guitar and trippy background of the former will give you shudders.
© David Hintz


Kelly and the Ruths "Hang onto the Good"
Own label; 2011

www.myspace.com/kellyruthmusic

I was fortunate to follow-up a fine live performance with the further listening of this album by a fine young Philadelphia band. Like the live set, the album features a fine variety of styles and moods. Kelly Ruth is the primary songwriter and handles lead vocal duties and plays a nice upright bass. She is supplemented by drums and guitar primarily, with some additional instruments dancing in and out. This is quirky modern folk music that maintains some strong roots in tradition. That is a difficult balance, but it is handled smoothly with the fine arrangements and even better vocal harmonies. These harmonies give everything a "feel good" vibe where these songs briskly dance by. Jazz works its way into the mix as the album moves forward and there is even a "swinging London" moment in "Miss West". The closer, "When I Get Low, I Get High", brings a nice twist on the Ella Fitzgerald classic. I can recommend this for fans of snappy 60s pop-folk bands, lounge-pop crossover connoisseurs and listeners hip to the lighter side of the Akron/Family. Indulge.
© David Hintz


Presto Bando "Broad Ditch"
Own label; 2011

www.prestobando.com

Remember when punk was freedom from narrow categorization? Exhilaration and liberating from the status quo (mainstream music, not the band, although yes... the band Status Quo)? Ultimate freedom of expression? Well, if you blinked in the late 70s, you may have missed that. But from time to time, and even in the olden days of rock, there have always been many bands that had a quirky charm or a radical abrasive quality to the folk and rock music they created. Some names? Holy Modal Rounders, Zappa, Beefheart, Red Krayola, Max Webster (I've always wanted to mention this oddity), and the Contortions are some of the names that come to my mind when I hear the music of Presto Bando. There is a smooth undercurrent of a rhythm section with shards of angular vocals and jagged rock chords on top of it all. There are moments of folk rock that are an update on the Holy Modal Rounders sound, but there is also some old time 50s rock sound in the mix although you may have to listen closely. This DC band is worth a look and a listen for their ability to combine creativity and originality in a way that is plain fun to listen to. Lyrically, Kleenex Blues is amusing and there are many more subtle and overt moments of humor in the songs that come out after many listens. This is not a sound for the faint of heart, but for those tired of listening to the same old minor variants on traditional genres. Give this one a spin.
© David Hintz


Awkward I "I Really Should Whisper"
Excelsior Recordings; 2011

www.awkwardi.com

From Amsterdam comes this interesting artist known as awkward i. This is modern folk all the way with songs and sounds that remind me of Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective and even a bit of the Decembrists. Like those bands, the songs are melodic and catchy with lots of interesting sounds, voices and odd instruments coming into play at various times. There are some psychedelic elements and playfulness reminiscent of the Incredible String Band. Again, this is modern free folk and there are not any obvious Celtic elements present. There have been many bands and songwriters mining this territory—too many to hold my interest, but this album is one of the better ones.
© David Hintz


Phyllis Sinclair "Dreams of the Washerwomen"
Own label; 2011

www.phyllissinclair.com

Canadian singer Phyllis Sinclair presents ten original songs in a heartland style that focuses more on the craft of the song than the playing prowess. There is not a strong traditional folk sense, although the rural form seems to be prevalent and there are some country touches. Her nice voice is on top of it all and there are just enough instrumental flourishes to hold interest. This is a balanced effort that is nice, but does not really jump out and grab me often enough. I did like the stark arrangement of “The Temptress” and “The End of the Road” has a classic story telling hook to it, so there probably is a song for everyone on this album if you give it a listen.
© David Hintz


Lindsay & the Storm "Behind Us is Water"
Oceans Apart Records; 2011

www.lindsayandthestorm.co.uk

Lindsay Sugden and her band are from Edinburgh. There is something magical and/or bleak about Scotland that works so well in their folk music. The Incredible String Band sang about the earth, water, fire and air. Sugden seems to focus on the earth and water portion with grounded, flowing and undulating songs. There are some album notes that she studied the slow creep of glaciers in Iceland and her music does remind me of the bleak music that I have heard from that island. There is a female harmony vocalist on these songs that really brings them to life. The guitar parts and strings also are strongly evocative in most of the songs. I hear elements of the Unthanks here in the way classic folk sounds work in a contemporary setting. The two female harmonies are also similar. This is a strong album due for regular rotation in my household. I believe anyone who likes folk music will want to hear this many times over. Indie rock fans should also take an interest, too.
© David Hintz


Andreas Kümmert "smilin’ in circles"
Own label; 2011

www.andreas-kuemmert.de

Kümmert plays folk-rock at a modest tempo, but with deep feeling and edgy intensity. It feels as if he is ready to kick away his stool at any second as he takes a deep breath before a vocal burst. Then, there is an electric guitar burst as the rock part of the folk-rock comes in loud and fuzzy. This is not an easy one to place on the folk-rock spectrum, but it certainly fits into a modern indie rock approach. Some songs rock out a bit more, while others have a folkier feel. The key word here that separates this apart from much of what I listen to here is intensity. This is only a six-song EP, but it has two bonus cuts. One is an alternative version and the second on oddly straightforward electric blues song. So there is not much extra here, but the listener is rewarded with six intensely interesting songs. These songs have me interested enough to line up for the live show.
© David Hintz


Rod MacDonald "Songs of Freedom"
Brambus, 2011

www.rodmacdonald.net

We have classic singer-songwriter style at work here. This album from a Florida artist on a Swiss label is an offshoot of folk with a full light rock-band accompaniment. The lyrics are a mix of personal, political or personal-political. The more personal lyrics are the most successful here, but there are some interesting themes and nothing is either too insulting or interestingly unique. Most importantly, MacDonald delivers everything with a solid and sincere voice. And just when I thought the album was going to settle into a basic pattern, he whips out a fascinating arrangement for “Freedom of Religion” with smoothly talked lyrics and a snappy jazz-folk sound behind him. There are also some country and reggae touches, so there is plenty of variety. Even the clichéd folk pattern of “John King” is sharply executed and I am always interested in a classic topical folk song. Ultimately, there are enough smart and interesting songs that make this a pleasant listen that occasionally rises to something worth a second listen and beyond.
© David Hintz


Brad Vickers & his Vestapolitans "Traveling Fool"
ManHatTone; 2011

www.myspace.com/vestapolitans

15 songs of blues and early 60s rock’n’roll are presented here. The music is mostly original with a handful of covers. There are no new tricks, just straight up, well-executed rock’n’roll. The rhythm section is solid and the saxophone work gives the underbelly of the music plenty of life. There is no point in comparing this sort of release with modern original music, as the intent is not to compete or complement that. So if you want a blast from the past that is executed with taste and professionalism, then give this a try.
© David Hintz


Split Tongue Crow "Split Tongue Crow"
Own label; 2010

www.myspace.com/splittonguecrow

This is authentic backwoods Americana here from the quiet northern lands of Vermont. The instrumentation is classic folk rock with electric and acoustic guitar work balanced throughout the album. There is a bit of violin and both female and male vocals taking leads and working in harmony. They start off rather typically and are agreeable enough, but it is not until the latter songs on the album where they really show their skill. “Manuel” is a spirited song, while “The Day You Left this Earth” is quite moving and exquisitely arranged. This is a well-recorded likable album in the Americana/alt country genre that fans of the Low Anthem and Iron & Wine will take to quite easily.
© David Hintz



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