Reviews
56 Doc Watson, Clarence Ashley and Gaither Carlton
Sarah Jane Ímar Brìghde 57 Scouten 55 53 Chaimbeul 48 penguin eggs: winter 2019 between Landreth-style slide (the title track) and fast or slow, rock-based moments. Of special note is the qual- ity of these 10 self-penned compositions. Aside from the impressive opener, Brother fea- tures animated slide against a rich backdrop of B3 and backup vocals; a lovely track. Likewise, If Tears Were Pennies offers a guitar-driven, near-boogie that breaks into a full-band breakdown, hinting at their live potential. Elements of both country (I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Rich) and rockabilly-come-gospel (The Time Is Now) are present, yet it’s head-turners such as Clarbeston Resonation (a Coo- deresque solo that never quite 100 Mile House breaks into song—but sounds great) the rollicking, honky- 100 Mile House tonkin’ Shanghai, with its funky Love and Leave You (Fallen Tree Records) Grateful is a simultaneously No matter what you want to piano breaks and full chorus, Edmonton’s uplifting and melancholy taking call it, Harley has rejuvenated and the jaw-droppingly beauti- 100 Mile House stock of what we have to be his sound with the help of Harry ful Margeurite suggest Harley’s have created a thankful for in life, while Worth Harding (drums, bass, backing no one-trick pony. There’s lots warm, intimate the Wait chronicles the struggles vocals, additional guitars), Jon- to love here. folk album that and joys of becoming parents. ny Henderson (Hammond B3, – By Eric Thom illuminates a new stage in the A truly honest and intimate Wurlitzer, piano), Rex Horan lives of duo Peter Stone and snapshot in song. (bass), and Jodie Marie (back- Jack Rutter Denise MacKay. – By Tanya Corbin ing vocals) as Harley concen- Gold of Scar and Shale (Independent) As the two have matured and trates on electric bottleneck. Jack Rutter is gone from two individuals to Martin Harley Recorded—analogue—in a better known as a family, so has their music Roll With The Punches (Del Mundo Records) Welsh country chapel, the result part of the U.K. gone through a transition. Admittedly, it is a sweet sound that makes the folk trio Moore, Observances both personal and takes something most of Harley’s strong voice, mMoss, Rutter. universal are peppered through special to inject bolstering each track with Here on his second solo outing these songs: how relationships new life into backup vocals (Harding/Marie). he sings songs set in the coun- change, losing loved ones along an overworked His guitar sound is key to each tryside of his native Yorkshire the way, and how things evolve genre. composition and he fluctuates and other parts of Northern as the years pass. Britain’s Martin Harley has it, Produced by Peter Stone, the lifting the acoustic blues roots instrumentation on Love and category by taking it to church. Leave You is stripped down but With five solo records under rich in all the right places to his belt, the Surrey-based, accompany the laying bare of Welsh-born Harley began with themselves within the lyrics. the contemporary blues band Beautiful harmonies highlight approach back in ’03. He’s these story songs that lay bare since been heavily influenced some intimate and emotional by life in Nashville, plying moments in the making of a his slide, lap guitar skills into family, and the ebbs and flows something more akin to Amer- Martin Harley that we all face in life. icana.
penguin eggs: spring 2020 49 Britain. the highest notes with strength thought that, “Just pray love Tinsley Ellis The material is mainly tradi- and accuracy. Highly recom- will see us through, it’s all I can Ice Cream In Hell (Alligator Records) tional, which he has arranged mended. do when I can’t pretty it up.” If this is Hell, in fresh and imaginative ways. – By Tim Readman In this wonderfully melodic please take me The rarely heard Child ballad album, Harrison acknowledges there. Eighteen Fair Janet And Young James Lynn Harrison there are more questions than albums later, incorporates a melody borrowed Something More (Independent) answers to the mysteries of life Tinsley Ellis is from June Tabor, and is sung In Lynn Harri- and all of its contradictions. best-known amongst too small with suitable passion against son’s world, life She writes: “I don’t know how a circle of blues-rock guitar afi- sparse guitar and fiddle accom- has its struggles it works, will someone please cionados—you know the kind. paniment. and suffering, explain, how there can be so Yet his skills have multiplied The Brundeanlaws is a but dig deep much beauty in the midst of so exponentially—his songwrit- bothy ballad of illicit love in ■and you’ll find hope. Harrison’s much pain?” Good question. ing, guitar playing, and singing the farmlands of Scotland’s songwriting comes from a place There’s even a protest song, voice proving a triple threat— border country, which is carried of non-denominational spiritu- which a wild guess would say no less so than on his latest wonderfully by Sam Sweeney’s ality. A Unitarian minister in her was inspired by Donald Trump: 11-song opus. And, if you do jaunty fiddle and Rutter’s witty day job in Toronto, she doesn’t “Until I found what you did sir, nothing else today, just order singing. The Sledmere Poachers claim to provide easy answers I was not a protester.” this disc for the sheer joy of tells of the dangers of that line in her songwriting, but as