1 comments about The Wayfaring Stranger.

1. "The Golden Years of The Wayfaring Stanger", transfers and production by Geoff Milne (4CD box, 2005 Jasmine Records).
   
   All of these original Decca recordings (made from 1945 to 1953) have been transferred from vinyl yet sound quite clean (despite the odd blip or thud)and have a consistent sonic quality, regardless of whether they were live (on CD4 - the 1953 Coronation Concert in London), on radio (on CD2 - guesting on the Bing Crosby show) or from various studio sessions (on all 4 CDs). Part of the reason for the sonic consistency may be in that there has clearly been a decision made in the noise reduction process to also filter out any frequency above about 7kHz on all the tracks - however the remaining audio is very comfortable to listen to.
   
   I've recently done a couple of my own Burl Ives transfers to CD, including carefully removing each audible pop or click from an excellent condition vinyl LP of "The Wild Side Of Life" - all those tracks also appear on this CD set. I can hear a big difference between my CD and Geoff Milne's. I know that the studio recordings were bona fide HiFi mono, with truly amazing subtleties in musicianship and vocal harmony. The only way to appreciate all that intricate detail is to accept also hearing some surface noise. However I'd still have to say that these productions by Geoff Milne are appealing, even though they have less dynamic range.
   
   I like that all the tracks are arranged in chronological order of performance (rather than of release) and that we are given the actual dates and some other details. Geoff Milne's accompanying booklet includes an informed biography and is a good read.
   
   Anyone who grew up with the albums "The Wild Side Of Life" and "Women - Folk Songs About The Fair Sex" will be happy to know that all those original tracks are here in very good quality.
   
   There are also five versions of "The Blue Tail Fly", but not a dud song in sight. Highly recommended for any Burl Ives fan.

No comments about 50 Years of Bluegrass Hits.

4 comments about Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-1949.

1. You would think an expensive boxset released in 2002 would be remastered. This one isn't. There is a weird German vibe going on here with the Bear Family boys, but its easily overlooked when you realize the book contains one of the best history/discography/recording session analysis around of this American legend. The pics are big and show Monroe's stone face in various settings over the years. Why does he look so mean in most of them?
   
   Selection is great with two discs of Monroe Brothers "Bluebird" releases from the 1930s, a disc or so of the middle period (between the Monroe Brothers and Flatt & Scruggs) that sees Monroe experimenting with sounds (including a junky accordian) and styles (he sure did love to sing Jimmy Rodgers songs).
   
   His bluegrass sound was finally complete with the Columbia sessions recorded with the great Lester Flatt mainly on lead vocal and providing assistance in the song writing department. However, the genius was putting Scruggs unique banjo and Cedric Rainwater's bass out front in the mix for a great rythm effect. This was the birth of bluegrass! I also like the stuff recorded with Mac Wiseman after Flatt & Scruggs left, wish there was more.
   
   That said... some of these songs were recently remastered by Sony (who owns the Columbia catalog) and released on a various artist box set last year. I hope that Sony finds a way to release a 3 disc set of these Monroe songs remastered and sounding as crisp as that boxset. Then I can own three different boxsets! Yippee I love spending money!!!!!



2. I like Bear Family a lot, but unless you really really want to have 2 CDs full of outtakes you're much better off getting the JSP release, "All The Classic Releases 1937-1949". Rejected alternate takes aside, this Bear Family set includes only 4 tracks that are not included in the JSP set: 'I'll Have A New Life', 'Come Back To Me In My Dreams', 'Why Did You Wander', and 'Shining Path'. Other than that, the tracklisting is exactly the same and in the same order. The big difference between the 2 sets is the price tag (as of the time of this writing); $200 for the Bear Family set and $30 for the JSP set.



3. I just got this through the mail just the other day and all I gotta tell you is, if you love Bill Monroe's music the way I do, you've got to get this set!! You'll never find a more complete set of Bill Monroes first 13 years as a recording artist. That is what I love about this Bear Family record series, they are always very through and they never miss a track which is just perfect for serious collectors of classic music such as myself. Although [money] might sound expensive I believe you get your moneys worth and more. I highly recommond this!!!



