acoustic

Images of Women, Volume 2

alicia — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Several years ago, native New Yorker Robin Greenstein issued Images of Women, Volume 1, which delivered fourteen folk songs about women’s depiction in the genre, based on her concert-lecture on the topic. Images of Women, Volume 2 delivers fourteen more numbers about women, mostly traditional in musical style.

Songs range from comical to jaunty to sorrowful. In “Father Grumble” a farmer complains that he works harder than his wife, but when they switch chores he ends up swearing “by all the leaves in the trees and all the stars in heaven / that his wife could do more work in a day than he could do in seven.” “Born in the Country” has a rockabilly beat but the structure of the blues; our lusty but proud narrator tells us “a country girl ain’t anybody’s fool” and warns her former lover to stay away on pain of death.

“The Cruel War” focuses on women’s lot in wartime: a woman begs to accompany her lover to war and eventually he relents. In “Bold William Taylor” a woman disguises herself as a soldier to find her lover. Discovering he has abandoned her for an heiress, she guns him down. In a bizarre twist, the captain of his regiment who witnesses this act is not only impressed by her determination, but makes her captain of a ship! Overall, the sparse arrangement fits the plaintive tune perfectly.

Woody Guthrie’s “Union Maid” extols the virtues of an organizer who refuses to be scared by the company’s hired goons, while the narrator of “I'm Gonna Be An Engineer” by Peggy Seeger (Pete’s sister) is discouraged from pursuing her dream. The disc concludes with a rendition of Christine Lavin’s “Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind,” which hopefully will make listeners aware of one of the funniest folk musicians today.

Greenstein's songs are backed by acoustic guitar and banjo, and fiddle often sets the pace. The steady bass gives many numbers a singsong beat, and harmonica, percussion, harp, and recorder add just the right touch. This is a basic introduction to folk music and a sing-along tribute to the changing roles and perceptions of women through the ages.

Written by: Karen Duda, November 2nd 2010

Paperdoll

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Elyse Miller

Blink and you might miss one of the twelve short, sparsely instrumented songs on Elyse Miller’s new disc, as most last two minutes or less. But Miller packs a lot of punch into these brief, slow-paced numbers, usually accompanied only by acoustic guitar. It’s a fair bet that several songs will get stuck in your head after just one listen.

Miller’s sweet, drawn-out vocal on the lullaby-like “New Love,” captures the obsessive need to spend every moment with a new crush and the intense physical lust that accompanies it: “can’t keep the bedclothes up/can’t keep your clothes on.” The simple, lilting “I Want to Love You” is so pure musically that you may miss its mischievous tone at first: “I want to love you on a hilltop meadow/it may be breaking the law/but baby it’s dark/no one has to know.” The potentially creepy lyrics are rendered playful through Miller’s plaintive delivery.

Guitar and vocal are more strident on “What We Teach,” in which Miller bemoans children’s desensitization to violence. The disturbing “Kinderwhore,” which sounds like a schoolyard chant sung by a pedophile, is essentially a long, leering description of a young girl, from her pig tails and nail polish to her bubble gum. The sense of menace implied is unsettling. The lyrics are all the more jarring for Miller’s singsong delivery. Miller shows the most emotion on “Paperdoll,” detailing the lengths women go to in order to fit into the dominant cult of beauty. She decries the constant societal pressure and “the driving mania/to be as thin and as smooth/and as shallow as paper.” It’s a valid but depressing song, as it ends with the narrator being torn in two.

Miller has a way with both words and music, and her interest in social issues and playful sense of humor shine through on Paperdoll.

Written by: Karen Duda, August 27th 2010

Never a Long Way Home

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Steff Mahan

MPress Records

Confession: I don’t know much about country music, and I don’t listen to much country music. But I know what I like, and Steff Mahan’s Never a Long Way Home is damn good music.

The opening track, “If I Let You Go,” starts things off rockin’. Mahan bangs away on a distorted guitar while belting out the lyrics. The song is upbeat, but the story isn’t; the narrator can’t let go of a past relationship even though her former lover is with someone new. Now, “sitting in the ashes of what we used to be” she laments her lost relationship but cannot move on because “I still believe you’ll be coming back for me.” Despite the unrealistic sentiment, the fabulous hooks and passionate vocals pulled me into the song.

