Yet another ethnic gypsy punk folk rock album, full of gusto—this one, an Edinburgh band led by Russian brothers. There comes a time when gusto is not enough. This is all played well enough, but the gruff vocals get tiresome, even after six songs, and all the uptempo fun filled playing just starts sounding the same. For completists or for people who enjoy their live show, which is probably pretty good.
© David Hintz
Palko!Muski "Street Desire"
Helsinki Records; 2012
Again with they gypsy punk folk rock! This one is decent with a little more metallic crunch in the guitar and shifts into snappy rhythmic moves. The singer looks like Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, quite unsurprisingly. This record is fine, with the live show being even better most likely. I should ‘autosave’ that line every record in this genre.
© David Hintz
John Isaac Watters "Campanas"
Own label; 2013
The sleevework is in muted, washed out gray and could easily disappear into any background. Yet, this music takes a back seat to no one. It starts out with some quality singer songwriter voice and guitar folk runs and moves into a fascinating duet called “Outside the Bar in Winter”. If that perked me up, “Ragman” knocked me down with the intense vocals reminding me of Denver’s Munly Munly, blaring horns and intoxicating rock melody. The rest of this record is every bit as exciting as the styles shift around a bit with pace at times or pulled back into a more introspective folk mood. And with lyrics like ‘you play piano like a manatee’, you definitely want to enter Watters’ world of song craft.
© David Hintz
Olmar "The True Name"
DMG; 2013
This is a lovely record. Olmar has taken poems and lyrics from William Blake, Oscar Wilde, and others and crafted her music around it. She sings with grace and a comforting emotion as the light guitar and keyboards weave around her melodies. There are some strings and spacey arrangements, which add to the ethereal nature of the overall sound. There are Neil Young and Bill Broonzy covers here, with ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ allowing Olmar’s personality to come through, while staying true to the lyrical power. This record should interest many listeners, particularly those who like to explore ethereal emotions with sparse, yet intense musical arrangements.
© David Hintz
Familha Artus "Artus"
Pagans, 2014
Traditional folk fans may want to close their eyes for this review, but if you have open ears to more complex and far reaching musical styles, then this album should be on your ‘experiment pile’. This is the French band’s fourth release and the first I have heard. Let us call it progressive psychedelic ethno-jazz rock. In other words, there are thick powerful and intriguing sounds merged and mashed together in a challenging way that will stretch most of the boundaries even the more adventurous listener has. I find this music quite exciting and challenging throughout the eleven songs. There are some elements of Can here, as well as many other interesting experimental bands from many geographies and eras. I even hear some Swans in one cut, although they are fresh on the mind after seeing them the night before. Adventurous listeners, please give this a try.
© David Hintz
Jackson C. Frank "Jackson C. Frank"
Earth Recordings / Fire Records, 1965/2014
I welcome any re-release of this classic 1965 album as it still deserves a larger following, even though there is a strong cult of believers already behind it. I can write this review without a re-listen, but why not soak in this music yet another time, as it is on my forever playlist? I will only fault this release for not including the bonus material on the release I have, which adds a few brilliant songs. If you have not heard this album, you have certainly heard one of many covers of “Blues Run the Game”. Other Frank classics like “My Name is Carnival” and “Kimbie” have been covered as well, or these songs have been included in several soundtracks in recent years. Frank was the likable American folk guitarist who hung around England in the 1960s (unlike the respected Bob Dylan and rather disliked Paul Simon, who produces here). This album is acoustic guitar and voice, but is mostly about brilliant songs. It is the only album that Jackson Frank ever made as his life spiraled downward very fast and very hard. I actually saw him in the last year of his life in Massachusetts when I flew in for Wizz Jones’ only US appearance. It was nice that they wheeled the physically and mentally limited Jackson Frank to the show, but it was uncomfortable seeing how much he had deteriorated. Wizz Jones came over to chat with him as they were friends back in the 1960s and Wizz covered “Blues Run the Game” for him that night. The ending may be sad but this all-time classic folk album endures to this day and will endure well after I’m gone.