4. This massive, 6 CD box set contains all of Bill Monroe's studio recordings through 1949. It contains 60 sides recorded by the Monroe Brothers for Bluebird between 1936 and 1938 and 57 sides recorded by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys for Victor and Columbia between 1940 and 1949 (8 sides recorded for Victor in 1940, 8 sides recorded for Victor in 1941, 9 sides recorded for Columbia in 1945, 12 sides recorded for Columbia in 1946, 16 sides recorded for Columbia in 1947, and 4 sides recorded for Columbia in 1949). This box set also contains 59 alternate takes of Columbia sides.

   Recordings made in September of 1946 with Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, and Howard Watts (Cedric Rainwater) are generally considered to be the first bluegrass recordings. If one agrees with this start date they'll find here 80 bluegrass versions of 32 different songs and instrumentals (the instrumentals being "Blue Grass Breakdown" and "Blue Grass Stomp").

   This box set contains a 38 page, hard-bound booklet with about 50 photographs and several reproductions of record labels, album covers, and other artifacts. Text is by Charles K. Wolfe and there is a detailed discography by Neil V. Rosenberg. The booklet is really lovely but I am disappointed that black and white photographs are printed in brown hues (some browner than others). I find the text somewhat difficult to read in places due to fancy background design and inconsistent font sizes (font sizes are changed so that text can fit onto pages, which I find unacceptable). The text itself is extremely interesting and useful; many of the song histories are not available elsewhere.

   In two instances song labeling is inconsistent. Alternate takes are usually labeled as such, but not always (the first appearance of "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" is an alternate take but isn't labeled as one). Instrumental tracks are usually labeled as such, but not always (the originally released version of "Blue Grass Stomp" is not labeled as an instrumental).

   This box set contains an "un-numbered master of a gospel song that was not even known to exist," which is "I'll Have A New Life." This cut is less than 2 minutes long and appears on the 3rd CD, following "Footprints in the Snow" and prior to "Blue Grass Special" (it was recorded in February of 1945). There is a description in the booklet about why this recording was not previously known to exist. "I'll Have A New Life" was written by Luther G. Presley and was first published in 1940; many bluegrass fans are familiar with the song thanks to a version that Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver recorded in the early 1980s.

   As far as I can tell, this box set contains the first CD reissue of the originally released version of "Little Cabin Home On The Hill" (the version that appears in a 2 CD Columbia/Legacy box set is an alternate take but is not listed as such in that box set).

   Arguably the most important aspect of this box set is the sound quality and I'm thrilled to report that it is excellent, considering the available sources!

   While this box set may be overkill for some listeners, many bluegrass fans will consider it essential. Personally, my Monroe collection wouldn't be complete without the 3 Bear Family box sets covering 1936 to 1949, 1950 to 1958, and 1959 to 1969; the 4 CD MCA set "The Music Of Bill Monroe From 1936 To 1994," the 2 live albums on Smithsonian Folkways, and the Kenny Baker album "Plays Bill Monroe" (which features Monroe on mandolin).

5 comments about Close Harmony.

1. This was a Christmas gift for my dad who had most of these originally as vinyl records. Now that he has them on CD, he can listen to his old favorites again.



2. Excellent collection of Louvin Brothers material. I would recommend this to anyone that likes the old style country music, and not this new over-produced stuff.



3. This is probably one of the best box sets ever made. There is no denying the power of this great duo. Do yourself a favor and do whatever you have to do and pick this one up! Satan is Real!



