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| Author |
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| 25 new of 124 responses total. |
anderyn
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response 100 of 124:
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Mar 15 22:24 UTC 2003 |
How do you feel about the alt.country thing? (Buddy and Julie Miller, um, Dave
Carter and Tracy Grammer_)? I really find that I like that part of country
music, and I *hate* country music, grew up having to listen to it.
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jaklumen
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response 101 of 124:
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Mar 16 10:45 UTC 2003 |
I'm puzzled that western has now been shuffled back into folk. My
understanding was that country, originally, was an old division of
folk-- the Appalachian tradition, right? Western was the trail songs
of the cattlemen, to my understanding. What is now called "country"
was a merging of the old country genre with western-- I don't think it
was that long ago that some were still calling it country & western.
But I guess it's just as well that moniker was dropped, as it has
traded a lot of licks with rock n roll, the genre spawned from rhythm
and blues and race music.
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tpryan
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response 102 of 124:
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Mar 16 15:05 UTC 2003 |
Part of what seems to separate C&W from folk is the
'glam' Country artists. The Rhinestones, frilled shirts,
beads, instruments with intricate inlays, fake hair, high
hair, highly decorated cowboy hats, etc.
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happyboy
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response 103 of 124:
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Mar 16 19:02 UTC 2003 |
alt.country is a bullshit label.
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jaklumen
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response 104 of 124:
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Mar 17 01:40 UTC 2003 |
hmm, that 'glam' image seems to have changed, then, because it's
supposedly hip and bubblegummy now. The guys still honky-tonk, I
think, but the women seem to work very hard to look very fashionable
and romantic.
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dbratman
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response 105 of 124:
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Mar 17 07:42 UTC 2003 |
Twila, I've never heard of these "alt.country" folk you mention. But
my reaction is simple: if it twangs, I hate it.
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anderyn
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response 106 of 124:
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Mar 17 12:54 UTC 2003 |
This isn't exactly twang-y. What it is takes some of the folk roots of country
and builds upon them, but in a way that doesn't hit my *aiee, it's country!*
button. Interestingly enough, both Carter&Grammer and the Millers are very
religious in imagery, which I like a lot (the Millers, at least Julie, are
Christian, and Dave Carter was very interested in Buddhism, although his Texan
fundamentalist roots show in some of the lyrics), and they're unabashed in
sharing that.
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krj
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response 107 of 124:
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Jul 7 06:12 UTC 2003 |
Lesson for next year's Top of the Park: Google-search every band that you
have not heard of after the schedule appears...
For Wednesday's show, I made a point to catch Muruga's Global Village
Ceremonial Band, but I blew off the opening band, Fubar. I arrived in
time to catch the last two songs by Fubar and I was really impressed
by what a good rock band they were.
Tonight I went googling for references to them. Fubar's leader is
George Bedard's bass player, and the woman vocalist is Sophia Hanifi,
who I thought was so wonderful in the short-lived band Map of the World
all those years ago. (I saw Map of the World open for 10,000 Maniacs
at Rick's in East Lansing maybe 1985? Sophia and Khalid Hanafi's band
did a much better show.) Yargh. Had I but known....
Sophia did tell me the band plays occasionally at the Del Rio.
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other
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response 108 of 124:
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Jul 7 11:26 UTC 2003 |
George Bedard's bass player: Randy Tessier
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krj
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response 109 of 124:
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Dec 6 06:27 UTC 2003 |
If I hear any more wonderful music right now I shall quite certainly
explode.
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gelinas
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response 110 of 124:
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Dec 6 18:39 UTC 2003 |
:)
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krj
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response 111 of 124:
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Jan 12 18:54 UTC 2004 |
resp:81 :: I'm back into what now looks like an annual winter
music crash. (Thanks to Gelinas for reminding me that I'd done
this in early 2003.) I picked up about a dozen CDs in December,
including Christmas presents and a bit of a pigout at a closing
used CD shop near Philadelphia, but all of it remains unplayed.
I've also hardly listened to the BBC since the holidays.
