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22 Dec 08 - 04:31 AM (#2522002) Subject: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall Just one view of course. But having voted for Eliza Carthy in the two critics' polls in which I was invited to part, I found myself making Cara Dillon's Hill of Thieves joint best album of 2008. I might have done so for the sublime version of Spencer the Rover alone, but it really is a special album, much more traditional than I'd come to expect from her, with excellent contributions from the Lakeman brothers, including her husband. And I think her singing has acquired a little welcome grit. My runners-up include Bellowhead, Leon Rosselson, Maddy Prior and Chris Foster - the full list is at Salut! Live Anyone else want to chip in with their nominations? |
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22 Dec 08 - 07:33 AM (#2522098) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Bryn Pugh Bellowhead, , and the Jim Moray with the 'rap' version of Lucy Wan. |
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22 Dec 08 - 08:02 AM (#2522116) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Dave Sutherland Since Cara Dillon's album isn't due for release until January I hadn't considered it for my top 5 of 2008 (not that it would have got in in the event). The Nottingham Evening Post top 5 will not be published until Friday but it will include Brian Peters and Kerfuffle |
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22 Dec 08 - 08:26 AM (#2522136) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Mick Walker I agree that the Cara Dillon album is superb but it has a 2009 release date. I bought a copy at her Nottingham gig in November and think it's her best to date. I add another vote for Kerfuffle 'To the Ground' also Ruth Notman 'Threads' and Karine Polwort 'This Earthly Spell' |
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22 Dec 08 - 08:58 AM (#2522153) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: bfdk The two best 'new buys' for me this year have been: Martyn Wyndham-Read 'Jackeroo' and Wongawilli 'Australia Street' |
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22 Dec 08 - 09:09 AM (#2522157) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Folkiedave I didn't choose a record of the year - Bellowhead of course - I especially liked Mark Dunlop Islands of the Moon. But if there had to be one or two then Brian Peter's and Kerfuffle would do it for me as well. |
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22 Dec 08 - 09:19 AM (#2522161) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: matt milton My favourite folk album this year was "My Dearest Dear" by Michael Rossiter, who's a young guitarist from Yorkshire, playing very much in the Davy Graham school. It's an album of appalachian-tinged reworkings of traditional English and American ballads; largely solo fingerpicking guitar, but with mandolin and double-bass guesting on some tracks. It takes a while to sink in – but when it does you notice that there are some astonishingly subtle melodies in there. Anyone who likes Martin Simpson will dig it. And it's only a fiver. I've set to see any mention of him in the folk press, and he really deserves it. Some of his songs can be heard at: www.myspace.com/michaelrossiter |
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22 Dec 08 - 09:22 AM (#2522163) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: matt milton "I've set to see" should obviously be "I've yet to see" of course... |
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22 Dec 08 - 09:38 AM (#2522170) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST Yes, I have just seen the press release for Cara and Mick and DaveS are quite right about the release date. The offical one, that is. It perhaps isn't surprising that someone who occasionally reviews albums should get one early, even if he lives in the Middle East, but has it not also been featured on radio, on Amazon, at Cara's website and elsewhere, including her "Nottingham gig in November"? Do release dates actually mean anything any more? ps Brian Peters was v close to being in my top 10, but then I think it has been a pretty good year for folk (though I said the same thing last year and someone shot me down in flames!). |
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22 Dec 08 - 11:20 AM (#2522179) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall That was me, as guest, though I am logged on in my own name |
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22 Dec 08 - 11:37 AM (#2522181) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: SINSULL Kendall's latest. |
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22 Dec 08 - 06:06 PM (#2522528) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST,bankley Bruce Murdoch "Matters of the Heart" |