4. I highly recommend this set of the Louvin Brothers!
   
   everything ever recorded in one big package that doesn't disappoint.......
   
   on the fence?
   
   did you like the album "Satan Is Real"?
   how about the so called greatest hits collections?
   
   this box set has even more and most all are worthy of a hit.
   there isn't a slow spot on any of the discs.
   every cd in this box could have been a greatest hits disc
   
   The Louvin Brothers are now good friends of mine.
   
   get acquainted with Ira and Charlie



5. This Bear Family 8CD collection of the Louvin Brother is the most costly box set that I have purchased up to this date. I was able to get it from cdwolf for about $145.00 through Amazon. I asked my wife if this could be my Christmas present and she agreed. I have many great box sets but this one is right up there at the top. The harmony produced be Ira & Charlie is probly some of the best in the history of Country Music (the Stanley Brothers were pretty darn good too).Most decent CDs today run between 15 to 20 bucks so if you figure it that way this set is not to bad price wise. All the songs are really good and there are a lot of great Gospel songs that if you are like me these really make it a totaly complete box set well worth every penny. One word of caution: This music is not for the new or "modern" country fan, this is real country or hillbilly music as it has been so often called over the years. If you think these new stars like Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks are real Country this set of songs from Ira & Charlie are not for you. Ira Louvin died in a car wreck in the early 60's so all this music is well dated, but to folks like me and my wife this is the only stuff we listen too...and it sounds as good as it did when it was recorded back in the 50's and 60's. If you could only afford to buy one box set and you are a real roots country fan this is the set to own ! "Enjoy"

5 comments about Farewells & Fantasies: The Phil Ochs Collection.

1. A myriad of classics and some, not so, makes this an excellent choice for the casual, as well as the serious fan. The selected songs are as good a representative sample as one would expect from any compilation. While there are of course some gems missing, and some reviewers seem upset, if you want the complete picture, buy a complete set of Phil's albums and stop listenning to those who whine. Not sure why they ceased pressings after so short a time. All that did is drive the price up beyond reason. Nonetheless, if you can get a copy, it's worth the effort. Enjoy.



2. Okay, I love Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, the Weavers, the Kingston Trio, but Phil Ochs' music has always impressed me and I collected quite a few of his albums while growing up. Since most of those albums were lost or donated, I was delighted to snap up this definitive collection of his music culled from those, and other, albums. I was disappointed Boy in Ohio, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Me, Hills of West Virginia, and a few others were not included (I gave it four stars instead of five because of their omission), but with Changes, Flower Lady, The Scorpion Departs but Never Returns (based on a true event of a submarine torpedoed with no survivors and led me to search the Web for articles on it), Miranda, The Crucifixion, and my favorite, No More Songs, I cannot complain. So many terrific photos, biographical data, and backgrounds into each song. The only thing they left out were the lyrics to all the songs! I feel sorry for those who never heard of him, and wish he had not taken his life. There were so many songs he could have written. Thanks to this Elecktra collection though, those songs he did write can be revisited over and over. It's as the song I Dreamed I saw Phil Ochs Last Night, by Billy Bragg, put it: "When the song of freedom rings out loud, from valleys and from hills, where people stand up for their rights, Phil Ochs is with us still, Phil Ochs is with us still."



3. Phil Ochs "Farewells & Fantasies" . . . brings back magically present to us not only the voice but the person that was Phil Ochs!
   
   Phil was a true troubador . . . he sang "the news" and he sang "the people" . . . he obvously felt pain at the sufferings he saw in the world around him and he put that pain into lyric and music(and even into sharp biting sarcasm). He was that nagging little voice which tried to wake the sleeping consiences of people . . . for this he was either loved or put-down . . . but he was hard to ignore.
   
   This three disc retrospective contains his best songs and his best performances of these songs . . . it even includes his "moments" like when he forgot the lyric line in "The Highwayman" and had to "na na na" the verse to completion . . . but he kept on going without missing a beat!
   
   His classic "I Ain't A Marching Anymore" is here as is "The War Is Over". His political barbs as pointed and piercing as ever.
   
   But i love this set for some of his other work. Phil was also a story-teller and picture painter and "poet of the heart".
   
   "Chords Of Fame" is a country styled portrait of a broken-down failed singer "i could see by your guitar" . . . and Phil warns not to seek the "chords of fame" as vacuous and hollow.
   
