Folk Music

[camouflage]

I do like the celtic instrumental stuff, but all that lilty voice singing about lovely lasses and handsome lads isn't flying for me.

Homing in on fiddle-stuff, where it's just instrumentals.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

I do like the celtic instrumental stuff, but all that lilty voice singing about lovely lasses and handsome lads isn't flying for me.

Try James Yorkston then - he's far removed from that sort of Eddie Reader thing.

Another song to track down is King Creosote's folky version of "Nothing Compares 2 U". It's on Rob Da Bank/Chris Coco's Listen Again compilation.

 

[killer b]

in defence of the term 'world music', it serves it's purpose - it was thought up as a marketing ploy by a few small labels who were struggling to sell their international fayre - record shops didn't know where to put it.

the world music section was created, they started selling. without it, you wouldn't hear anything like the amount of foreign music you do now...

 

[ethel]

Try James Yorkston then - he's far removed from that sort of Eddie Reader thing.

Another song to track down is King Creosote's folky version of "Nothing Compares 2 U". It's on Rob Da Bank/Chris Coco's Listen Again compilation.

just about anything fence collective related.

see also, david thimas broughton, ben wetherill.

 

[dweller]

It's a great album, and I think the OP can overlook the lyrical intent behind the one union song. The rest: Now Westlin Winds - pure lyrical Burns. Both Sides The Tweed - anti nationalist beauty. Every track is a blinder.

I agree with you

 

[danny la rouge]

Try James Yorkston then - he's far removed from that sort of Eddie Reader thing.

James Yorkson's great. But Eddie Reader is 7 kinds of wrongness. I really, really hope people don't think what she produces is representative of Scottish folk music.

 

[Funky_monks]

That Planxty stuff, nice instrumentals and that but I wish the bloke would just shut up, his lyrics are rubbish and the style is some sort of mockery.

You have to put them into context - most of their stuff is old, synthesizers were new.

Not a mockery though

If you like instrumentals, you could try John McCusker.

See what you think of Martin Simpson too, not much of his stuff is instrumental though.

You could also try watching the 'Transatlantic Sessions' on BBC4

The Chieftains?

 

[cesare]

Try James Yorkston then - he's far removed from that sort of Eddie Reader thing.

I like Eddie Reader

I mean, not love her or anything to the point where people will stamp on me, but I like her in the way that I like the Beautiful South.

Do your worst Mr Vodka & Mr La Rouge.

Eep.

 

[danny la rouge]

I like her in the way that I like the Beautiful South.

Me, too.

 

[danny la rouge]

You could also try watching the 'Transatlantic Sessions' on BBC4

Aye. Aly Bain. Top man. (Except for being a Tankie).

 

[cesare]

Me, too.

 

[matt m]

Didn't think much of that Shirley woman either, the 14th century was a long time ago.

actually, the references to early music in Shirley Collins' arrangements are more like the 17th century.

Much of the music you like by Toumani Diabate is, on the other hand, 14th century.

It's a funny irony that's often spoken by people who like "world music" that they don't like British folk because it strikes them as sounding "medieval" or whatever, yet the music they like from other cultures is often a lot older. I'm willing to bet that music lovers in Africa probably routinely dismiss Toumani Diabate, Ali Farka Toure et al as unlistenable for exactly the same reason: that it's repertoire from another century.

 

[William of Walworth]

I'm loving this thread, loads of great recommendations

I've been interested in checking out that Folk Routes New Routes (Davey Graham etc.) for a while, and that Rob Da Bank compilation sounds promising too.

If Irish Traditional songs are your thing Cara Dillon has a superb voice

 

[Mikey77]

If you like instrumentals, you could try John McCusker.

Mike Mcgoldrick is good on flute and low whistle too. His first album "Morning Rory" was a cracker. Kate Rusby is about the best folk voice out there. Hourglass is a nice album, but I haven't heard her most recent ones.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

I like Eddie Reader

Tourist board music, innit?

 

[Roadkill]

I'm loving this thread, loads of great recommendations

Me too.

At the risk of mentioning someone horribly cheesy, I'm going to own up to liking Stan Rogers. He had a great voice, and he wrote some lovely songs. A nice bloke and a great performer too, if the live album I have is anything to go by. He died way too young, in a fire on an aeroplane, reportedly last seen going back into the cabin to try and help people who were trapped. He's one of those musicians who I always wonder what he could have done had he not.

