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Post by Matt Milton on Nov 30, 2020 13:29:32 GMT
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Post by andyhowell on Dec 3, 2020 8:51:39 GMT
As a sometimes songwriter (of dubious vintage) I think there may be a real reason for. As lockdown runs on I find it harder and harder to find inspiration for songs - I don’t want to sing about the same virus. I don’t want to limit the life of a nice tune by lyrics that will hopefully become redundant!
So, going back to traditional tunes is an understandable trend. I want to keep singing and playing and the exploration of the tradition is fascinating in its own right!
These songs have been around for years, sometimes hundreds of years, simply because they tell great stories and have fabulous melodies!
That’s a long winded way of saying that I think you are on to something!
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Post by Matt Milton on Dec 3, 2020 9:29:46 GMT
The fact that a lot of good recent traditional albums have been stripped back and quite raw is a big plus in my book. I could include Lankum and Stick in the Wheel in that category although being groups they're necessarily a bit fuller sounding.
I'm a proper folkie and I love traditional songs and tunes, but so much of the contemporary stuff sounds overproduced in a very pop way to my ears. So all these recent back-to-basics albums are very welcome.
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Post by andyhowell on Dec 3, 2020 10:22:40 GMT
The fact that a lot of good recent traditional albums have been stripped back and quite raw is a big plus in my book. I could include Lankum and Stick in the Wheel in that category although being groups they're necessarily a bit fuller sounding. I'm a proper folkie and I love traditional songs and tunes, but so much of the contemporary stuff sounds overproduced in a very pop way to my ears. So all these recent back-to-basics albums are very welcome. I do as well but they need a lot of work to arrange for and master. I'm not really interested in learning a tab of an existing recording. I find many of these songs afer chalelnging rythmically and that's before you have to try and master the vocal delivery. But it's very rewarding when you crack!
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Post by PistolPete on Dec 4, 2020 11:15:24 GMT
If you don't mind it coming from the other side of the pond, the two Willie Watson Folksinger albums are well worth checking out for some superb one-man-and-a-guitar type stuff.
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Post by andyhowell on Dec 5, 2020 11:05:37 GMT
If you don't mind it coming from the other side of the pond, the two Willie Watson Folksinger albums are well worth checking out for some superb one-man-and-a-guitar type stuff. A new one on me.I'll check him out!
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Post by PistolPete on Dec 5, 2020 11:16:46 GMT
If you don't mind it coming from the other side of the pond, the two Willie Watson Folksinger albums are well worth checking out for some superb one-man-and-a-guitar type stuff. A new one on me.I'll check him out! He used to be in Old Crow Medicine Show, but left when they started multi-tracking in the studio (according to the official version at least, there were rumours of personality clashes). His two solo albums of traditional(ish) American folk songs Folksinger Vol 1 & Vol 2 were produced by David Rawlings, and are (IMHO) superb. Across the two albums I think there's only one track featuring anything other than him with an acoustic guitar and a racked harmonica.
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Post by andyhowell on Dec 5, 2020 11:20:30 GMT
PistolPete A quick check on TIDAL is very intersting. Just a man and a guitar, quite simple arranegments that sholud be within the range of anyone who has played american foklk or country blues — but devastatingly clear and good. Much listen properly but I suspect that there is a lot of good stuff for people to cover here!
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Post by Matt Milton on Dec 5, 2020 22:20:11 GMT
They are indeed very good albums. I used to review albums for a music mag and I was given the first Willie Watson Folksinger album to review, simply cos I was the person who'd previously reviewed Old Crow Medicine Show albums when they were sent them. I saw OCMS support Gillian Welch at Shepherds Bush empire many moons ago and I guess Willie Watson would've been a member then. Another American dude I like who is not a million miles away from Willie Watson, though with a very different voice (think Johnny Cash but possibly a hair or two deeper!) is Adam Kiesling: adamkiesling.bandcamp.com/album/i-wish-i-was-a-lizard-in-the-spring
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Post by martinrowe on Dec 5, 2020 22:53:58 GMT
I saw Willie Watson in concert in Bristol 3 or 4 years ago. It was in a club in the arches under Bristol Templemeads station. I already knew about OCMS after hearing their first album. About half way through the first song he sung some really high notes incredibly strongly (something like just lower than a falsetto) that I don't think anyone else in the audience could have managed. I remember thinking that that was what was meant by talent and that I hadn't wasted my money. It was a great gig, really good singing, banjo playing, and 'deceptively' simple guitar played in, probably, 95% standard tuning. It wasn't really technically mind-blowing but each chord or note was played with conviction - even if most of it was simple first position chords and runs. I posted about it before I think.
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Post by andyhowell on Dec 6, 2020 10:21:06 GMT
Listened to quite a bit now. Really enjoyed them.
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