the Kudos have to go to the pro- listening in awe to the sev- of trade—especially for the title song says, she has an idea duction team of Noah Zacharin en-plus-minute Your Love’s Like poacher’s dog. that there is “something more.” and Douglas September, who Heroin. As flawless as it is satis- Rutter’s clear and rich tenor Hearing this kind of non- have brought out the beauty of fying on so many levels—even voice is the perfect instrument preachy spirituality is refresh- the songs, especially Zacharin’s though it ends far too soon. for expressing these folk songs, ing, uplifting even for the most tasty electric guitar, which pro- Co-producer and keyboard most notably on When Jones’s hard-nosed atheist. I think John vides an abundance of texture. whiz Kevin McKendree is proof Ale Was New where he hits even Lennon would approve of her – By Mike Sadava they are twin sons of different
50 penguin eggs: spring 2020 mothers—an integral compo- nent of Ellis’s impeccable sound and a brilliant organist/pianist in his own right. Together, with Steve Mackey (bass) and Lynn Williams (drums), no fire mar- shall will ever sleep again. Despite the temptation, you can turn a game of Spot Ellis’s Influences into an all-night con- test. From the Buchanan-esque taste on Your Love’s Like Heroin to the hint o’ Albert King on Last One To Know (complete with horns), you’ll quick- ly come to realize that Ellis streams them all—telepathical- ly—into an arsenal of his own making, straining them each through his Georgian filter. B.A.R.K: Colin Linden, Tom Wilson, & Stephen Fearing From the quirky Don’t Know Beans, with its oddly addictive key changes and ultra-clean Blackie & The Rodeo 11 new songs sporting a versa- dark to light. guitar lines, to the grand slam Kings tile group identity even when In the end, Hawksley Work- of Hole In My Heart, there’s King Of This Town (Warner Music) tracks lean towards one singer/ man, The McCrary Sisters, and nothing here that wouldn’t lead Funny how lyricist or another. Wilson’s son Tom are worked off any playlist. time breezes After the spacey economy of into the mix, but it’s the Kings’ Of special note on Ice Cream along. Hard Road, these roots-rock town again and you’ll want to is the improvement of Ellis’s IIH 111111111! One day a trio explorers start heading down visit. vocals throughout. He used of troubadours the highway with Cold 100 – By Roger Levesque to shine brightest on slower gets together for a one-off and Trust Yourself slides in to numbers; you can sense the pain tribute to their mutual friend, solidify the momentum. Wil- Jessica Heine and feel the sting in his voice on the much-admired late Willie son’s quietly slinky Baby I’m Goodbye Party (Fallen Tree Records) Hole In My Heart. Yet on faster P. Bennett. Stephen Fearing, Your Devil is irresistible before Those songs. numbers like Sit Tight Mama, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson the exuberant licks of Kick My That voice. his vocals are right where find that the group effort brings Heart Around hit a celebratory Where did she they’re supposed to be. something unexpected out of peak. Two moving ballads, come from? Who From the hardline, blues-rock them, and people want to hear Walking On Our Own Graves is she? Why isn’t burn of No Stroll In The Park, that. And suddenly Blackie & and Grace, allow Fearing to she famous? set against more lush B3 and the The Rodeo Kings are heading balance the essential contrast of She comes from Edmonton. pinpoint precision of his rhythm into their 25th year, with the Goodbye Party is her first section to the ringing tone Ellis first-ever backing of a major record in 10 years and it’s a squeezes from his guitar on Evil label behind them. real gem, one born of heart- Till Sunrise, this is a new master After drafting in some choice ache. Jessica has a degree in to contend with. guest artists on their Queens classical vocal performance but All originals, Ellis’s song- and Kings albums of recent her passion is folk music and writing is smart, lyrically tight, years, BARK has re-grouped songwriting and, indeed, this offering fresh insight into tired here to consider the basic record is soulful, sweet, and full themes while the sound on this ingredients again, augmented of passion. disc is exquisitely clear and by most of their original rhythm Heine was inspired to write pristine without being antisep- section, Gary Craig and John this album after her bitter tic. To appreciate that Ellis is Dymond. Maybe because it divorce—some heart-breaking doing exactly what he loves to happened at Linden’s new songs, some hopeful, all memo- do comes through in every mix. Nashville studio, or just because rable. It’s an intensely personal The sky’s his limit. it was time, they continue to record born of introspection, Jessica Heine – By Eric Thom find new wrinkles in this set of taking stock and moving