CDs aren't getting played at home or at work at all, though I
do drag through a couple on the long commute to work.
I just need a vacation, I guess.
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dbratman
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response 112 of 124:
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Mar 28 16:47 UTC 2004 |
Hey, Ken, I sent you an e-mail a while ago telling you about Mythcon in
Ann Arbor this year. But as I didn't get a response I may have used
the wrong address. I'd like to know: are you and Leslie planning on
going? Because then Berni and I can see you there. Info is at
www.mythsoc.org/mythcon35.html
If you don't wish to reply here, I can be reached by email at
dbratman@earthlink.net.
Hey, and anybody else reading this who's interested in intelligent
discussion of good fantasy, you're welcome too. Mythcon is a principal
place for the intelligent appreciative (as opposed to the mindlessly
gushing or the bashing) discussion of Tolkien. (Our reactions to the
Jackson films vary from "They're great, but they sure aren't the books"
to "Get those horrible things out of my sight.") As for more recent
authors, our Guest of Honor this year is Neil Gaiman, so that should
give you an idea what we like.
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anderyn
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response 113 of 124:
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Mar 28 22:21 UTC 2004 |
Eeep! A con in Ann Arbor? Cool!
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happyboy
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response 114 of 124:
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Mar 29 17:53 UTC 2004 |
lol
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dbratman
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response 115 of 124:
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Mar 30 01:09 UTC 2004 |
I'd enjoy meeting you too, Twila.
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krj
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response 116 of 124:
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Mar 30 04:47 UTC 2004 |
Mythcon is in late July, right? Our crystal ball doesn't see that
far. I tend to doubt we'd actually get convention memberships but I
hope we can manage to see David and Berni for dinner or something,
assuming we're in town. (Leslie's been away the last five summers.)
We're *really* out of SF fandom lately.
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dbratman
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response 117 of 124:
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Apr 10 20:10 UTC 2004 |
When your crystal ball clears, Ken, inform it that Berni and I will
probably be arriving Wednesday July 28th, and staying at the North
Campus Holiday Inn. Thursday or the following Monday would be the best
time to meet.
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krj
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response 118 of 124:
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Apr 11 06:44 UTC 2004 |
OK! Will probably chat a bit more about this in mail especially
as summer approaches.
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tpryan
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response 119 of 124:
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Apr 24 18:33 UTC 2004 |
IHB I'm earning enough money to treat myself to
a Harry Chapin live DVD, it is not the same concert as was put on
video tape back in the 80's. Also "Have you heard Jim Croce Live"
DVD, from a bunch of shows. I should be watching them very soon.
I got them thru amazon, but forget to go thru a charity link to
amazon.
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mcnally
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response 120 of 124:
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Dec 23 08:27 UTC 2004 |
Not finding a better place to put it, I thought I might as well use
the "random meanderings" item to ask a question.
Has anyone heard Sufjan Stevens' album "Greetings from Michigan,
the Great Lakes State?" I came across mention of it on several
best-of-2003 music lists that I was browsing after reading some
best-of-2004 articles. It's the work of a musician from Holland, MI,
who's now living and playing in NYC if I understand the situation
correctly. I'm intrigued enough by what I've read and by the
intriguing song titles to think about giving it a try but I wouldn't
mind some first-hand opinions on it if anyone here has one to offer.
Song titles, for the curious:
1. Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)
2. All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!
3. For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti
4. Say Yes! To Michigan!
5. The Upper Peninsula
6. Tahquamenon Falls
7. Holland
8. Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)
9. Romulus
10. Alanson, Crooked River
11. Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie
12. They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)
13. Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickeral Lake? Pigeon? Marquette?
Mackin 14. Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou) 15. Vito's Ordination Song
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micklpkl
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response 121 of 124:
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Dec 23 19:08 UTC 2004 |
Although I haven't heard the entire album/CD, I have heard a couple of
tracks played on the BBC Radio Wales programme, "Celtic Heartbeat". I
recorded "Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie" off of that show, and I
catch myself wanting to hear it quite a bit. The music is minimalistic,
at least on this track, and the vocals are a bit quiet and airy in
spots. Frank Hennessy, the host of the Radio Wales show, has mentioned
that he doesn't know what to make of Sufjan Stevens --- at times, he
said, it feels like Stevens is just noodling around (paraphrase, mine).
