MB Album Club 2022

rubber soul · 02-16-2022, 09:22 AM

Knowing Batty, I was expecting some sort of headbanging material guaranteed to make my eyes water. Imagine my surprise to find out it's a folk album.

Which I'll review tomorrow or Friday (wanna to listen to it a second time). Thanks for saving my ears, Batty

Trollheart · 02-16-2022, 09:58 PM

I think Batty believes extreme metal from him is about as predictable as me suggesting a prog album. What's the point of that? Got to think outside of the four-sided dimensional cube.

rubber soul · 02-17-2022, 08:59 AM

Okay, so here we go.

Again, this turned out to be a pleasant surprise given it was a rec from Batty. Of course, if it isn't extreme death metal or, er, Motley Crue, it would have to be a left wing radical folk album.

It's an interesting mix of traditional union songs, some with guitar accompaniment and some sung acapella. I also like how there is a lot of audience participation. I also notice how Utah gets into the history of the Union movement in his own way. He does a song about the Wobblies which was the term used for the radicals of the IWW in the early 1900's. Later in the album there are a lot of references to Joe Hill, probably made famous in song by Joan Baez in the 1960s.

I'm not going to go through the usual favorite song/ not so favorite tracks that I usually do. I'll just say that as a live album, it flows very well and I'm sure seeing Utah Phillips live would be a very enjoyable experience. As such, this makes it an enjoyable album and also one that makes you think.

So, while it isn't an album I'd recommend to, say, Donald Trump and his ilk, it's definitely an album to listen to if have left leaning sympathies or are at least open to alternative views.

RS rating: 8.5/10 (The word has spoken

)

Lisnaholic · 02-17-2022, 04:36 PM

Like rs, I was very surprised by this selection, and have to say "hats off" to Batlord for introducing me to someone I'd never heard of. Thanks.

Recorded in 1981, the album is just oozing with the feel of an earlier time; I loved the simple purity of it all, the guitar, the sing-a-long of the audience and Utah's clear singing voice.

I'm not always a fan of being taught a political lesson when I listen to music, but Utah's point of view is presented with plenty of humour, and I found it fascinating when he was mentioning people I've more or less heard of like Cesar Chavez and Joe Hill. In fact, on a song like Bread and Roses, I enjoyed the historical-background intro as much as the song itself. Likewise, on Hallelujah, I'm a Bum, the spoken interludes (often a bit of a low point in a song) were as entertaining as the sung verses.

As for the lyrics: good plain English used well is an excellent way to write, and I particularly liked this pair of lines:

"They went wild, they went wild over me
I'm referring to the bed-bug and the flea"

Finally, you also get a warm feeling from hearing how the crowd join in: having fun with The Preacher and The Slave and declaring their creed with the moving anthem, Solidarity Forever.
I have quoted this before on MB; it's carved over the door of a Victorian Museum of Art in London: "The excellence of every art must consist of the complete accomplishment of its purpose". On that basis, this album gets a solid 10/10 from me.

rostasi · 02-17-2022, 10:10 PM

Good to see interest in the good old anarchist U. Utah Phillips!
Met him at the Haymarket Affair Centenary and he was the good side of good-ol’-boyisms.
That live album is close to his best live one (with May Day at the Pabst being the other close contender).
On the studio side, watch for El Capitan and Loafer’s Glory and you’ll get a good taste of
creative hoboism right up there with Harry Partch, Harry McClintock and Seasick Steve.

Tristan_Geoff · 02-17-2022, 10:15 PM

I've actually heard this upon Batlord's recommendation before, and I really like it. I have a few of the songs in playlists, it's really cool hearing these worker ballads and especially the quality they were recorded in, I imagine myself listening among a crowd of workers as he riles up the assembly with There Is Power in a Union

9/10 from me

**Marie Monday** · 02-18-2022, 11:32 AM

Am I the only one who's not surprised by Charles' pick, given his love for old country music and socialism? The album actually got me all emotional, mostly because he has a really lovely voice. Any melodious country/foll voice with that slight vibrato appeals to me, and he does it to perfection. Add old melodies and humane and funny lyrics about solidarity and workers rights etc. and I'm sold. 9/10

Trollheart · 02-18-2022, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostasi

Good to see interest in the good old anarchist U. Utah Phillips!
Met him at the Haymarket Affair Centenary and he was the good side of good-ol’-boyisms.
That live album is close to his best live one (with May Day at the Pabst being the other close contender).
On the studio side, watch for El Capitan and Loafer’s Glory and you’ll get a good taste of
creative hoboism right up there with Harry Partch, Harry McClintock and Seasick Steve.

Good grief! Is there anyone you haven't met?

rostasi · 02-18-2022, 08:49 PM

Well, it’s just that music is what my life has always revolved around and I’m in my 60s,
so it’s just a matter of liking lots of different musicians/composers/artists and not being
afraid to go up and say “hi.” Sometimes it’s just a one-off and sometimes it becomes a
life-long friendship or anything in-between.

The Batlord · 02-18-2022, 09:19 PM

Do you know The Wiggles?

02-16-2022, 09:58 PM	#52 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	I think Batty believes extreme metal from him is about as predictable as me suggesting a prog album. What's the point of that? Got to think outside of the four-sided dimensional cube. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

02-17-2022, 04:36 PM	#54 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Like rs, I was very surprised by this selection, and have to say "hats off" to Batlord for introducing me to someone I'd never heard of. Thanks. Recorded in 1981, the album is just oozing with the feel of an earlier time; I loved the simple purity of it all, the guitar, the sing-a-long of the audience and Utah's clear singing voice. I'm not always a fan of being taught a political lesson when I listen to music, but Utah's point of view is presented with plenty of humour, and I found it fascinating when he was mentioning people I've more or less heard of like Cesar Chavez and Joe Hill. In fact, on a song like Bread and Roses, I enjoyed the historical-background intro as much as the song itself. Likewise, on Hallelujah, I'm a Bum, the spoken interludes (often a bit of a low point in a song) were as entertaining as the sung verses. As for the lyrics: good plain English used well is an excellent way to write, and I particularly liked this pair of lines: "They went wild, they went wild over me I'm referring to the bed-bug and the flea" Finally, you also get a warm feeling from hearing how the crowd join in: having fun with The Preacher and The Slave and declaring their creed with the moving anthem, Solidarity Forever. I have quoted this before on MB; it's carved over the door of a Victorian Museum of Art in London: "The excellence of every art must consist of the complete accomplishment of its purpose". On that basis, this album gets a solid 10/10 from me. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

02-17-2022, 10:10 PM	#55 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	Good to see interest in the good old anarchist U. Utah Phillips! Met him at the Haymarket Affair Centenary and he was the good side of good-ol’-boyisms. That live album is close to his best live one (with May Day at the Pabst being the other close contender). On the studio side, watch for El Capitan and Loafer’s Glory and you’ll get a good taste of creative hoboism right up there with Harry Partch, Harry McClintock and Seasick Steve. Last edited by rostasi; 02-17-2022 at 10:35 PM.

02-18-2022, 08:49 PM	#59 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	Well, it’s just that music is what my life has always revolved around and I’m in my 60s, so it’s just a matter of liking lots of different musicians/composers/artists and not being afraid to go up and say “hi.” Sometimes it’s just a one-off and sometimes it becomes a life-long friendship or anything in-between.