The Country, Folk & World Recommendation Thread

[grindy]

Russian folk is usually not that interesting.
But Leonid Fedorov is gold.
Although he's only partially rooted in folk, most of his stuff is experimental, jazzy and often rockish.

Another great folkish one, this time solo.

[Lisnaholic]

Glad you liked the Mary Jane Lamond, Chiomara.

Originally Posted by Chiomara

Well, y'know, I didn't want to brag or anything.

^ Well, this is really big! AFAIK, MB doesn't have any first-division celebrities posting here, so, as the husband of one, you are the next best thing, if you'll excuse me putting it that way.
Any chance you can get your wife to mention MusicBanter in her next song? In the meantime, if I can think of a good rhyme with the word "Lisna" I'll let you know, ok?

The latter absolutely needs to be featured in some southern gothic horror film.

^ Yes, I liked the smooth but mysterious air of the Audra Mae song, and then King Dude really delivers on the creepy. My guess is that you might enjoy some of the material here:-
http://www.musicbanter.com/country-f...k-cabaret.html

Originally Posted by grindy

Russian folk is usually not that interesting.
But Leonid Fedorov is gold.
Although he's only partially rooted in folk, most of his stuff is experimental, jazzy and often rockish.

^ Not quite seeing what is gold about Leonid Fedorov, but what I know about Russian folk doesn't go much beyond this song from Yanka Dyagileva. In a repertoire of otherwise anguished songs that I don't understand, this stands out as being the only one with a sweet-sounding melody:-

[Chiomara]

I'll see what I can do! It's hard work being an imaginary wife, ya know.

Oh, yes I'm quite fond of the alt-country (I regret not seeing O'Death when they came to Baton Rouge) and folksy-cabaret genre-- well, that one to a lesser extent. I wonder if Rasputina's still around..

I just realized it's in fact Mary Jane Lamond who sings this version of "Ba Mo Leanabh" that I have on my spotify! One of the loveliest versions I've heard. (Though the story behind the lullaby is quite sad)

Anyone like Warsaw Village Band? They're Polish. I always get the vague sense that I'm perhaps about to be murdered when I listen to them, which is always a good sign, I'd say:

[Lisnaholic]

^ Wow! That is just a fabulous recommendation - best new music I've heard for ages! I've just downloaded a bunch of tracks from their album. Thank you so much.

I'd like to offer something of equal quality, but most of my ideas have been covered here already:-
http://www.musicbanter.com/avant-gar...r-s-guide.html

[Chiomara]

Glad you liked it! I've been trying to find more lively, jaunty folk lately. (As opposed to the soft dreamy sort that seems to be more prevalent. Oh, but speaking of which, there's this group called Arborea that's actually done some lovely covers of Tim Buckley songs and the like.)

Wonderful thread you linked; the videos in that first post are all fantastic (I'll post in it later for sure!) I do wish that sub-forum was more active, since it seems everyone who posts in it has excellent taste.

And now I'll share this-- it's not folk per se but seeing as she was Nick Drake's mother, I feel it counts:



..and some John Jacob Niles, too:



(apologies if I've posted that already)

[Lisnaholic]

Originally Posted by Chiomara

Glad you liked it! I've been trying to find more lively, jaunty folk lately. (As opposed to the soft dreamy sort that seems to be more prevalent. Oh, but speaking of which, there's this group called Arborea that's actually done some lovely covers of Tim Buckley songs and the like.)

Yes, I generally prefer good robust folk music too. When CD-quality reproduction was still a novelty, the band Clannad generated a mini Brit folk revival but they mainly made popular "the soft dreamy sort" unfortunately...

Wonderful thread you linked; the videos in that first post are all fantastic (I'll post in it later for sure!) I do wish that sub-forum was more active, since it seems everyone who posts in it has excellent taste.

^ I'd be nice if you did, Chiomara. I love to see threads bumped - especially my own

And now I'll share this-- it's not folk per se but seeing as she was Nick Drake's mother, I feel it counts:

^ So strange that we can now all listen to Molly Drake songs, after decades of complete obscurity. The one you've chosen is really charming, and shares a lot with Nick Drake's own style, doesn't it? I'm thinking of the delicate melancholy, the detailed observations of nature, and the way she links them to her own emotions. Nice.

[Chiomara]

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Yes, I generally prefer good robust folk music too. When CD-quality reproduction was still a novelty, the band Clannad generated a mini Brit folk revival but they mainly made popular "the soft dreamy sort" unfortunately...

It really is frustrating. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find groups (even within the broader indie-folk genre) with powerful vocalists, too. Some of them practically sound like they're mumbling in their sleep! Enunciate!

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

^ So strange that we can now all listen to Molly Drake songs, after decades of complete obscurity. The one you've chosen is really charming, and shares a lot with Nick Drake's own style, doesn't it? I'm thinking of the delicate melancholy, the detailed observations of nature, and the way she links them to her own emotions. Nice.

It does; they both share that same vulnerable, wistful quality. Molly Drake, especially somehow manages to eviscerate me emotionally for reasons I can't even articulate.

Today's rotation:


(all of the Alan Lomax field recordings are incredible)




(a delightful John Jacob Niles cover)

[Chiomara]

I cannot believe I neglected to mention Abner Jay!





And I don't believe I've seen Kath Bloom mentioned around these parts, which is a shame!

[grindy]

Leonid Fedorov time once more.

I love how he structures this song around a tweaked Eminem sample.

[Lisnaholic]

John Fahey has made so many great albums, but some of you other recommendations are new names to me, Chiormara. I particularly liked Hurrah For The Riff Raff, with their drunken fiddle sound - I'm going to check them out now on YouTube.

In the meantime here is some more fiddle playing, the first one with accordion by Sharon Shannon. Apparently she is "the Jimmy Hendrix of the accordion" if that means anything:-





And from French Canada, something without instruments, apart from boot-heels, I suspect:-