Saw Lisa at lunch time but didn’t have time to discuss as she had a gathering. Thought there might be something on Bandcamp but not as far as I could tell.
On a different note I thought it was time I revisited some music that was popular in the 80’s. This chap’s renditions of classical favourites might be considered cheesy, but this folk album shows off his virtuoso ability with the pipes. Some of these folk tunes still send shivers down my spine.
Enjoy! I bought my copy immediately after hearing them perform it in concert last year. The audience were encouraged to sing along to the last piece, so when playing the album I tend to accompany the final track — a good job the neighbours can’t hear me.
Roger
Ah, an interesting record. People always dredge the depths to justify some of the poor stuff in the years immediately before Oh Mercy came out but this at the time very much felt like a return to form. In retrospect it was Lanois misguidedly trying to tamp down some of the instincts which came to the fore on seubsequent arguably better albums but, patchy as it now seems, it was revelatory at the time.
Capercaillie have been playing for 40 years now. ReLoved was released in May. Cerys Matthews interviewed Donald Shaw on her show this morning. ReLoved is a collaboration with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
Revisiting an artist I have not listened to for some time. Roon tells me she was initially classified as a folk artist; recently she was downgraded to pop (UVMV).
This popped up on my social pages’s feed. I’m not a fan of live recordings, but I make an exception for this.
I’m back on my old Sunday morning ritual of listening to music; in the past it would have been either opera or some Irish, today was a bit of the latter via Canada. But, why had I not this particular album in my collection?
Nu-folk was a thing about 14 years ago: Mumford & Son, Noah and the Whale, and Laura Marling whose ‘Patterns in Repeat’ I’m playing at the moment. She is older now, has given birth to a child and gained an MA in psychoanalysis.
Pub talk does not normally revolve around folk music, yesterday was different. Fairly laid back stuff.
Not wishing to court controversy, but these songs are very folksy for saloon jazz (if that is a thing). Plus Eastern European / Balkan roots provided by the artists. A charming album.
We saw Eliza Carthy and The Restitution at Huntingdon Hall, Worcester last evening. She sang newish songs written in lockdown and songs from her family singing (not all folk, but some jazz and blues). Her latest album with Ben Seal who plays bass in the band and is a record producer from Fife is Through that Sound (My Secret was Made Known).
Folking have a review here: Through that Sound
Will explore this tonight. Always feel that none of her albums really capture the joy and intensity of the live performance.
Eliza has a live tour at the moment, Ben Seal owns his own recording studio, so perhaps he can get closer to live sound? Incidentally the strings and woodwind were prerecorded and played from a small box of electronics lashed precariously to a mike stand!
Whether it’s folk or jazz, this is a great album!
At Fairport, Cropredy this year (2024) was an act which caught my attention. Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage. I have picked up four albms since, each a gem.
Before the Sun (On repeat play)
Awake
In the dark we grow
Ink of the Rosie morning (My least preferred, but still good)
A few covers but mainly original songs, Hannah has a fantsatic voice, Ben Savage is a great gutarist.
Give them a spin!