penguin eggs: spring 2020 51 forward; songs that look back I highly recommend pouring a release comes a concentrated Matt Patershuk at what went wrong, about glass of wine and listening to version called Best of the Rest, If Wishes Were Horses (Black Hen Music) mending wounds. this record from beginning to 20 songs distilled by Si himself If Wishes Were I’m sorry she had to go end. A box of tissue may come from the five CDs. Horses is coun- through all the pain but I’m in handy but I promise you’ll be This collection features try/folk with a thankful she had the grace and smiling through the tears. a poignant love song to his nice helping of talent to turn her unfortunate – By Eric Rosenbaum wife, a look back at his early rock and blues. circumstances into such lovely activist days as a member of Patershuk calls it a mixed bag music. There are songs that feel Si Kahn SNCC in the 1960s, a musing and, indeed, he displays a range fragile, such as Figure It Out, Best of the Rest (Strictly Country Records) about Strom Thurmond getting of musical influences, although and angry (When You Love Me) Since the early pregnant, and a touching ballad country really is at its heart. and defiant, such asGoodbye 1960s, Si Kahn of behind the Curtain’s of Old I don’t know about you but Party. has succeeded in Joe’s House. when there’s a song on a record Producer Peter Stone, of a fully involved What can I say—if you have called Ernest Tubb Had Fuzzy Edmonton’s 100 Mile House, life as a folk- never experienced Si Kahn, Slippers that’s the one you helped make sure the ar- singer, a community activist, please indulge. It’s a great go for first. Here, Patershuk rangements serve as perfectly and writing songs that have be- collection. If you do have an recounts the true story of the tasteful backdrops for the lyrics. come standards, such as Aragon appreciation of Si and his work, night the drunken country They’re extremely sparse when Mill, and being an important this collection just reminds yet singer Tubb had a run-in with appropriate, such as the gentle part of America’s conscience. again there is very good reason Nashville producer Jim Denny. strumming behind the vocal Last year in his 75th year, his Si Kahn still is relevant and also The Opry pioneer took a shot on Be Gentle With My Heart, record company of more than a still very entertaining. at Denny with a .357 magnum. which, at two minutes, is a tiny quarter century released a five- If you possibly can, catch him Spoiler alert: he missed. treasure of a song. CD box set in celebration—Si this year at the Vancouver Folk Patershuk’s humour and Heine’s crystal-clear voice Kahn at 75 – the Europe Ses- Festival in July. straightforward storytelling shines through in every song. sions. And on the heels of that – By les siemieniuk reads like a scene from a movie
52 penguin eggs: spring 2020 with Nashville veteran Charlie McCoy on harmonica and al- bum producer and guitar slinger Steve Dawson contributing the fitting soundtrack. Patershuk isn’t from Nash- ville, he’s from Alberta, which is reflected in recurring images of working men, country bars, and horses, of course. A standout track on this North Americana collection is Alberta Waltz, a melancholy affair, a final turn on the dance floor at closing time: “Dancing’s for dreamers and lovers and fools. And it’s hard to be a dreamer when you just set down your tools.” Frazey Ford There are also a few surpris- es, including a cover of Jerry Garcia’s Sugaree and four short Ford’s airy and pretty voice Brìghde Chaimbeul 20-year-old Gaelic speaker instrumentals, all variation of sings out Motherfucker in a The Reeling (River Lea Recordings) from the Scottish Inner Hebrid- the same melody, adding to the way that makes you look twice From the ean Isle of Skye. When she was cinematic nature of the album. to truly grasp the relation- opening tones 17, Chaimbeul won the Radio 2 This is producer Dawson’s ship-on-the-rocks tone of the of the first track, Young Folk Award and led the fourth collaboration with song. The warmth of the music O Chiadain An Highland Military Tattoo at 17. THE REELING Patershuk. His gritty, rootsy seems to shelter themes of Lo, you know Since then, she’s travelled and production proves to be a strong resignation and anger. you’re in for something special. explored pipe music from many foundation for Patershuk’s A bit more bare bones than The gothic, haunting sound of places, playing with pipers soulful lyrics and husky, whisky her previous album, U Kin B the small pipes—together with across eastern Europe, in Cape voice. the Sun delivers a record that the reedy harmonium in East Breton, and in Ireland, as well – By Eric Rosenbaum fans will feel is well worth the Church, Cromarty, where The as discovering rare tunes from almost six-year wait. This col- Reeling was recorded—burrow Hebrides and Highlands. Frazey Ford lection gives a clearer window deep into the marrow of your The tunes on The Reeling are U Kin B the Sun (Arts and Crafts) into Frazey Ford herself. bones and compel you to pay Scottish and Bulgarian (from The eagerly Opening track Azad tells the attention to this beautiful, some- the kaba gaida tradition) and awaited follow- tale of her time on a Canadian times sinister, and often-haunt- show the similarities between up to 2015’s commune with her draft dodger ing music. the two musical traditions. The Indian Ocean is parents, and several breakup Brìghde Chaimbeul is a album features 82-year-old full of seeming songs convey an edgy anger contradictions. and resignation that have come Serious topics play out in out of what she calls “a time of Ford’s ethereal, and sometimes transition”. illegible, vocal style that still Born out of a spontaneous manages to convey the meaning collaboration with her longtime and weight of the subject bassist Darren Parris and drum- matter. Political messages mer Leon Power, this album is come wrapped in slinky R&B much more organic and impro- grooves, most notably in the visational, yet still feels finished anthem The Kids Are Having and complete. Fun, summery None Of It, inspired by the soul with the contagious touch Parkland school shooting sur- of disco danceability, this will vivors (“They can’t be bought be another soundtrack of the / they can’t be taught your summer. Brìghde Chaimbeul hate”). – By Tanya Corbin