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23 Dec 08 - 05:01 AM (#2522786) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Bryn Pugh Oops ! Yes, "Matters of the Heart", too - a work of genius in my anything but humble opinion ! |
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23 Dec 08 - 06:19 AM (#2522829) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: theleveller What a brilliant year it's been for new releases - many more than I can afford to buy. Highlights have been Chris Wood's 'Trespasser', McCusker, Drever and Woomble's 'Before the Ruin' and Brother Crow's 'Hollow Hills' - although I'm hoping Santa might bring me offerings from Reg Meuross, Tom Bliss, Richard Grainger and Dougie Mclean (some new, some old). |
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23 Dec 08 - 07:24 AM (#2522859) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Acorn4 Steve Tilston -Ziggurat - if we can count it as folk. |
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24 Dec 08 - 06:32 AM (#2523680) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall Come on DaveS. The people of Nottingham will quickly forgive you for spilling the beans early - who else, with Kerfuffle and Brian Peters, in your top five? You could compromise and give them in random order. |
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24 Dec 08 - 07:25 AM (#2523707) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Dave Sutherland Only if Forest beat Doncaster on Boxing Day Jack Crawford "Pride of the Season" Tom McConville "Tommy on Song" Brian Peters "Songs of Trial and Triumph" Sarah Matthews and Doug Eunson "On Shining Wings" Kerfuffle "To The Ground" (random order) |
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24 Dec 08 - 07:35 AM (#2523713) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall Throw in three points for Sunderland at home to Blackburn and you're on (though Tom McConville, as a presumed Mag, may object)..... |
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24 Dec 08 - 07:41 AM (#2523719) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Big Al Whittle which year would that be? |
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24 Dec 08 - 07:44 AM (#2523720) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall WLD There's a strong clue in the first line of the first message! |
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24 Dec 08 - 08:44 AM (#2523762) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Big Al Whittle Its all relative I suppose. When its next year, do we have to decide who made a major contribution because of the chronology of the situation. Some of the albums that influence me every day are seventy years old - and I bet most dudes never get round to hearing them ever. cd of the year - its a bit anti folk music/pro music industry - isn't it? if I were bruce Murdoch, I should be more than a bit disappointed. His album should have put him in a position of pre-eminence internationally. the craftmanship of the songs was not something you put together in mere year - try twenty years!(and the rest) On the English trad front brian peters and john kelly's efforts deserve a mention. I think they would both smile grimly at the idea of being - flavour of the week. Both represent a breadth of vision that you don't walk out of primary school with. On this side of the pond there are a few worthy efforts - No Fixed abode's long awaited studio album (two years in the making) never impinged on the consciousness of various BBC programmes (but then what does?) - so not enough people have really got to hear it. that in many ways symbolises the general mean spiritedness of the folk world - with all its vested interests and sycophantic in crowd. still if it makes you puke - it leaves room for more christmas dinner. |
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24 Dec 08 - 11:22 PM (#2524248) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Azizi Speaking of Bruce Murdoch's songs, I don't know if he would consider them to be folk music. But, regardless of their genre, I have faith that his songs-those we have heard and those we haven't yet heard- will in time reach a much wider audience. It's my hope that Bruce and other creative people who are part of this online global community will keep on keepin on, and continue making good music. |
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24 Dec 08 - 11:33 PM (#2524250) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Mark Ross Rosalie Sorrels tribute to Utah Phillips STRANGERS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. Mark Ross |
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24 Dec 08 - 11:39 PM (#2524251) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST,jaze Joan Baez- "Day After Tomorrow"- and nominated for a well deserved Grammy |
