The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #157386 Message #3715082
Posted By: Brian Peters
07-Jun-15 - 02:00 PM
Thread Name: Still wondering what's folk these days?
Subject: RE: Still wondering what's folk these days?
Liked what I've heard so far, and though I'm with PFR in his Folk Definition Battle Fatigue, I've heard far less deserving candidates for the 'folk' label - and I don't think her diction's bad either.
The thing that did piss me off in the New Yorker quote was the old 'reinvigorating English folk music' cobblers. I've been reading press puffs telling me that some singer or band or whatever was about to 'drag English Folk Music kicking and screaming into the 21st century' for at least 30 years now, and all they tell you is that the writer knows nothing of the topic. The implication is (a) that EFR is intrinsically boring, and (b) that no-one else has ever, in the history of the world, thought of giving it a kick up the arse. Olivia Chaney is good, but hardly radical. Emily Portman does bolder things with writing new songs in old styles, and Solarference are amongst those who are way more experimental musically.
Besides, Joseph Taylor recordings made over 100 years ago, still work pretty well for me without any 'reinvigoration'.