Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST,Roderick A Warner
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 12:21 PM

Young musicians I knew never needed permission to play whatever they wanted, whatever the ‘labels.’ That was sixty years ago when I started playing music, round the time of the ‘folk revival.’ A creaking term by now… I like Lankum and the sonic world they pass their selected songs through. As I like some Walter Pardon recordings and even old McColl now that there is a lot of his work on Bandcamp to access. (Should have dumped the banjo player and found more creative partners imo but heyho). Not sure the dear old Guardian’s accolade will ring very far with anyone under 30 but you grab it where you can, I suppose.

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 10:02 AM

i understood that the folk revival was about getting more people to sing and play the music, having best albums of the year is not going to do that as effectively as having courses and workshops
I do not think having best albums IS TAKING THE FOLK REVIVAL IN THE BEST DIRECTION, a best album may or may not create interest in the mainstream media for a brief while, ok ,that is not bad, although it does move the revival more towards passive consumerism, so it is possibly a curates egg, these awards have all the elements of pop culture.
none of any of my comments are a criticism of the decision or of lankum

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 09:51 AM

if it is recognised as album of the year that means it is better than everything else, that is the subjective view of a few people.
now this is not a criticism of Lankum or their music, it does mean that a few people have decided what they think is best.
I did not say anything was bad, the publicity is good for lankum and may or may not bring a few or possibly many people in to the music., how much it achieves is an unknown
What i am saying is that in my opinion it is not the best way to encourage more people to PLAY the music, i believe it is more important to give young and old people lessons and tuition, rather than having best albums of the year.

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST,Greenie
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 09:14 AM

Sandman,

It wasn't a competition; no one entered.

It's not an award.

There are no prizes.

Lankum released an album and it's been recognised as a very good one.

The consequence is, a folk (yes, a FOLK!) album is getting national publicity.

In what way can this be bad?

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 09:10 AM

Yes, it is quite true i run a festival which has a competition, the competition is aimed at adults, who, I hope understand that judging a competition has a certain amount of subjective bias, it is not aimed at children who are on occasions discouraged if they do not win competitions.
my comments are not a criticism of Lankum, they are a criticism of the idea of awards,when it might be better[ debatable] to be spending money, and time and publicity at a more grass roots level encouragement with lessons tuition etc

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 08:49 AM

yes, valid points, but competitions also encourage competitiveness, music is not about being competitive
these awards are only a perspns subjective taste, yes ,it is good publicity for the band.,it is debatable that awards bring new listeners to the music, but how many mew listeners we never know
let us briefly look at two different approaches in ireland,
CCE which is COMPETITIVE and the WILLIE CLANCY WEEK, which is not. the willie clancy week shows it is possible to encourage people of all ages to improve without competitions.
competitions in music is in my opinion not the best way to encourage preople to get better.
Back to the subject of awards, i think awards are not as important as money spent on encouraging musicians through non competitve events like willie clancy week

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 08:33 AM

Are competitions and awards important ?
Take a look at the lists of all Ireland championship winners in any instrument you like, or the Northumbrian pipers championship lists, or the Highland piping competition lists.
Agreed, nothing’s more important than getting youngsters to play - and youngsters love competing, awards prizes, medals, badges. Any schoolteacher will tell you that.
One of the great things about the competitions is that they have novice/beginner categories and do encourage cooperation too, as well as a love of the music. The people who organise these things don’t do it for the money, agreed a lot of the media may have different and more selfish reasons but that doesn’t mean competitions are inherently a bad thing.
What about the colliery brass band tradition which was very competitive indeed - but which gave many, many working class youngsters a chance to learn and to perform ?

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: Rain Dog
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 08:13 AM

"I am not very keen on the idea of these awards,what is the point we all have differing tastes, it publicises their work, good, but the idea of competitons and or awards, is it as important as getting young people to play music?"

It is common practice for papers, magazines, websites etc to do a roundup at the end of the year of what they consider the 'best of' in various catagories. The publicity does more good than bad.

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: Vic Smith
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 08:07 AM

Listen to The New York Trader by clicking here and tell me if you think that ths singer has been listening to some old traditional singers.

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 08:02 AM

Guardian Saturday 16 Dec 2023 Kitty Empire's artist of the week Lankum, Roundhouse, London. Review – more like an exorcism than a gig *****

The Dublin doom-folk favourites crown a momentous year with a magnificent assault on the senses and a set rich in hypnotic tales of woe.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/16/lankum-roundhouse-london-review-more-like-an-exorcism-than-a-gig-false-lankum Lankum

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: Vic Smith
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 07:59 AM

Dick,
It could be that albums like False Lankum will be getting young people to play music.
It may not be the approach that you and I have been following for the last 50-odd years but it is obvious even to an old geyser like myself having heard a few tracks on Bandcamp that what they are doing is interesting and in its own way, respectful to the tradition.

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 07:16 AM

I have not heard the recording, so cannot make any fair comment.
I am not very keen on the idea of these awards,what is the point we all have differing tastes, it publicises their work, good, but the idea of competitons and or awards, is it as important as getting young people to play music?

Subject: RE: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 05:26 AM

Yes, I think it’s a great record, both innovative and respectful of the tradition without being gimmicky. Championed by Ralph McClean on Radio Ulster, if only the English media could be a little less keen on putting labels on things and pigeonholing.

Subject: Lankum - Guardian Album of the Year UK
From: GUEST,Greenie
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 04:54 AM

This has to be a cause for hope, doesn't it?

No 1 in the 50 best albums of 2023 goes to Lankum's False Lankum

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/22/the-50-best-albums-of-2023-no-1-lankum-false-lankum