“Can’t Hurt Me Anymore” is a toe-tapper about strength and recovery; an understated violin mixes seamlessly with the strumming guitar. Besides being a great song musically, it’s a welcome change to hear a country song about a woman standing up for herself rather than the waiting for her one true love or wallowing in pity. “I survived you because I finally found my truth / you can’t hurt me any more,” Mahan sings with pride.

The title track has an honest to goodness country feel and allows Mahan to demonstrate her talent for storytelling. She tells three vignettes about runaways seeking to return home: a teenage girl who runs away to the city; a husband who leaves a troubled marriage; and a woman on her deathbed. In each instance, the prodigal is welcomed home (to heaven, in the last case). The touching “Carnival Ride” centers on a shy girl’s childhood memories of her father, particularly the piggyback rides he gave her. “He’d spin me around and the world would go by / I swear, man, you could see me fly / we’d fall gently and laugh until we cried.” The slow and reflective, nostalgia-tinged tune aches with sincerity.

“Thought We Were Dancing” is another beautiful song about falling in love and how it can sneak up on us and cause confusion. Mahan succeeds in crafting a song that is romantic but not sappy. The slow and introspective “Save Yourself” is another highlight, full of wonderful imagery that illustrates the rush of infatuation and intimacy at the start of a new romantic relationship. The details are lovely, such as the description of a shared shower: “You draw some hearts on the glass / reach for a towel / and I pull you back.”

The slow-paced “When I Need It Most” is reminiscent of Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” not in musical terms but lyrical content: it’s a plea to be understood and loved despite one’s glaring faults and insecurities. “So I pick fights / and then I shove /… do you love me when I’m scared and when I’m broken? / When words need to be spoken? / Just pull me into you and hold me close / and love me when I need it most.” The prominent violin adds to the ambiance.

Recorded live, the album includes charming snippets of Mahan and her band, as when she exclaims “I just broke a string!” These interjections give us a sense of closeness and gives the album more of a human touch. If you like a no-holds-barred song or a beautiful ballad, chances are you’ll enjoy this album.

Written by: Karen Duda, May 30th 2010

Élan

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0000

By Monika Jalili

A beautiful album, Monika Jalili’s Élan evokes a romantic, and at times, haunting journey through a collection of popular, acoustic Iranian songs. The talented New York-born vocalist originally trained in musical theater, and shares her enchanting voice and love of Iranian poetry in a simple yet sincere album, which features tracks in Persian, Azeri, English, and French. Jalili’s music incorporates traditional folk songs from several different regions in Iran, and has been described as a mixing of regional, microtonal Iranian music; Mediterranean sounds; and French romanticism, a time of increased cultural exchange in Iran before the fall of the Shah.

Unfamiliar with traditional Persian music, I listened to the album without expectations and was intrigued by the intense range of emotion. The opening track, “Ghoghaye Setaregan” (Dance of the Stars), emits an intense, painful longing, while “Arezooha” (Wishes) swings more toward a subtle, French pop love ballad with delicate vocals and a beautiful cello. “Gonjeshgake Ashi Mashi” (Little Sparrow) is an epic, upbeat revitalization of an old folksong, followed again by a subtle yet dark and equally moving, "Ay Rilikh” (Separation). Toward the end of the album are two incredibly dark, dramatic, and moving tracks: “Peyke Sahari” (Messenger of Dawn) and “Ay Vatan” (Oh, My Homeland). Various regional styles are also evoked by the tracks: for instance, a Brit pop feel in “Evlari Vaar” (To Bemaan), a hint of Asian vocals on “Biya Bare Safar Bandim” (Let’s Be on Our Way), and a Mexican bolero style in “Bia Bia Benshin” (Come Sit by Me).

Some argue that this album had the potential of becoming the best world music album of 2009, but it has gone largely under-appreciated in the mainstream industry. Élan is an incredible collection because it expands the listeners' appreciation of Persian music. With traditional Persian songs infused with Jalili’s western musical training, her clear soprano and vibrato ornamentation are apparent. Some have even suggested its power as a potential anthem for the next Iranian revolution, as it revitalizes the art and music that has been silenced in the past decades. I believe you, too, will be moved.

Written by: Abigail Chance, February 27th 2010

Poseidon and the Bitter Bug

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:50:00 +0000

By The Indigo Girls –

Vanguard Records

For more than twenty years, the Indigo Girls have been known for their gorgeous, close harmonies and riveting, emotional lyrics. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are both exquisite singers and talented guitarists. Poseidon and the Bitter Bug is sure to delight fans with ten tracks of mostly-folk songs with pop, rock, and soul influences. The songwriting is top-notch and the award-winning duo has never sounded better.