© David Hintz
The Faint "Doom Abuse"
SQE Music; 2014
What an odd record to pop up in my pile of Folkworld review records. This band was one I was monitoring for a possible live show and was interested in their assertive, industrial pop rock sound. This album is all of that as they create a machine like throb, not unlike that of recent Hawkwind and Nik Turner albums. This rocks with lots of throbbing sound, synthesizer squawks and intense vocals. There are plenty of pop hooks as it connects in the same way the most intense Devo songs stay with you. This is a fine record, but perhaps more for the readers of my blog, DC ROCK LIVE. But if you folkies have that secretly intense rock side to you…
© David Hintz
The Farewell Drifters "Tomorrow Forever"
Compass Records, 2014
This record has that slick Nashville Americana quality to it. The music is agreeable enough with top notch vocals, both in the lead and in the thick harmonies in “Brother” or “Starting Over”. There is a steady rock approach to many of these songs, yet the Americana feeling is present nearly every step of the way. I like the sound and the interesting textures in the background. Neilson Hubbard’s production is as good as you would want for this type of music, as the overall sound should appeal to a broad sample of music fans.
Jacques Caramac & The Sweet Generation
"The Highs and Lows of ..."
Everyday Life; 2013
I am not necessarily a fan of electronic pop, but when done well, it can be quite exciting. Jacques Caramac & the Sweet Generation do it well. The real drums is a great place to start with as any electronica band that avoids full reliance on drum machines is a full step ahead in my book. The pounding drums are augmented with pulsing electronica and synthesizer moves comfortably working around the clear pop vocals work. They pull back at times and let the guitars lead the way as Caramac can sing a straight forward old style pop rocker as well. But the quirky and intense pop songs are the high points. “It Takes All Sorts…” reminds of early Brian Eno pop which was a huge inspiration for the better new wave acts back in the late seventies. This was a surprise. I am quite hard to please with this style of music, but this record was a lot of fun for me. If I can say that, it should do extremely well with the many, many fans of this style.
© David Hintz
Tom Brosseau "Grass Punks"
Tin Angel Records; 2013
There is something about a warm voice on top of cold steel guitar strings. The contrasts are quite distinct in Tom Brosseau’s songs as his voice is exceptionally comforting, even as he sharply plucks the strings of his guitar in interesting folk patterns and beyond. This album flows very well and the songs grab your attention throughout. Folk fans anywhere should give this a full listen.
© David Hintz
Eat Lights Become Lights "Intro Forever"
Rocket Girl; 2014
This is a band that was started by Londoner Neil Rudd a few years back and has some great experiences backing former Can singer Damo Suzuki and touring with the legendary Silver Apples. If that sounds like heavy electronica and not folk, then you are indeed correct. And this music is heavy with a strong, classic Germanic feel where the strength is match by interesting melodies that are a pleasure to explore with. There is even an intense Hawkwind jam style present in some cuts. I enjoy this sort of electronic exploration much more than much of what I hear. Eat Lights Become Lights have captured the magic far better than most.
© David Hintz
The Bluesmasters "Volume 3"
Direct Music; 2013
This is the blues—electric blues. I have not been overly excited by this outfit in the past and cannot say a whole lot has changed here. I have to be fair and say that the stinging electric guitar of Tim Tucker is quite good throughout. Guest spots by Aynsley Dunbar and Hubert Sumlin show that this has some major name players. The vocals are rotated between Hazel Miller and former Starshipper Mickey Thomas. I have never been a fan of Thomas, but he does well enough with the blues. Although just when I was accepting this, I was stuck with an unnecessary cover of his “Baby Hold On” which throws a real curve ball (right at my head) at the end of this record.
© David Hintz
Soledad Velez "Run with Wolves"
Absolute Beginner; 2013
This is one high quality and powerful album. Soledad Velez is from Chile but has a rock style wide as the world, which she handles with great nuance and great power, transitioning intensities at many different levels. Her voice quivers with passion or roars with power. She adds haunting backing vocals and she and her band cook up tasty rock arrangements that are big on guitar and percussion, but smart enough to know when to go forward or pull back. Only a little slippage late in this album, keeps it from being at the top of my list. But that leaves many good songs early on that are worth exploring many more times than once.
© David Hintz
John Lyons "Sing Me Another Song"
Own label; 2013
This is comfortable singer/songwriter rock music that reminds me of the early 1970s, although there is always a place for this anywhere. It does not pull back into folk style too often, and more often will blaze away into blues songs featuring some gutsy electric guitar solos. The voice and songs are good enough, although they don’t really stand out to me enough in any original way. But I did enjoy “Under the Stars” with its tasty guitar. This would be a quality professional presentation, if you had the chance to go to a club and see John Lyons.