penguin eggs: spring 2020 53 trio with a gift for crafting history to song with rich vocal arrangements—this is Posen, solo. His songwriting gifts are obvi- ous and, while his deep baritone voice takes some time to warm to, the musical backdrop for each song proves bewitching. Christian Flores’s Gypsy jazz guitar joins with Martin van de Ven’s clarinet, conjuring an old- world night on a moonlit bay for the title track. Espousing the innocent age of another era, Emily flaunts Posen’s skills with a lyric—a romantic paean to a special woman, set to Mark Fergu- son’s piano and Scott Latham’s swing-bent percussion. Kate Rusby The Best Song Ever Written is true tongue-in-cheek with a country bent, driven by Frank singer and piper Rona Light- anon—with modern musical traditional music—Richard Koller’s guitar, Michael Ball’s foot, Chaimbeul’s first teacher, sensibilities. Thompson—performing Crazy fiddle, and Brian Ostrom’s who sings canntaireachd (a type Her tales hearkening back to Michael, a song he played with pedal steel. of singing which mimics the the old English countryside, the Fairport Convention a half-cen- Sugar Bush Breakfast, an pipes and is used to teach tunes) horse driver who falls for the tury ago. upbeat duet with the perky on several tracks. fairest local girl, a squire and a The disc is lovingly produced Linda Morrison, serves up the This wonderful recording parson so drunk that they think by Rusby’s husband, Damien pure, old-timey folk our parents was produced by Lau’s Aidan they are fighting a highwayman O’Kane, whose guitar is all over listened to (cue The Weavers). O’Rourke and he has perfectly when they are just beating each the album. The duet he sings But the album’s best track is preserved the real sound of the other up. And a “toast to the with Rusby on her modern-day Night Nurse, built on the back pipes with all the breathiness farmer” may seem a little out lullaby, Until Morning, is a of Michael Jerome Browne’s and creaking included. Raw, of place in these days of Brexit, highlight. blues-soaked, bottleneck guitar atmospheric, visceral music that Megxit, Boris, austerity budgets – By Mike Sadava as he and Posen (with his stron- challenges the listener, gets un- and the like. But they comprise gest vocal) turn a real life/death der your skin, and stays there! a tradition worth keeping, if Shelley Posen experience into a variation on – By Tim Readman only as an antidote to the cur- Ontario Moon (Independent) rent ennui. Blessed with Kate Rusby There’s a sense of hope run- a clear, clean Philosophers, Poets and Kings (Pure Records) ning through this album, even voice, Posen I could listen on the stunningly beautiful Halt chooses to to Kate Rusby’s the Wagons, which commemo- stop time in a rich, gentle rates the Huskar Pit mining di- conscious effort to evoke the voice, tinged saster, which killed 26 children sounds ‘of another era’, regard- with her York- 180 years ago. Partly recorded less of genre selected. shire accent, for many hours. underground at the National These 12 originals come There’s something about that Coal Mining Museum with a across like some random ’50s voice, that she’s singing for me, children’s choir, she sings that Radio Hour, featuring hand- only for me. she will dry up her tears “and picked artists to embellish each Fantasies aside, Rusby is at call up the wagons so the next hand-crafted tune. Having made the height of her art, melding shift can start.” a name for himself as one-third traditional English songs— Rusby pays homage to one of of Ottawa’s Finest Kind—a Shelley Posen written by her as well as the heroes of modern English spellbinding, now-retired, vocal
54 penguin eggs: spring 2020 St. James Infirmary. Another jewel is So Love, Goodbye, a bittersweet farewell that makes the very best of a bad situation. A one-of-a-kind act and a true entertainer. – By Eric Thom
Ímar
Avalanche (Big Mann Records) This is Ímar’s second album of pan-Celtic (Scottish, Manx, and Irish) tradi- tional and original music. Their talisman is still Mohsen Amini, with his mercurial concertina playing and energetic perform- ing style at the forefront much of the time. Adam Brown’s thunderous bodhrán and nimble guitar playing keeps things moving, along with Adam Rhodes’s rhythmic bouzouki and the twin melodic frontline of Tomás Callister on fiddle and Ryan Murphy on pipes, whistle, and Ìmar flute provides the finishing touches. Donald Shaw has been drafted in to play electric piano and provide string arrangements as it flies out of the gate and tion house in Quebec. technology Horses of the Sea is performed by Greg Lawson and switches from tune to tune with Doug MacArthur has sewn available for free download here Fiona Stephen (violins), Rhos- agility. It’s not all fast and furi- together a full and productive (https://www.dougimac.com/ lyn Lawton (viola), and Sonia ous stuff though, as evidenced life across the last 40 years. The the-horses-of-the-sea). Check Cromarty (cello). by the gentle and melodic White thread that binds it all togeth- it out for yourselves—you’ll be The opening set, Deep Blue, Strand and