By Michael Simmons

RELEASE: SNAKEFARM: SONGS FROM MY FUNERAL (RCA) Snakefarm's Songs from My Funeral is a collection of classic American folk songs, like "Tom Dooley," "Frankie and Johnny," and "John Henry," which have been deconstructed and reassembled using the techniques of electronica and trip-hop. Along with the banjos, Dobros, and acoustic guitars, Anna Domino and her partner Michel Delory also use synthesizers, drum machines, and a variety of electronic effects to create a new sonic landscape for these tales of death, murder, and loneliness. This is not folk music as Woody Guthrie or Leadbelly knew it but a surprisingly effective modern interpretation. The spooky synth tones and long, echoing reverbs serve these songs well. The noises may have been created by twiddling the knobs on a bunch of electronic boxes, but the feeling behind the music is organic. Songs from My Funeral is not for everyone. If you are one of those people who think Dylan should never have picked up an electric guitar, you should pass this by. But if you want to hear an intriguing new way of singing old songs, you might want to give this a listen.