   "Flower Lady" is a poetic look at the sad life of a poor woman selling flowers . . . and even of these there are no takers.
   
   But to my mind Phil's best song is "Changes" . . . a song about the passage thorough this pilgrimage we call time . . . our time on earth is short and we constantly are on the move and saying so many "goodbyes" . . . a sad note is that one evening Phil was sitting in his sisters' apartment with a few friends who tried to cheer him from his depressions and encouraged him to make a "comeback" musically . . and they asked him to sing for them - and Phil did sing for them: the last song Phil Ochs sang was "Changes". the next day when no one was home, Phil committed suicide leaving us all behind as he made his "changes" and moved on.
   
   One of the final songs Phil ever wrote was titled "No More Songs". He felt that there just were no more songs for him left to sing. In "Doesn't Lenny Live here Anymore" he even presents a picture of just such an "exit" complete with the hard discovery when no answer to the knock at the door and the subsequent entry into the room shows that "lenny doesn't live here anymore".
   
   So this three disc collection brings us Phil Ochs "as he was" . . . his humor, his satire, his sarcasm, his poetry, his music, and his depression. It is unfortunate that Phil couldn't see what we can see when we "hear" his recordings today: that he was a most vibrant and insightful and intelligent talent . . . that we needed his voice and presence back then . . .and we sure need his presence today more than ever. had he been able to see that perhaps he might have chosen to remain with us . . . and i wish he had.
   
   Thanks Phil for all your great songs and for "being there" when we needed you . . . we miss what you brought to us but at least you've left us these recordings to "make you present again" and to remind us of higher aspirations.



4. and this collection shows off his songwriting skills and his wonderful voice. I agree that the missing "My Life" is a sad note in an otherwise strong collection. Phil's songwriting is as relevant today as it was back then--aren't we still "The Cops of The World"? And yes, there are still "Braceros." "The Highwayman" is one of the best renderings of a poetic piece that I've ever heard. I also wonder how many folks today know that "A Small Circle of Friends" was based on a true incident that happened in Queens New York.



5. This package represents the most extensive re-packaging of Och's remarkable oeuvre. That said, it is good to have so much of this vital artist's work in one set. Still, with its glaring omissions and poorly arranged order of songs, the set represents a wasted opportunity to do full justice to Och's achievement. Yes, it has a nice book, yes it has a less than stirring one page introduction by Och's daughter (who is more concerned with plugging a few causes her Dad would perhaps endorse, but neglects to say much about his achievement. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that Ochs, like so many others of his generation, was self-involved to an almost shameful degree and not the most attentive of parents). While it is wonderful to hear several previously unavailable or hard to come by gems that stand tall alongside the best of Och's material, the set will be a complete toss for anyone who holds in reverence the original albums. Och's discography is so slim that it is beyond me why it could not ALL have been compiled onto a nice, extensive five or six disc set. Certainly it would have been nice had those behind this farce taken greater care with the running order. The songs appear to have been selected at random, with absolutely no thematic or chronological sense. It thus leaves a very incomplete and patchy representation of Och's work scattered across three randomly assorted discs. AUdiophiles would be advised to either compile their own collection via various sources or wait for someone to finally compile this great artist's recordings in a more careful and comprohensive manner. Oh, and contrary to what folk purists would have us believe (who seem to take issue with anything even remotely Sgt. Pepper influenced) the original studio version of 'Crucifixion' is a fantastic relic from the period (and of which Och's was justly proud) and exhibits far more interest and imaginative power than the rather stark and tedious account substituted in this set. Again, it would have been nice to have EVERYTHING, so that it is not necessary to choose between either version.

1 comments about Philadelphia Folk Festival - 40th Anniversary.