the elegiac Afar. er and makes sense of it has glad you did. Doug will take sets the tone for the album This is an accomplished record- always been the songwriting. you along on a most enjoyable ing from a deeply talented band. He’s good at it. (Check out the journey. – By Tim Readman people who have recorded his – By les siemieniuk works). Doug MacArthur So it’s not surprising that after Jake La Botz The Horses of the Sea (Independent) a lot of recent travel to Ireland, They’re Coming for Me (Free Dirt Records) Doug MacAr- Doug has amassed a collection I did not know thur has been of songs inspired by his travels Jake La Botz living by music and as his website says first off, until the editor in this country “This is not a collection of Irish sent me this lat- for a long time. songs, but a collection of songs est offering for He plays. He sings. He writes ABOUT Ireland”. my edification. I learned Botz songs. He starts music festivals And a terrific set of songs it is from Chicago, born just over and works at cultural institu- is, delivered with panache and 50 years ago, a film actor (he tions all over the country, from emotion. Songs of ancient kings was in Rambo, among others) Fernie, BC, to Pefferlaw, ON, and not so ancient conflicts. and a TV actor (he was in True via Roy Thompson Hall. He But rather than me going on Detective, among others). Shelley Posen Doug MacArthur runs a studio and video produc- about it, in this age of amazing But more important—to the
penguin eggs: spring 2020 55 generations of guitarists. Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton is a rare window into a important moment in Watson’s development. He’s young, relaxed, playing for a joyful audience of strangers who love what he has to give. We’re lucky to be able to hear it. – By Glen Herbert
John Campbell Munro
The Kelly Collection (Greentrax Recordings) My friend John Munro died in May 2018, ending a stellar 50-year run of somehow making all the music he played as good as that music could possibly be. Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton He was Eric Bogle’s collab- orator for most of that time as well as a few other bands. matter at hand—he also sings been teaching somatic medita- though the arrangements offer a Although he was the most and plays guitar. Quite well, as tion for years. So Jake La Botz unique view of how Watson was amazing and consummate side- it happens. is seemingly a jack-of-all-trades developing the material. Some man and seemingly most happy And he’s no slouch at writing and, judging by this collection, tunes, as with the arrangement standing besides other great a pretty good song. The opening he is master of some. of Bonaparte’s Retreat, aren’t musicians, he also was a terrific bluesy, rootsy, paranoia-fla- – By les siemieniuk yet fully formed. It’s short, songwriter. voured title track, They’re paced a bit slower than we He loved the history of his Coming For Me, is a pleasure to Doc Watson and know, but it’s there. adopted Australia and in 1990 listen to. And Nashville, Nash- Gaither Carlton Watson plays banjo for about he finished The Eureka Suite, a ville is a pretty good telling of Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton half of the tunes, including a cycle of songs about a seminal the musician’s lot. (Smithsonian Folkways) beautiful duet on Willie Moore moment in Aussie lore—the “You’re a musician, well, tell DOCWATSON!!R While there with Carlton on fiddle. It’s a rebellion of the gold miners at GAITHERCARLTON me what do you play / What have been other standout for its precision as well Ballarat. It was recorded and kind of job do you in the day? / recordings that as for what Bill Monroe called Used to play some, had to grow document Doc the “ancient tones”. The drone up / Found a job that pays – I Watson’s early of the fiddle, the story of the wish you good luck.” years as a performing musician, murder, make it like listening One of the standout pieces they tend to shine a light more through a keyhole to 19th cen- of writing in this collection directly on him as a performer. tury rural Appalachia. is Bank Robber’s Lament, a This recording, Doc Watson Blue Ridge Mountain Blues chillingly and poignantly told and Gaither Carlton, distin- demonstrates the contrast be- tale of a botched bank robbery, guishes itself in some key ways. tween arranging for banjo and which starts: It’s earlier, for one—it’s Wat- fiddle and arranging for guitar “Found a nail in the road son’s first trip north—drawing and fiddle. It’s an example of today / And I thought about from two concerts in Greenwich what Watson would become Jesus, ’bout Jesus / Picked it up Village in October 1962. It’s known for, with all the bass and put it away / And I thought also notably natural; they aren’t runs, fills, and inversions that about Jesus, ’bout Jesus / It working up an act but rather just really give life to a song. would be such a shame / To playing the songs they knew, Same, too, with Billy in the catch a flat tire out here in the just as they would play them at Lowground. A notable absence rain.” home in the front room. are the fast lead lines that, in John Campbell Munro And, oh yeah, Jake has also There aren’t any lost gems, time, would influence entire