The album starts strong with “Digging For Your Dream,” a heartbreaking, determined ballad with a chorus you’ll find yourself chanting along: "Every day that you get up and force your cards/ You’re playing your story in fits and starts/ You take your prospects and your pick axe and you trudge down to the stream/ And you bloody your hands digging for your dream."

“Driver Education” opens with the line, “I fell for guys who tried to commit suicide” and takes the listener for a compelling and quick-witted ride through high school nostalgia, crooning, “Where were you back when I had something to prove?” The naked self-criticism of “I’ll Change” makes it one of the album’s most stirring tracks. The singer compares herself to a snake that “bites the hand that feeds it,” and claims, “I’ve been running long before I learned to crawl.”

The most political track is probably “Sugar Tongue,” a hectic indictment of colonialism sung in vulnerable tones. Poseidon is not an overtly political album, even though the Indigo Girls are well known for their political activism on behalf of gay rights organizations and the environment, the rights of Native Americans, and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

A second disc is included which features acoustic versions of all the songs, plus a bonus track, “Salty South.” The band versions and acoustic versions aren’t radically different, but especially hardcore fans will enjoy comparing them, anyway. Every song on Poseidon is beautiful and you’ll want to listen to them again and again.

Written by: Kellie Powell, April 24th 2009

Jewell Ridge Coal

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:04:00 +0000

By Jeni and Billy

As someone with a very limited knowledge of folk music, I found Jeni & Billy’s second album Jewell Ridge Coal to be like Billy Elliot meets the Mamas and the Papas meets Dolly Parton. A little bit bluegrass, a little bit folk, and all original, the music feels simultaneously familiar and completely new.

Acoustic duo Jeni Hankins and Billy Kemp’s unique sound is not only easy to listen to, it creates an atmosphere. Jeni’s roots, born in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia, must have more than a little something to do with their choice of subject matter for the album: the Southwest Virginia coal mining community of Jewell Ridge.

Each track tells its own aspect of the story of this town. Opening with the miner’s tale on track one and covering everything from a union’s anthem, to a drug addict’s tragedy, to marital woes, we see all sides of life in a far-off place. My favorite song, not surprisingly, is the title track. It typifies their sound and is the best use of instrumentation in story telling on the album. Most importantly, it demonstrates how effectively Jeni and Billy’s voices compliment each other.

Theoretically, if you heard Jeni and Billy sing separately you would probably not assume their voices would mesh well but in fact it is the intermingling of their vocals that makes this album for me. Each exemplifying somewhat stereotypical folk tones, their combination creates this powerful and unique flavor, and they sound so natural together, it feels calming and clear. Its as if you were there sitting on a back porch in old-timey South and they were right there with you and just stumbled upon some instruments.

Taking the trip down South with Jeni and Billy to a time gone by is well worth the journey, and I am quite sure you will not only learn a little about Jewell Ridge but also about yourself.

Written by: Nicole Levitz, March 12th 2009

Keep Singing! A Benefit Compilation For Compassion Over Killing

admin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:50:00 +0000

By Various Artists

Exotic Fever Records

Beautiful art graces the cover of this album, entrancing me as I hear Gina Young introduce both the tone and ethics of the compilation. I quickly feel enveloped by the politics and clarity of these artists. I make a game of picking up on notable lyrics, such as quoting Gandhi with “you must be the change/ you wish to see in the world” and showing feminism in “eat what you like/ especially if you are a girl.” Speaking of girls, although there are some female artists on this compilation, I would prefer to hear more women rocking out on the album.

Ranging from warm acoustic ballads to intense punk rock chops, each musician sings intelligent lyrics from the heart. It’s wonderful to hear songs with substance! There is no mistaking the messages of compassion and animal rights in this album. Keep Singing! offers a breath of fresh air to thinking people sadly wandering amidst vapid pop star-worship and destruction of the planet’s resources.

Flipping through the CD booklet, I notice vegetarian recipes submitted by the artists betwixt attractive pictures of vegetables and advertisements for small, ethical companies. A vegetarian cookbook is included on the disc as a downloadable PDF file. I’m pleasantly surprised by the creativity and thoughtfulness of this project.