 

[camouflage]

Can vouch for Fanfare Ciocarlia - got quite a bit of their stuff. "Speed kings of Gypsy brass" they call themselves. Incredibly fast! I'd recommend the Gili Garabdi album.

Don't know so much Goran Bregovic apart from his collaboration with George Dalaras on one of the Balkanbeats compilations. They're a good place to start with your balkan brass.

Boban Markovic is pretty decent too - his Live in Belgrade album has me jigging quite a bit in the kitchen most evenings while attacking the parsnips.

Obligatory mention of Loyko, the Russian gypsy trio. Two violins, one guitar. Soulful as fuck. I mean, wow. Seriously

Loyko.

 

[Funky_monks]

Mike Mcgoldrick is good on flute and low whistle too. His first album "Morning Rory" was a cracker. Kate Rusby is about the best folk voice out there. Hourglass is a nice album, but I haven't heard her most recent ones.

I have most of Ms Rusbys' output apart from 'Hourglass'. Didn't think she really fitted the bill set out in the OP though. Whilst we're on that vibe, Karine Polwart is definitley worth a listen.

 

[Roadkill]

I don't like Kate Rusby much. She's done the odd great song and she does have a lovely voice, but I find most of her output a bit too twee.

 

[sim667]

Depends if you want real traditional folk or not

Personally john mccusker and martin carthy are winners for me

 

[camouflage]

Bumped because I have discovered Anoushka Shankar. Dunno anymore how to use the term 'Folk Music', but she's very good maker of noises with the sitar (a fine instrument that).

I heard a guy playing the didgeridoo at bank station the other day, really well. There were some phat sounds coming from that pipe, and this kind of sting-in-the-tail effect he was making with it, reminded me of some dangerous desert Ozzimal, with scales and venom, but made of deep vibey sound. Beautiful. He was selling CDs but I had no cash, hoped to download some didgeriddims later off tinternet, but everything I found is just... pantsy elevator music.

Ah well, hopefully will see him again some time, buy myself up some of that didgeriBLOAW!

 

[camouflage]

I have discovered Beirut.

 

[weepiper]

bumping this thread because it seemed like a good place to put this and because we can embed Youtube videos now... I've just found out it's my dad singing the backing vocals on this Silly Wizard track, recorded two years before I was born

 

[audiotech]

'Universal Soldier' by Buffy Sainte-Marie.

 

[Bakunin]

The fast stuff makes me want to dance round and round faster an faster and the slow stuff makes me want to weep quietly with visions of the beautiful hills and mountains that surround the villages of my distant homeland. Even though I'm from London.

Here's a really stunning slow one for you. It was written by Cork folkie Jimmy McCarthy and here is performed by Christy Moore with Declan Sinnott on second guitar:

 

[CONDEX]

Have you tried Scottish folk?

- Silly Wizard: Sadly not enough of their stuff is on CD. There were 2 great live albums, but I think they were put together on the CD Live Wizardry.

Yip, love 'Valley of Stathmore''...

 

[CONDEX]

A group of us go each year to the folk festival in Broadstairs, a lovely little resort even if you don't like the music..

www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

 

[spliff]

bumping this thread because it seemed like a good place to put this and because we can embed Youtube videos now... I've just found out it's my dad singing the backing vocals on this Silly Wizard track, recorded two years before I was born

'tis cool but a bit gay innit Sung by a bloke
"My love's in Germany send him home, send him home"
NuFolk would have it:
"My Bruv's in Germany ... etc, ... etc"

Kicks off for me briefly at 5.11

Can you recognise your Dad's voice?

 

[the button]

A group of us go each year to the folk festival in Broadstairs, a lovely little resort even if you don't like the music..

www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

Top lurking, CONDEX.

I've never been to Broadstairs, but have always fancied it as a festival.

 

[weepiper]

'tis cool but a bit gay innit Sung by a bloke
"My love's in Germany send him home, send him home"
NuFolk would have it:
"My Bruv's in Germany ... etc, ... etc"

Kicks off for me briefly at 5.11

Can you recognise your Dad's voice?

yeah folk music frequently requires you to suspend disbelief eh.

I recognised it straightaway yeah, funny cos obviously that's him singing as a young man and he sounds well different now. But it's still him iyswim