56 penguin eggs: spring 2020 presented all over Australia. to protect her next-of-kin. It’s He then turned his attention a difficult process, “but, hey, to Ned Kelly, another historical they’re my birthright, and story burned into the collective they’re a goldmine and also Australian psyche. For a myriad a landmine, yes, but they’re of reasons, The Kelly Collection mine.” songs were performed but never Her songs would stand up as fully recorded. poetry without music. But the So Eric and a lot of musicians music adds so much. Gallup’s John had worked with got breathy vocals combined with together and finished it, using her gentle picking on what tracks John had recorded so he sounds like a hollow-body appears on it front and centre. electric guitar, all recorded at What they did has given a great her house in Maine, make a keepsake to the world of the dozen near-masterpieces. I think talent of John Campbell Munro. anyone who has ever listened to Having known John for so Leonard Cohen would appreci- long, I cannot even pretend Sarah Jane ate this disc. Scouten to be objective and review Unfortunately, Gallup is the finished product. But as unable to tour because she has the musicians John touched been stricken by the debilitating gathered to honour his memory church at the age of three, mar- Wahl, from the big Hammond Lyme disease. We should all by finishing this moving work, I ried a rich man for money, and organ swells that start the hope for her recovery. will do my part for his musical ended up practicing witchcraft. electric guitar-heavy album, – By Mike Sadava legacy by urging you track it That song has one of the most is superb. But the album ends down and experience The Kelly memorable organ solos since on a sweet note, with beautiful Grant Dermody Collection. early Deep Purple. harmonies on an arrangement of My Dony (Thunder River Records) It’s a most fitting tribute to a But she can also be so playful, Lord Tennyson’s poem Cross- If you can beautiful man and extraordinary almost musical-theatre-ish, on ing the Bar. judge an artist by musician. Pneumonia (To Love): “Why – By Mike Sadava those they asso- – By les siemieniuk can’t I be happy? They say that ciate with, look I deserve it, I’m a straight white Annie Gallup no farther than Sarah Jane Scouten female pseudo-intellectual.” Bookish (Independent) the legendary Dirk Powell and Confessions (Light Organ Records) And she’s capable of lyrical It’s a grey his many roles on this record Sarah Jane zingers, such as, “For a woman winter after- (adds guitars, organ, harmony Scouten’s that’s cold as stone is not an ob- noon, dirty snow vocals, engineers and mixes). collection of ject of desire if she won’t let you is finally starting Branded a New Age artist in southern Gothic in to feed the fire” on Breaking to melt, and I’m some circles, Dermody is far tales punctuat- and Entering. lulled and inspired at the same from it (both Dermody and ed by screaming guitars and a The production by Andre time by Annie Gallup’s new Powell rate highly as roots his- huge dollop of musical tension release. A perfect antidote to the torians), serving up an electric makes for one awfully powerful melancholy low light. blues album in an old-blues album. Gallup has always had a style, with a Louisiana twist. Scouten, who grew up on lot to say. Her songs are like Known for his warm, wide- Bowen Island, BC, and now four-minute novellas, about a open harp tone, Dermody offers lives in Scotland, has devel- deserted road in wartime, the a blend of strong originals to- oped into one of Canada’s most wonder and fear inspired by gether with much-loved covers notable and serious songwriters, the first-ever satellite Sputnik, as he teams with Powell (gui- with her tales of heartbreak, the mystery of a child finding it tars), Jason Sypher (bass), and bitterness, anger, and even easier to talk to a homeless man Jamie Dick (drums), with Corey self-loathing. than her mother, the vibrant art Ledet sitting in on accordion Scouten uses her voice to scene in New York in the ’50s, and rub board and Kelli Jones such great effect. She’s totally and even a homage to the writer on harmonies. in your face on Ballad of a Annie Proulx. The title track (slang for ‘my Southern Midwife, the story of Then there’s the survivor girl’) is a simple, harp-driven John Campbell Munro Annie Gallup a woman who burned down the who writes under a pseudonym tune that chugs along, mid-
penguin eggs: spring 2020 57 ing how W.C. Handy’s “blues” The country blues of the began. Artists such as Ma brilliant Charley Patton, in Rainey and Bessie Smith, who turn, setting up Delta blues, his almost single-handedly spurred impassioned vocals and fluid demand for what would become guitar playing packing juke ‘race records’ in the ’20s, which joints as the genre found one of set the stage for the more re- its first true celebrities. laxed, rough-hewn approach of Or, Hambone Willie New- country bluesmen who refined bern’s Roll and Tumble Blues, their craft in the speakeasies, which is all that remains of this plantations, and street corners rarely recorded sensation, who of the South. mentored Sleepy John Estes be- Work chants, field hollers, and fore meeting his end in prison. slave songs absorbed elements This past is more than history. of ragtime, Dixieland jazz, The origins of the blues are the hillbilly, and gospel music long very definition of hard times before the Delta blues was and the emotions that grew born—which, in turn, gave from them. Paying these artists birth to both Muddy and Johnny tribute is the only way forward. as the influence of rock’n’roll – By Eric Thom