by Daniel Bayer November 1, 2008 – Duke University, Durham, NC “I love this folk music shit, don’t you?” asked British left-wing singer/songwriter Billy Bragg before launching into another one of his Curtis Mayfield-meets-Joe Strummer guitar riffs. Unaccompanied by anything other than humorous monologues about U.S. foreign policy, the Clash, American football and the election, […]
Tag Archives | folk
Todd Snider “Peace Queer” Mega Force
by Brad Tucker Listening to Todd Snider’s back-catalogue gives one the impression that he has extremely varied tastes in music, and that he is greatly affected by whatever he is listening to. At different times he is contemporary pop country, straight folk, John Prine, or Tom Petty. There are moments on his 1994 debut, Songs […]
Mike Seeger – “Last Known Interview”
The Vine of American music grew slowly at first. Traditions were passed down from person to person. Music and musicians were relatively isolated, unique to each region. This slowly shifted as people arrived here from a wider range of countries, settled more of the country. The advent and growth of recording, radio and the Internet, […]
Vetiver “Thing of the Past” Gnomonsong
by Jesse Hill This is a covers record. However, unless you have spent hours in an attic filled with jars of pickled fairies, a chest full of Jesse James’s handkerchiefs, a library of leather-bound books on spells and sorcery, a locked cabinet rumored to be filled with American-Indian jewelry made of human parts, and a […]
Levon Helm “Dirt Farmer” Vanguard Records
Lindsey Oechsle “Ramble On: Levon Helm has yet to dance his Last Waltz” Sometimes even the strongest soldier falls, but folk rock legend Levon Helm is still peacefully battling on. His latest victory—overcoming throat cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 1996—inspires the 2007 release of Grammy Award-winning Dirt Farmer. Unlike several musical counterparts of […]
Fleet Foxes “Fleet Foxes” Sub Pop
by Lindsay Eanet Scruff-laden hippies rejoice, for the future of music is once again in your hands. While the frenetic blips of Cut Copy and Crystal Castles may have their place, a new wave of indie bands (Yeasayer, Blitzen Trapper, Iron & Wine) have emerged with an earthier sound and earnest lyrics, bands that are […]