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25 Dec 08 - 12:05 AM (#2524257) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Art Thieme |
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25 Dec 08 - 12:10 AM (#2524261) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Bill Hahn and myself will present our "favorites" on the show this Sunday 12/28 from 3 to 6pm ET. We hesitate to use the words "favorite" or "best of" since every CD is a unique work of art and comparisons aren't really fair and are arbitrary based on the taste of the listener. What Bill and I do is choose recordings that touched us and are representative samplings of the "state of folk music" in 2008. Hope you can tune in, it is fun to discuss!! |
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25 Dec 08 - 05:28 AM (#2524325) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall Everyone knows that the word "best", in this context, means the one/s you like best. Of course it's subjective. But life would be duller if we were not allowed such self-indulgence. Happy Christmas/Joyeux Noel to all at Mudcat! |
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29 Dec 08 - 11:20 AM (#2526662) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Dave Sutherland Just to set the record straight (fwiw) the Nottingham Evening Post Best of 2008 - Folk was:- Albums:- 1 Brian Peters "Songs of Trial and Triumph" 2 Kerfuffle "To The Ground" 3 Jack Crawford "Pride of the Season" 4 Sarah Matthews and Doug Eunson "On Shining Wings" 5 Tom McConville "Tommy on Song" Gigs:- 1 "The Writing on the Wall" Roy Bailey & Tony Benn - Loughborough Festival - March 2 Martyn Wyndham - Read - Grand Union Folk, Barrow on Soar - September 3 Martin Simpson - Nottingham Playhouse - January 4 Kerfuffle - Off The Tracks Spring Festival - May 5 Edward 11 - The Flowerpot, Derby - November There wasn't a book section but Pete Wood's "Elliotts of Birtley" would have got it. Al, I have been impressed with what I have seen of No Fixed Abode live but, like Colin says, we can only go with what we receive so suggest to them that they float the odd copy of their album(s)to their local papers for their perusal. Colin, neither of us got our Chrstmas wish but we both got/will get new managers. At least I stayed to the bitter end on Friday and man was it bitter!! |
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29 Dec 08 - 11:30 AM (#2526667) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: WFDU - Ron Olesko Here are my favorites, in no particular order: Pete Seeger "At 89" Various "The Imagined Village" Kathy Mattea "Coal" Kerfuffle "To the Ground" Magpie "In This World: Looking Back, Moving Forward" Two-Man Gentleman Band "Heavy Petting" Lindsay Mac "Stop Thinking" Joan Baez "Day After Tomorrow" Red Molly "Love and Other Tragedies" Jack Hardy & David Massengill, The Folk Brothers "Partners in Crime" Links to the artists as well as my reasons behind choosing them can be found at my website: www.ronolesko.blogspot.com |
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29 Dec 08 - 11:39 AM (#2526678) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Rasener Her are 2 from Lincolnshire that I think deserve to be mentioned - both are very good. In no particular order John Conolly The Grumpy Old Men of Old England The Grumpy Old Men of England Out With The Tide Kiskadee Smiling Stavros Boars Head & Bell / Market Rasen Quickstep Lincoln Castle Coldbath Fields Stone Walls & Cells The Joly Tar Sally Brown Dow Dock Sam The Squeeze-Box Man The Crystal Stream The Nobleman & The Serving-Maid / A Frog He Would A Wooing Go Brave Admiral Storey Charlie In The Meadow Fiddlers' Green According To Les Barker I Am Christmas Return Of The Grumpy Old Men The Adventure Continues Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher Acorn to Oak BILDA 005 Acorns Courteous Travellers A New Song To Sing Give Me Love, Give Me Life The Maid With The Smile In Her Eyes End Of The Day Another Mountian To Climb Time Like The Tides Sweet Is The Melody Bide-a-While The Sergeant Said "Son" Sing For Me The Miracle Of Life The Brambley Lane Flowers For Antonio Till The Day Of My Returning The Bard |
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29 Dec 08 - 06:39 PM (#2526970) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Phil Edwards Eight or nine months ago I nominated John Kelly's self-produced album /Come all you wild young men/ as my CD of 2008. Eight or nine months later, I don't think I need to revise that opinion. I don't agree with WLD about many things, but this is one of them - John Kelly's one of the finest interpreters of traditional songs in Britain, and his CD deserved to be massively successful. |
