American Folk Music
Eric Nagler -> Peter Ostrushko
TIM O'BRIEN |
Sugar Hill 3790 |
Odd Man In |
● CD $17.98 |
Former Hot Rize member and close personal friend of Red
Knuckles, Tim O'Brien is also one of the finest songwriters in country and
bluegrass music, as well as one of the music's best and most distinctive
vocalists. It is these talents that come to the forefront on Tim's first
post-Hot Rize solo effort. He either wrote or co-wrote nine of the songs
here, including Hold On To A Dream/ Lone Tree Standing, the reggae-ish
One Way Street, and two great torchers Like I Used To/ Every
Tear Has A Reason Why. Backed by stalwarts like Jerry Douglas, Nick
Forster, and Mark Schatz, the album has a much different feel than Tim's
other work. But this disc holds its own rewards, particularly if you are a
fan of finely crafted original songs. (RP)
|
TIM AND MOLLIE O'BRIEN |
Sugar Hill 3804 |
Remember Me |
● CD $17.98 |
There's nothing quite like family harmonies and this
brother-sister duo is among the most compelling in traditional music.
Unlike their first album, Take Me Back, which concentrated on
country and bluegrass fare, this one features several black gospel and
blues numbers, delivered in a swingingly syncopated vocal style, along
with original compositions by Greg Brown, Bob Dylan, and the title tune,
an old Lula Belle and Scotty number. Bluesier numbers include If I Had
My Way/Stagger Lee/Motherless Children, Mike Dowling's Do Right To
Me, Baby and Mollie's smoking rendition of Cleanhead Vinson's That's
The Way To Treat Your Woman. But the two absolute stunners here are, Looking
For The Stone by Ralph Stanley and Keith Whitley and the haunting Floods
Of South Dakota written by Bill Ashford and the late Judy Roderick.
(RP)
|
TiM O'BRIEN |
Flying Fish 70319 |
Hard Year Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
|
TIM O'BRIEN & THE
O'BOYS |
Sugar Hill 3808 |
Oh Boy! |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 45 min., recommended. Aided by bassist/ banjoist
Mark Schatz, guitarist Scott Nygaard and dobro ace Jerry Douglas, Tim
O'Brien has come up with a sparkling album of string band music that
defies easy categorization. The album abounds with surprises, from the
strange and wonderful version of Dylan's When I Paint My Masterpiece
(with duet vocal by Del McCoury), to Tim's reading of traditional
warhorses Run Mountain/ The Farmer's Cursed Wife to the band's
exciting version of He Had A Long Chain On. Five songs were written
or co-written by Tim, most notable among them the poignant Time To
Learn. (RP)
|
PHIL OCHS |
Rhino 70080 |
A Toast To Those Who Are Gone |
● CD $11.98 |
Phil Ochs, at one point, rivaled Bob Dylan for the crown of
the protest movement. His topical folk songs were as hard-hitting as they
were poignant. This is a great record for archivists because Toast
contains 14 previously unreleased acoustic, demo recordings. The sound
quality of these socio-political letters is chrystaline. No information on
recording dates are given in the liner notes, just some Sean Penn
stream-of-consciousness rambling - gimme a break! Where Dylan chose to
remove himself from his songs occasionally - Phil sang from the depths of
his soul. He lived each beautiful dream & horrible nightmare he wrote
about. It must have been hard for his small circle of friends to watch
such a brilliant and sensitive musician self- destruct. But while he was
happening he was right on target, as these "love poems to
America" would indicate - No Christmas In Kentucky , Going
Down To Mississippi , Song Of My Returning , City Boy , Ballad
Of Oxford (Jimmy Meredith) , Colored Town , Do What I Have
To Do , plus the title track. Thirty years after these songs were
recorded, the intensity and passion of this unheralded artist is deeply
missed by those who remember. (SG)
|
PHIL OCHS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40008 |
The Broadside Tapes 1 |
● CD $17.98 |
Reissue of Folkways FD 5362, a collection of songs recorded
(but left out) for Broadside magazine in the early 60's, based on popular
events of the times. Ballad Of Alferd Packer/ Christine Keeler/ Spanish
Civil War Song/ Talking Pay T.V./ Spaceman , etc.
|
PHIL OCHS |
Vanguard 77017 |
Live At Newport |
● CD $17.98 |
13 tracks, 52 min., recommended. This Phil Ochs live set,
drawn from performances that originally took place is the summers of 1963,
1964, and 1966, is a part of Vanguard's current series of Newport Folk
Festival reissues. The music is vintage Ochs - biting, angry, and
politically astute - with many numbers not originally released as a part
of the Newport LP series. Do note, however, that all of the numbers here
were issued in studio versions on either Elektra or A & M. Those
numbers include Ballad of Medgar Evers, Power and the Glory,
Draft Dodger Rag, I Ain't Marching Anymore, Talking
Vietnam Blues, Half a Century High, The Party, and Pleasures
of the Harbor. Landmarks of the 60's folk music movement from a man
who loved the chords of fame too much, performed here with just acoustic
guitar accompaniment. Sound quality, notes, and photos are all solidly
satisfying. (DH)
|
PHIL OCHS |
Vanguard 79566 |
The Early Years |
● CD $17.98 |
19 track collection of early recordings by this fine and
important singer and songwriter. It includes five songs from "The
Original New Folks, Vol. 2" album issued in 1962 plus two previously
unissued tracks from the same sessions. Songs include William Moore/
There But For Fortune/ Talking Airplane Disaster/ Davey Moore and
others. The rets of the album features songs from Phil's 1963, '64 and '66
appearances at the Newport Folk Festival including Ballad Of Medgar
Evers/ Power & The Glory/ I Ain't Marching Anymore/ Talking Vietnam
Blues/ Half A Century High/ The Party, etc.
|
ODETTA |
Tradition TCD 1004 |
Sings Ballads & Blues |
● CD $10.98 |
|
ODETTA |
Vanguard 43/44 |
Essential |
● CD $17.98 |
21 tracks, 62 min., recommended A Vanguard
"twofer" offering compelling live audience tracks recorded
during Odetta's early 60's Carnegie Hall performances. It's a generous
program that runs the gamut of the 1960's folk scene, featuring If I
Had a Hammer, When I Was a Young Girl, Gallows Pole, John
Riley, All the Pretty Little Horses, Meeting at the Building,
the chilling No More Auction Block for Me, Ain't No Grave Can
Hold My Body Down, He Had a Long Chain On, He's Got the
Whole World in His Hands, Ox-Driver Song, and Timber.
Glorious, poignant music performed by one of folk music's most sonorous
singers. Excellent stereo sound, but no notes at all. (DH)
|
ODETTA |
Vanguard 2109 |
At Town Hall |
● CD $13.98 |
|
Back To American Folk Index
|
Roots & Rhythm
P.O. Box 837
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Toll Free Order Line : 888-ROOTS-66
© 2017 Roots & Rhythm. No part of this site may be reproduced without written permission
|
|