1. I love this album because it brought back memories of my attending the Festival. It's a great way to discover a lot of new (and old) people such as John Prine, Mollie O'Brien, Richard Thompson, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and so many others. I realize that space was at a premium but I'm sorry Judy Roderick (who was a wonderful blues singer and very big in Philly) and the Greenbriar boys were left out. John Prine's Hello, in There and Richard Thompson's Beeswing are wonderful. In fact, the latter version is more haunting (if it's possible) than the recorded version and the song never fails to make me cry. Thompson is brilliant.
   
   Even if you've never attended the Festival, it is worth getting for the joyous music on it.

3 comments about Roots Music: An American Journey.

1. Sure, it's a Rounder marketing product. A collection of their artists, some new, some familiar, offered to entice us to buy.... NICE JOB Rounder! This is also another home run collection of top quality artists presented with fine liner notes and exceptional production. Get it! LOVE IT!



2. Rounder Records has always done an incredible job of putting together compilations and making the music sound alive. This collection celebrates 30 years of Rounder, and is a great overview of the label, as well as a taster for anyone looking to check out some truly alternative music. The mixture is very eclectic; much like American culture, blending and weaving through musical styles. The set features Blues, Folk, Cajun, Bluegrass, Celtic and much more.

   A highly recommended listening experience.




3. Think of this as an update on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music. Showing up on the heels of the wide success of the "O Brother..." soundtrack and just before the PBS American Roots Music series, this is a worthy collection of samples of the work of contemporary artists working in the earthy music forms from whence it all sprang. From acapella gospel to zydeco with old-time, bluegrass, blues, New Orleans brass and Hawaiian tunes sandwiched in between. What can you say? It's Rounder, for Pete's sake!

3 comments about Wake the Vaulted Echoes.

1. This is an extraordinary 3-CD set of songs by English folksinger Peter Bellamy, who made his mark in the trio called Young Tradition, then found infamy and obscurity in his solo career, the best of which is gathered here for our pleasure. Bellamy was ostracized from the Left-leaning British folk scene when he began to devote himself to singing the works of Rudyard Kipling, an author who many saw as an exemplar of English imperialism. Bellamy, however, concentrated on Kipling's artistry, and found a rich (and largely untapped wellspring of well-wrought poetry, material he turned into songs that were often performed a capella, or with minimal accompaniment. He sang songs from many other sources as well, and this collection shows strengths as a folklorist, and the power of his deep, gruff vocals. This is powerful stuff, and if you give this set a good, attentive listening, you will emerge a devoted fan. A lot of rare, hard-to-find material, gathered together in a delightful package. Definitely recommended. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue music guide)



2. An extraordinary collection of the work of a largely unheralded genius. I followed Bellamy's career from the Young Tradition days onward through his magnificent solo albums, and the seminal Transports collection. His voice was not to everyone's taste, but that can be said of many other singers. His was an extraordinary instrument. The sad circumstances of his death often make this difficult listening, especially on those live cuts from late in his career, when the audiences sound sparse indeed, as compared to the roaring applause following the YT's Bright Morning Star from the late 60's. It is not difficult to imagine how he must have felt as his style and vision fell out of favour. There are, however, treasures aplenty here, and it is a magnificent document of a great life, well lived and well sung. It is also one of the most comprehensive and well-organized box sets I have ever seen, in any genre of music. Buy this record.