© David Hintz
Angela Perley & the Howlin’ Moons "Hey Kid"
Own label; 2013
This record reminds me a lot of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter and that is a very good thing. Perley has a smokin’ hot band like the Sweet Hereafter and has strong vocals that carry the fine songs forward. This is a little more pop-roots based but only by a few shades. There are even some songs that could easily convert to country and western tunes, but thankfully they have them all revved up and rocking here. Even when they pull back a bit, there is still a strong sound throughout. There is one acoustic number here. I hope they continue to explore beyond the usual roots rock boundaries. They are already quite good, but could even be more special as they seem to have all the requisite skills.
© David Hintz
Carrie Tree "Home to the Invisible"
Own label; 2013
It is not terribly surprising to learn that Carrie recorded in South Africa as well as her native England as she incorporates Some Ladysmith Black Mambazo singers into her original songs. Her English folk starting point also sounds quite worldly without a clear distinct regional feeling, but more of a modern universal understanding of the essence of folk music. I say modern, as the arrangements and production are top notch with rich vocal sounds and warm percussion surrounding the guitars strings, and keys. Most Folkworld readers should give this a spin, as I think few would not enjoy it.
© David Hintz
House of Hats "This Love"
Own label; 2013
This is an interesting mix of old and modern folk styles. There is soft pop singer songwriter style, classic Americana, more universal folk, all with lots of careful vocal harmonies between male and female voices. I particularly enjoyed the breezy old world charms of “Rivers Will Run” which reminded me of the Loom. This record took a few times to get me fully involved, although it was clear at the start, Brighton’s House of Hats has an interesting handle on their world of folk rock.
© David Hintz
Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo "Dear River"
Indi; 2014
This is modern folk rock delivered with heart and gusto. There are traces of country music at a level where the music is lightly seasoned and not dripping in treacle. Emily Barker has a firm grasp on delivering her lyrics with forceful emotion that is balanced well against the guitars, violins, and other instruments that keep the music quickly moving along. They can pull back and deliver a thoughtful ballad, as well, which is that nice tempo shift that helps all records keep interest up over the course of (in this case) fifteen songs.
Milagro Saints "Chance Circumstance"
Moon Caravan; 2014
There is certainly a lot of Americana in this album from this North Carolina band. Yet they also move into a more straightforward light pop rock song when they have a hook that works better in that format. There is plenty of quality here, but it seems a bit too safe for my liking. Yet there are some fascinating songs such as the closer, “Other Side of the River”, which runs a smooth 7:02 and keeps it interesting during the whole journey. So this may be worth a few more listens.
© David Hintz
Hat Check Girl "Goodbye Butterfield"
Own label; 2014
I do not tire of ‘song cycle’ albums. Quite the opposite, as it is nice to see artists tell longer stories through several songs. In this case, Peter Gallaway & Annie Gallup know as Hat Check Girl (along with Jerry Marotta on drums) present 12 songs about the fictitious Montana town of Butterfield. There is even a narrated story to music, although most of the songs have a lovely traditional Americana folk feeling through the delicate acoustic guitar picking.
© David Hintz
Grand Old Grizzly "Grand Old Grizzly"
Own label; 2012
This is nice rootsy folk music here, as opposed the blues I was thinking, although like in much music there are some bluesey tones here and there. The rhythm section keeps it moving along briskly, and the guitar work is fine. Yet it is the vocals that have a fine quality in the tones and the emotions conveyed. The opening cut “The Mad Ones” has some fascinating shifts in the song that makes it a very interesting and original song. Imagine a lighter Sadies and you are in the ballpark. So if you seek comforting music that has some intelligence and creativity as well, this little album from Houston, Texas just might fit the bill.
© David Hintz
OY "No Problem Saloon"
Crammed Discs, 2014
I was a bit worried that after a few measures of music, that this was going to be a rather standard electronic pop record. It is all of that, but fortunately it does not take more than a couple cuts in before the African roots of Joy Frempong start to show. She actually showcases every bit of her hair beyond the roots in “Hallelujah! Hair!” which was a fun song. Lleluja-Ha also adds some great rhythms on the various drums and percussion throughout, so there is a lot of hearty roots music amidst the electronica. If you are adventurous and like modern electronica, give this one a try. There is so much of this style of music, that I generally avoid most of it, but I am quite happy I heard OY’s take on this genre.
© David Hintz
Gordie Tentrees "North Country Heart"
Own label; 2012
Gordie Tentrees has the most right of just about anyone I know to call his album ‘North Country Heart’. He hails from Whitehorse, in the Yukon, which is just north of Juneau, Alaska. This album is recorded up there and he and his fellow musicians have captured their rock/rockabilly/blues moves with clarity and enthusiasm. These are simple enough songs, but played well and with more spirit than most. So when you are passing through Whitehorse (or far more likely when he comes to your town), you will be in for a treat.