Ma Rainey: The Rough would impact the genre after Guide to the Roots of the 1940. Benji Kirkpatrick Blues Colourful characters all; & The Excess savour Blind Blake’s rhythmic Gold Has Worn Away (Westpark Music) guitar and boisterous vocals on You may have speed, as Dermody unleashes tions. Overall, another success- West Coast Blues and Henry heard of Benji his plaintive harp skills and raw ful Dermody-Powell collabora- Thomas’s ragtime twist on Kirkpatrick due vocal as Powell proffers break- tion—and a release that owns Fishing Blues, featuring his to him being a away guitar midway through. the ground where laidback, distinctive, fingerstyle guitar. key member of Clifton Chenier’s One Step At put-your-feet-up camaraderie Blind Willie’s raw vocals on both Bellowhead and Faustus. A Time benefits from Ledet’s joins with the relaxed spirit of Motherless Children Have A Or perhaps, as an English folk lively accordion, nicely off- the Louisiana countryside to Hard Time adds bottleneck slide music aficionado, you are aware setting a rather rough vocal by conjure something spontaneous, while Blind Lemon Jefferson’s of his parentage, him being the Dermody. memorable, and downright See That My Grave Is Kept son of English folk heavy- Great bass-playing abounds joyful. Clean displays his intensity and weights John Kirkpatrick and on Sonny Boy Williamson’s – By Eric Thom stand-out skills on guitar, his Sue Harris. Or maybe you’ve Springtime Blues and Morning popularity paving the way for never heard of him at all until Train while Powell turns in The Rough Guide Texas blues. you read this review. strong vocal and guitar work to to the Roots of the Dermody’s distinctive wall-of- Blues, Reborn and harp on Too Late To Change Remastered Your Mind. (Rough Guides) The comparably funky I Can’t A friend was Turn Back Time proves a high- asked if he was a light while the buoyant Great fan of the blues Change erupts with gospel and his answer, fervour thanks to guest vocals telling—he liked from Rhiannon Giddens and Muddy Waters and Johnny Win- Allison Russell, with Amythyst ter. Although he was not wrong, Kiah on guitar. it underlined how quickly a Dermody’s own Come On, genre’s history can be entirely Sunshine proves to be the slow- forgotten, if not be lost forever. grind, show-stopper—Powell’s This valuable collection cor- B3 and Dermody’s beefy harp rects this gap with a tantalizing bouncing back and forth with 25-track trip back through Benji Kirkpatrick & The Excess Kelli Jones’s vocal contribu- time—a refresher course outlin-
58 penguin eggs: spring 2020 If that’s the case, then I can do This is an album full of ener- you a favour and say right up- gy featuring great playing and front that you should get ahold arrangements. It is really well of a copy of Gold Has Worn produced and ‘rocks’ and ‘folks’ Away and play it often and loud. equally well—a rare achieve- Kirkpatrick plays guitar, ment in the oft-maligned genre bouzouki, mandolin, banjo, and of folk-rock. piano and sings. Pete Flood is I can imagine Benji Kirkpat- the drummer and Pete Thomas rick & The Excess being the is the bass man. Together they closing act at many a future create seamless and tight music festival and driving the audi- that perfectly supports this ence into a rocking and reeling collection of 13 Kirkpatrick frenzy! Meanwhile, my lucky originals. neighbours are getting to know There are definitely some this one pretty well. Leveret prog rock influences here—I – By Tim Readman was reminded especially of Canterbury scene veterans Sue Decker elements of folk than blues. Not centre-stage-ready, making her Caravan (especially on Stuck in Outskirts of Love (Independent) a problem. choice of material all the more the Loop)—but there’s enough Victoria’s I Don’t Want To Say Goodbye critical to her success—the final acoustic, folky moments to Sue Decker has is a powerful, laid-back track track, a positive case-in-point. satisfy the more purist-of-heart, released her de- strengthened by backup vocals – By Eric Thom too. but record and, (her own?) and the addition of Lyrically, I detect a general based on the Bill Johnson on guitar. More Leveret theme of the entropic fading of strong opener, Lay Me Down In Linda Thompson than Lucinda, Diversions (RootBeat Records) western capitalism (as implied The Indigo, the lonely strains of she’s got a great feel across all This is the in the album title) and its im- her resonator and slight under- 12 of these impressive origi- second album pact upon political and personal current of gospel suggests she’s nals/co-writes. by this English matters. The songs are both a late-blooming blues hopeful Paired with producer, group featuring poetic and catchy and there’s and much-needed female entry multi-instrumentalist Wynn Andy Cutting on just a hint of Nick Drake in the into the genre. Gogol, Decker is wisely decked melodeon and accordion, Rob way they get into your head. While her main instrument out with a strong supporting Harbron on concertina, and Sam In Your Cave is the hit single, is guitar, her vocals attempt cast. Gogol’s harp on the open- Sweeney on fiddle. or at least it would be if there to make their mark, yet, to be ing track and stand-out piano Their first concentrated on was any justice in the world! honest, her voice has stronger on The Stain and Please, Please original material but here they Baby reveal more of a team ef- present traditional material fort, releasing