Written by: Jacquie Piasta, April 13th 2008

All the Strays

admin — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:00:00 +0000

By Antara

Little Weird Girl Productions

Sitting in a warm living room with your closest friends enjoying each other’s thoughts and company is exactly how you feel when the first song of this album strums - and it only gets better from there. Antara’s third solo album, All the Strays, comes at you like a warm cup of coffee… a fall evening by the fire… or an embrace of an old friend. In other words, it feels like home.

In her classic style of rhythmic strumming her acoustic guitar, Antara’s heart throbs out the chords of her life. Each song is like opening a gift of word. Her songs come out as the story of her life, loves, fights and travels. Each song is more intimate than the last. This album has all of the makings of the perfect mixed tape. Perfect for that long road trip through the farmland of the Midwest into your lover’s arms this summer. Antara packs the poetics and politics of a modern (coffee fueled) folkster.

Fun, heartfelt, inspired and sometimes lonely, this album is a lesson in growth from an artist that just gets better and more versed with each album and each trip to the stage. As a feminist, as a lover of women, and as a diehard supporter of spoken herstories, I highly recommend this album. _All the Strays _will be my road map into the fall.

Written by: susan catherine ashman, September 6th 2007

Despite Our Differences

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:34:00 +0000

By Indigo Girls

Hollywood Records

Despite Our Differences is Emily Saliers’ and Amy Ray's first release on their new record label, and it shows on an album that feels like a new beginning for Decatur’s own.

Taking a slight upward turn in sentiments from some heavy themes on All That We Let In and the acoustic, earthy Become You, fans should be advised not to live without this one. "Lay My Head Down" makes introspection fun with its Dylanesque lyrics, visuals, sardonic twists and rolling sound is the highlight on this album of consistently strong material. Emily is at her very best here, topping the solemn and beautiful "All That We Let In" and rivaling Amy’s confrontational masterpiece, "Become You."

Amy Ray never ceases to amaze with her diversity of styles, and "Little Perennials" is no exception. "Little Perennials" deals with her plethora of blood kin and the question of identity asking, “Where’d you come from?” It includes a fun chorus, “Wee oh…,” is very Southern in sentiment, could be a children’s song and sounds like a radio single. "Rock and Roll Heavens Gate" is about several punk bands that recently broke up and features backing vocals by Pink.

"Pendulum Swinger" makes activism fun as it takes swipes at our misleaders, “It doesn’t come by the bullwhip.” Saliers’ wish to “make the pendulum swing again” turned out to be timely in light of the midterm elections. "Pendulum" is a diatribe for the strong woman and features an attention grabbing "F--- It!" "Three County Highway" is a sleeper favorite, a slow ballad with deep sentiments about the saving power of love. On "Fly Away," "All the Way," "Run" and, especially, "Last Tears" the gentler Indigo Girls again explore existential nature and succeed. "Dirt Ends" and "They Won’t Have Me" are very interesting in content and feature a strong beat with an American Indian flair. "Dirt Ends" is about the encroachment of development on the lives of rural dwellers, ending their sense of belonging and the privacy that nature provides.

The placement of the sheer variety of the songs on this album can be a bit jarring. That Emily and Amy are still driven to their song craft and hard touring after so many years is a testament to their strong work ethic and dedication. They still agonize over love; they still care about the world, and we still care too.

Written by: Katie Klemenchich, April 19th 2007

The Longest Day of the Year

admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:11:00 +0000

By The Reverse

Heartcore Records

It’s as if The Cure went acoustic, frontrunning the band with the softest sounds of feminine chanteusery. The Reverse is a twosome composed of vocalistic guitarist Tara Emelye Needham and drummer Todd “Todbot” Karasick. Born in Long Island, The Reverse migrated to New York City, as talents tend to do. Unaffected, feet-shuffling wanderings best describe the tone and tunes of this debut album, making one reasons, perhaps, why it is entitled The Longest Day of the Year. Needham’s voice is so delicate and gentle that the duo’s well-scribed lyrics hide behind overpowering guitar and percussion attacks. “Moon shines down/Tambourine round/Little Dipper dives into Orion/Pointing our way to the horizon,” Needham mouths cutely, yet inaudibly.

I elect this album suitable for rainy-day background music and after the break-up or just before the make-up.

Written by: Jill Dudones, April 6th 2007