© David Hintz
Wyatt Easterling "Goodbye Hello"
Phoenix Rising; 2014
I should not be so sensitive to connections, but this album’s title is simply way too close to Tim Buckley’s monumental folk-rock classic, ‘Goodbye and Hello’ for me not to keep hearing the songs from that album. These songs are ok, but the Buckley songs soar with the angels, so it is hard to be fair here. And there is just a bit too much pedal steel for me on some of the songs. The ones that veer closer to light folk-rock work best. But even if I wasn’t thinking about Tim Buckley, I am not sure this would make it to the top of my replay pile. There certainly is a significant audience for professional, well-played music like this, just not here.
© David Hintz
Kaurna Cronin "Feathers"
Own label; 2014
Generally bands and albums that have something to do with feathers have some lovely moments suitable for all kinds of folk fans. It is easily the case here, as Kaurna Cronin’s warm voice works soft and haunting folk songs as well as happier breezier folk-rockers. His is a light touch, but there is plenty of strength underneath with the band or his acoustic guitar picking. I like the more contemplative songs as the simple contrast between voice and guitar draws you into his songs all the more deeply. I would love to see him either in a coffee house or a large stage depending on how many smart people pick on him.
© David Hintz
The Weathervanes "Long Way Down"
Own label; 2014
The trouble with labels like 'alt country' (or anything with alternative in them) is that eventually they can become so entrenched that you may need a double 'alt' to start distinguishing bands. I am not exactly where I would put the WeatherVanes on this scale, but they have long been one of my favorites of the broader Americana genre as they always manage to keep close to the heartland, yet explore a wider array of sonic possibilities than most bands attempt. All the variety I have come to expect is on display in these thirteen songs. There are boozy honky tonk numbers, delicate folk songs, folk rockers, hearty Americana numbers, and scorching rockers surrounding a folk rock core. The title cut is one to listen to, although “Grace” will have wide appeal to folk fans. Washington DC is very fortunate to have this band.
© David Hintz
Simone Felice "Strangers"
Team Love; 2014
Simone Felice has been performing as a solo artist for a number of years now, since stepping away from the drum kit for the Felice Brothers. Frankly, any of the Felice records makes for a good listen, and Simone’s newest is no exception. He starts it with a more uptempo light rocker, which surprised me a bit. But he quickly settled into his more atmospheric folk rock style with the lovely “If You Go to LA”. After that, you get a nice mix of styles within the ten songs, although it is his haunting vocals rising above a soft folk-rock bedding that dominates the overall sound.
© David Hintz
Carl Cleves & Parissa Bouas "Halos ‘Round the Moon"
Stockfisch, 2013
This record is all over the place in a good way. I thought I may get something akin to new age folk with the spacey arrangements and ethereal vocals in the first song, but this duo then shifted into a lounge style got jazzier. More straightforward folk moves came into play and then there was a combination of everything. But I do not protest, as the arrangements were classy and the transitions smooth. Perhaps the Parissa Bouas’ vocal work was what kept it together as she is comfortable in a number of styles and can be extremely effective at slower paces, stretching out the emotion of each word. This is a fascinating record that has a lot to chew on if you listen closely, or can let you drift away if you want something more in the background.
© David Hintz
Joyce the Librarian "They May put Land Between us"
Songs & Whispers, 2014
At least with Joan as Policewoman, there is a Joan. Here, there is no Joyce here and certainly no librarians. Although with the heady music they produce, it would not surprise me that they go to the library and read their Joyce. I say they, but even though this is an acoustic folk band, the lead vocals and all songs are by Martin Callingham. The songs seek an emotional depth through calm vocal work and steady pace. There are some nice arrangements that vary things up enough to work over the length of the album. If you like mannered, thoughtful music, this is worth a spin.
© David Hintz
Rivers of England "Of Trivial and Gargantuan"
Songs & Whispers, 2014
File this one somewhere between Alasdair Roberts[43]
and John Martyn.[39]
In other words, this is delicate folk music, given a hefty treatment through arrangements with plenty of strings to take the acoustic guitars high into the atmosphere. With the delicate vocals and powerful strings, I am also reminded of a folkier version of the band Fuchsia. All of these bands have a lot to offer and at first listen, the Rivers of England have songs that work well with this format and should stand the test of time. But don’t wait, give it a listen now while it is fresh and vibrant.
© David Hintz