her from atypical they’ve dug out from various front-person heebie-jeebies. manuscripts and songbooks. Her tasteful Dobro on Too The key to their sound is the Close to the Bone—also a complex interplay between the strong vehicle for her voice— trio and the blend and balance registers country blues while, of their instruments. A typical somewhat surprisingly, Silver example is A Hornpipe, which Anniversary provides the disc’s starts with accordion melody best track. against the swirling drone of the Making the most of her strong concertina, with the fiddle add- folk/country leanings, Decker ing a bouncy melody overtop, finds her voice against Adam which segues smoothly into the Dobres’s acoustic guitar, aided jaunty Sailor’s Delight. by Gogol’s accordion and sup- There’s a notable fluidity to portive harmonies. the playing and arrangements Tracks including Black Day, that causes all the musical White Knight and the odd, elements to combine into a near-Celtic title song only satisfying whole. serve to underline the fact that If you are looking for English Sue Decker Decker’s vocals are not quite instrumental music that is well
penguin eggs: spring 2020 59 played and beautifully arranged opening title to track, Lift You which paints an evocative then be sure to listen to this Up, to the captivatingly moody, picture of the life of an illegal album. largely acoustic, Who Are immigrant “who’s looking for – By Tim Readman You, on which Brook’s amptly a place where she’s allowed proves his worth on resophonic to be”, and Automatic Times, Ayla Brook & The guitar. While there’s no clear- which pulls no punches as it Sound Men cut direction, there are tasty takes aim squarely at U.S.A.’s Desolation Sounds (Fallen Tree Records) minor diversions: the wistful gun problem with a long list of Dtt.~~~- --~ There’s a glo- alt.country of Love & Laughter, mass shootings while politicians Lucy Ward rious, dog-eared and even a respectful take on do nothing. t j 1,,)-¥ literacy at play the old Appalachian warhorse Her tone isn’t angry, though. 1,)- 7 on Desolation Little Birdie. All told, this disc It’s wistful and weary and she ~..... s-' Sounds that demands resolute attention if reminds herself not to get too The Henwives Tales might have stumbled off the only for its electric, lyrical flair. preachy in No Answers, written The Sisters of Elva Hill (Betty Beetroot Records) pages of Jack Kerouac’s On the Bless those bearded beats. to remind herself that she may The Sisters Road. It’s clearly a recording – By Roddy Campbell be wrong even when she thinks of Elva Hill is full of dark, inventive narrative she’s right. the soundtrack that’s endlessly quotable. How Kora Feder It’s not all politics. It’s per- to a new folk about: “Mamma sold bootleg In Sevens (Independent) sonal, too. Feder pays a loving ballet and the goat’s milk / poppa wore braids Kora Feder tribute to her young-at-heart brainchild of Derbyshire singer/ and a beard.” Amidst the (rhymes with 92-year-old grandfather and his songwriter Lucy Ward. The flotsam and jetsam of human Peter) is a plan to keep living and learning ballet performance opened accord, the “kings and queens young, Brook- on He Wants To Live Forever. England’s venerable Cambridge of the small-town scene / in old lyn-based She also has a passion for travel Folk Festival in 2019. leather and army green” are singer/songwriter and self-pro- and spins some whimsical tales It is based upon the traditional “lost in desolation sounds”. claimed concerned citizen. about life on the road in South- folk tale The Two Princesses. You can just imagine Sal Para- She’s a troubadour in the east Asia. The Henwives Tales is Ward dise and Dean Moriarty, “Laid tradition of the 1970s influences Feder’s voice is clear and (vocals, concertina), Helga out on our backs / to watch the such as Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, sweet with just a touch of Ragnarsdottir (guitar, piano, lightening / chain across the and Patty Griffin. an edge, a little bit like Iris recorder, harmonium, vo- clouds / the dark sky brighten- Indeed, Feder wears her DeMent with a side of Melanie cals), Anna Esslemont (violin, ing/before the rain.” concerns on her sleeve in her (I’ve Got A Brand New Pair Of vocals), and Stephen MacLach- Musically, though, Desolation first full-length release. They Rollerskates) Safka. lan (guitar, drums, dulcimer, Sounds is a bit of a mixed bag are, as you might suspect, a cry This is a first gem of an album bass, electronics), with Claire wrapped around freewheel- for change and social justice in from a young folksinger who Bostock on cello and Deborah ing indie, several variations Trump’s America. Two exam- will likely create many more. Norris on glockenspiel. of blues, from the rollicking ples are Child On The Move, – By Eric Rosenbaum Mostly, the music was com- posed by Ward and Ragnarsdot- tir with the addition of a couple of traditional melodies. Ward handles the lead vocal duties with backing vocals being pro- vided by the ensemble. It’s a compelling story of magic and mystery told in folk- song that makes for engaging listening, interspersed with instrumentals that bridge each chapter of the tale. I can only imagine how it all comes together in the context of a ballet performance, but the music alone had me enchanted from first to last note. Excellent stuff! Ayla Brook & The Sound Men – By Tim Readman
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