Hennessy has also said that Stevens' "Greetings from Michigan..." is the
first of 50 albums planned, one for each of the states in the USA.
One of Sufjan Stevens' other songs, called "In the Devil's Territory"
was played on the Celtic Heartbeat currently in the BBC replay system.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radiowales_aod.shtml?celticheartbeat for
the curious (and Realplayer-enabled).
I would probably buy this disc based on what I've heard, if it were in
my budget.
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krj
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response 122 of 124:
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Jan 31 03:58 UTC 2005 |
Vague notes from this afternoon's ramble through the wreckage of
CD retail in downtown Ann Arbor:
I found the used copy of Lhasa's new album THE LIVING ROAD.
I'd seen this in the intake pile at Encore three or so weeks ago,
but today it took a bit of time to figure out where they would have
filed it, as Lhasa is Mexican-Canadian and sort of folky.
I finally found the disc in the Rock section, where no one but a
FRoots magazine reader would ever have had the persistence to
look for it. Lhasa's album was one of the four finalists in
FRoots/BBC Radio3 Critic's Poll for Album of the Year.
At Schoolkids-in-the-Basement, there was a new Matt Watroba CD,
with one of their handwritten notes reporting that Katie Geddes was
the perfect singing partner for Watroba. The title is JUKEBOX FOLK.
Katie, if you read this: how many tracks do you sing on?
Martha Wainwright, brother of Rufus, has a 5-song EP out, but
the store had sold out of it. There is a new French-language
release from Kate & Anna McGarrigle; a bit pricey at $21 but on the
other hand the Canadian dollar has rallied quite a bit so it might
not be *that* overpriced.
I did pick up the new DVD "Richard Thompson Band Live in Providence"
for $13 ($6 less than the new UK issues of the classic 1970s Thompson
albums, which have some bonus tracks I'm whining over) and The Ditty Bops.
The new Current magazine is out, the local entertainment tabloid with a
folk music column from Twila/anderyn. There's a gig listing for the
Joe Summers Gypsy Jazz Trio: Crazy Wisdom, Saturday Feb. 12.
This looks like a reconfiguration of Summers Delaney and Sharp, the local
trio which played Django Reinhardt-style jazz a few years back. I saw them
around three times at Borders and Crazy Wisdom, and they were always
a delight. Dave Sharp also has his own Quartet with a gig at Goodnight
Gracie.
I have no idea what became of Delaney. The old Summers Delaney Sharp
website is gone.
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bmoran
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response 123 of 124:
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Feb 22 21:54 UTC 2005 |
Brian Delaney's band is the Royal Garden Trio; gypsy style music with Brian on
guitar, Mike (sombody or other) playing the fiddle parts on cello, and I
forget his name on clarinet and tenor guitar. The first disk came out a few
years ago, and has gotten a bit of air on WDET. Last I heard, the newest was
due out very soon, or is out now!
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krj
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response 124 of 124:
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Jun 2 16:44 UTC 2005 |
We were mentioning the Joe Summers Gypsy Jazz Trio above; they have
a Top of the Park free show near the end of June.
As Michelle Shocked has an Ark show coming up on July 1, I took a
peek at her website. She's been busy with her own record company,
Mighty Sound.
She's completed the project of reissuing all her Mercury-label
albums with bonus tracks. She's also reissued two of the three
limited-edition CDs she sold at gigs while she was trying to
break free of Mercury: alas, these are pricey at $20 each.
She's releasing three albums of new material in mid-June --
available separately, or in a combo pack for a discounted price.
One album is billed as straight rock/folk/blues; one is a Texas
and Hispanic project; the third is a collection of Walt Disney
movie songs.
Everything (?) from her catalog is available for lo-fi streaming
(21K Real Audio) and she's selling MP3s at a discount to the CDs.
http://www.michelleshocked.com
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