3. I noticed that the only Peter Bellamy albums available in the US seem to be this one and The Transports - both excellent but too much of an investment for the casual buyer. Peter was a wonderful English singer of traditional folk songs who in his commitment, passion and singlemindedness can only be compared to Martin Carthy. But not everyone will love his voice, which was a fairly extreme instrument, very strident, rarely pretty, and often unaccompanied. He wanted the drama of the song to grab you round the throat . He began singing in the mid-60s and quickly formed a three-part harmony group called The Young Tradition which was brilliant, unforgettable, essential, and completely ignored on this box set. They lasted all of two and a half years and he was on his own again. He then discovered Kipling, which became his major obsession until his sad death. He found that many of Kipling's extraordinarily powerful but almost ignored poems could be given traditional tunes and turned into mesmerising songs. So when Peter wasn't singing trad material, he was from 1970 onward singing his Kipling/trad creations. Brilliant albums followed - "Oak, Ash and Thorn", "Merlin's Isle of Gramarye", and especially "The Barrack-Room Ballads" - full of mystery and heartbreak, very powerful songs of a possible past. In many people's eyes he peaked with his "ballad opera" "The Transports", a fine song-cycle, written by Peter and performed by several of the greats of the English folk revival. None of these triumphs, however, won him a large audience. He was always too raw, too unadorned. In the 1980s he was performing to audiences of 50 or less. I once was in an audience of nine. It was a pity, but hardly surprising. As I say this cd box set is really for existing fans who will be thrilled at the vast amount of previously unreleased material and the love and care which has gone into the whole package. It's great and very unexpected. Beginners should certainly start with "Oak Ash and Thorn" or "Won't you Go My Way", any of the solo records from the 1970s. But they're all out of print, of course. If you do track them down, you'll hear a singer with more heart and more fire than a dozen others put together.

No comments about Bluegrass 1970-1979.

3 comments about Dear Companion.

1. Although I didn't begin buying records in earnest until about 15 years after the height of the folk era, I'm surprised I missed Ms. Hester until recently. I only knew of her as a footnote to Dylan's career (his harmonica backing on a couple tunes are his earliest commercial recordings) until I read about her role (and mistreatment by Richard Farina) in David Hajdu's excellent Positively Fourth Street.

   Columbia signed Hester to be their Joan Baez when Baez was selling so many records and creating such a stir for much smaller competitor Vanguard. However, they don't really sound much alike. If anyone, I'd have to say that Hester sounds like Mary Hopkins ("Those Were the Days" "Turn Turn Turn") with a Texas inflection.

   I don't think Hester is quite as good as some of the better remembered icons of the Folk era, but for those of us who have listened to the limited cannon of great pre-electric albums way too many times, a new voice on some old and new tunes is a must have.

   This collection is a typically all-inclusive and meticulous Bear Family compilation. Sixty tunes crammed are onto 2 cds, and the sound quality is very good, so the high price is not entirely unjustified.

   I thought that the early sessions from 1961 were mostly enjoyable, but at times Hester's voice could be a bit thin. While she let the songs speak for themselves, she didn't always contribute a lot of herself to them. Three and a half stars for these.

   The middle sessions I adored. Her singing is more mature, both expressively and technically, and there's a wonderful choice of material, much of which has not been done to death by others. Five stars.

   As for the later pop sessions, let's just say that I'm glad I sprung for a CD player with remote control. Ms. Hester's singing is strong, but it's wasted on inappropriate ditties with horrible dated pop arrangements. One star only. Luckily, this is only about 20% of the collection.

   The set comes with a nice booklet that has detailed discographical information for the recordings on the disc and an interesting interview with Hester. There are also many gorgeous photos of her, although they're mostly from two sessions so they needn't all have been included.




2. These are timeless songs sung by a timeless and beautiful voice. I listened to Carolyn Hester when I was a teenager in the sixties, and recently purchased this album. She is the most memorable singer I have heard, and her music leads one to discover other great singers [e.g. Nanci Griffith, on whose Other Rooms, Other Voices Carolyn Hester sings] and great songs one would otherwise never have heard. Truly an inspiration. I cannot recommend this recording strongly enough. Food for the soul. I hope she continues to perform and record.



3. Alertnate album takes featuring Bob Dylan and Ravi Shankar, the complete tracks from two of Hester's out of print Decca albums, an insight into the recording of different versions of songs in the days when studio tracking was a lot simpler than it is now-all this plus a liner notes booklet with lots of infomation and comments from Hester and others about her own career and the folk music revival. This is by no means a recording of historical interest only. It's a vibrant collection by a great singer, which stands on its own as well as providing a base for understanding what Hester is doing with her music today, and the work of the many artists-Dylan, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris, the Kennedys, Rory Block among others-she has touched in her career.