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30 Dec 08 - 08:32 AM (#2527321) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: BusyBee Paul Add another vote for Brother Crow's second CD, Hollow Hills. |
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31 Dec 08 - 04:45 PM (#2528594) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Colin Randall Lots of great stuff, so far unheard by me, has been mentioned here and I'll be checking out a lot of it. Joan Baez, Bruce Murdoch and Tom McConville will be good for starters. And since it is already 2009 where I am - the UAE - happy new year to friends, electronic pen pals and occasional sparring partners at Mudcat. Colin Salut! Live |
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31 Dec 08 - 06:45 PM (#2528666) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Ref Just so nobody will feel like they've left Mudcat, may I be the first to say "That's NOT folk music!" My goodness, you're talking about singer/songwriters here! |
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31 Dec 08 - 07:06 PM (#2528674) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: WFDU - Ron Olesko "My goodness, you're talking about singer/songwriters here! " ...and some damn good ones too, from the contemporary folk community! |
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01 Jan 09 - 01:17 PM (#2529085) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Ref And I love hearing them! Let diversity reign. |
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02 Jan 09 - 03:27 PM (#2529876) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Lizzie Cornish 1 I'm with many of the posters above on this one.. Bruce Murdoch's 'Matters of the Heart' CD, is '*The* CD of The Year' regardless of genre. Bruce's Myspace Page Diveristy? Wonderful stuff, Ref! Singer Songwriters? - Even better! :0) |
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02 Jan 09 - 03:35 PM (#2529884) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: peregrina If you haven't yet heard Tommy on Song you are in for a treat. The last track on the CD, 'Fiddle Farewell' (a song by Archie Fisher written from the point of view of an old Cape Breton Fiddler ready to put away his fiddle--but not quite; the song leads into a beautiful Jerry Holland Tune) is sublime, poignant, moving... Definitely my track of the year. |
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02 Jan 09 - 03:39 PM (#2529889) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Jean(eanjay) I bought some great CDs in 2008 but my nomination for 'best album of 2008' definitely goes to "Matters of the Heart"; it is absolutely brilliant. |
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02 Jan 09 - 03:46 PM (#2529901) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST,Shimrod I didn't buy any folk CDs in 2008. I wonder why not? |
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02 Jan 09 - 04:08 PM (#2529925) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: Goose Gander Elizabeth Laprelle - 'Lizard in the Spring' CD (Old 97) |
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03 Jan 09 - 06:59 AM (#2530328) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe Whether it's a folk CD is open to debate, but one one of my albums of the year has to be 'Is It The Sea?' the stunning live album from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy with Harum Scarum and Alex Neilson. Worth the price of admission for his epic seven minute version of "Molly Bawn" alone. As a newly inducted member of the i-pod generation, this year has more been about individual tracks and self-compiled playlists than yer actual albums. So special mention to: Faustus - Ballina Whalers The Owl Service and Alison O'Donnell - William & Earl Richard's Daughter Pumajaw - The Burning of Auchindoun Jackie Oates - Lark In the Morning Mawkin Causley - Mariners Crazy Man Michael - Winter Song There are plenty of other songs I've enjoyed, but these'll do for a start... |
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03 Jan 09 - 07:03 AM (#2530329) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe Oh, and I'll have "All You Pretty Girls" and "Adam Ant" by Jim Moray, too... |
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03 Jan 09 - 07:25 AM (#2530341) Subject: RE: Review: Folk CDs of the year? From: VirginiaTam Ramskyte - Flickering Light. Requested christmas prezzie from my sis in law Ros and her partner John (John was member of Ramskyte) Graham & Eileen Pratt - To Friend and Foe (vinyl). Just because I needed to have it. Folly Bridge - All in the Same Tune. Thank you EssexGirl for putting me onto this group. Maddy Prior - Seven for Old Enlgand. Where has she been all my life? Odetta - The Tin Angel. Quite possibly my favorite album of all time. |