Karen Black Dreaming Of You 1971-1976 Anthology
Another look back down the rope of time and a compilation of songs recorded by Karen Black. She died in 2013 and was a beacon for creative female energy and well ahead of her time. In turn, an actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter, Black often championed the lives of eccentric and offbeat characters. She is best known for her work in various independent films in the 1970s, including Five Easy Pieces (with Jack Nicholson), Nashville (Robert Altman film), Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda), Day Of The Locust (John Schlesinger) and The Great Gatsby. She also acted on Broadway, notably in Robert Altman’s Broadway debut of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.
Black always wrote poetry and composed songs although she never pursued a career as a full-time musician. A chance meeting with Cass McCombs in 2008 led to an enduring friendship and the pair were collaborating on a solo release in the years leading up to her death.
Two of those songs feature here and the 17 tracks stand as a real testament to the friendship she shared with McCombs and his labour of love in restoring these simple acoustic recordings into something approaching a presentable state. Her vocal recalls Joan Baez and Judy Collins with a clarity and range that is impressive. Her cover of the Moody Blues hit, Question, is a fine example of her ability to strip something back to its original form and infuse it with a new interpretation and meaning in her delivery. That’s Me, The Wind Doesn’t Speak To Me Anymore, Passing Through and Thank God You’re Mine are all interesting insights into Black’s talent and the final two songs are the McCombs collaborations, Royal Jelly and I Wish I Knew the Man I Thought You Were.
Frequently poignant and always capable of surprising the listener, this is a peek through the keyhole to a time when talent was not always given the channels of media distribution that perhaps it merited.
Review by Paul McGee
Josh Johnston Moon Landing Shandon
Dublin singer-songwriter Josh Johnson has been keeping busy over the last few months. Apart from playing gigs around the city, he continues to create thoughtful music and this 4-track EP is a follow-up to his album, THE ART OF SAVING LIVES, which was released last year.
Two of these songs have been previously released and are included here as reworked arrangements. Moon Landing is taken from last year’s album and is a tuneful melody with a chorus that remains in the mind. Swimming On The Moon is taken from a 2008 release, ASYLUM HARBOUR and is a strong work-out with the musicians building to a fine climax.
In between, we are given a cover of UK Folk artist Chris Wood’s song, Come Down Jehovah, that asks God to reveal himself and agree that heaven is indeed to be found all around us on Earth. The other song, In My World (She Said), is a swipe at older sugar daddies who blindly think that they still ‘have it’ and can attract the ladies, irrespective of age.
The musicians are Josh Johnston (piano, Wurlitzer and vocal), Paj Groenland (electric and acoustic guitar), Scott Flanagan (Hammond organ), Rory Pierce (cello), Bill Blackmore (trumpet), Marco Francescangeli (clarinet andsax), Brian Hogan (bass) and Dave Hingerty (drums and percussion). Fine ensemble playing from all concerned and a very enjoyable listen.
Review by Paul McGee
Carter Sampson Trio CRS
With a growing fanbase in Europe, Carter Sampson - christened The Queen of Oklahoma by her fans and peers - has been a regular visitor to Europe, since making a breakthrough with her 2016 release WILDER SIDE. Her previous visits have found her hooking up with some musicians from this side of the pond, whereas on her recent tour she was accompanied by two members of her Oklahoma band. This five-track mini album TRIO coincided with the tour and features those two musicians that travelled with her this time around. With Jason Scott providing guitar and mandolin alongside Kyle Reid’s guitar, pedal steel and drums, the album features four tracks selected from Sampson’s back catalogue, but performed in a more stripped back manner. A cover of Woodrow Buddy Johnson’s Since I Fell For You is also included.
The original songs that feature include her crowd favourite Rattlesnake Kate, from her 2018 recording LUCKY and two selections from WILDER SIDE, the title track and Highway Rider. Her signature tune Queen of Oklahoma also gets a reconstruction.
There’s never been any doubt about the unique quality of Sampson’s crystalline vocals and these less crowded versions are very much a reflection of what she excels at in the live setting. Recorded at The Blue Door Studio in Oklahoma TRIO is the perfect stopgap, while we await the next recording from this talented and much-loved artist.
Review by Declan Culliton
Signe Marie Rustad When Words Flew Freely Die With Your Boots On
Norway has been particularly well represented by female singer songwriters in 2019. Impressive releases earning recognition in the International market from Malin Petterson and Louien are joined by this latest offering from Signe Marie Rustad. Without occupying the same musical space, all three artists qualify for the ever-widening Americana genre.
Die With Your Boots On Records, the label that signed Rustad, can also boast having Malin Petterson on board and are part of The Jansen Records family who represent the aforementioned Louien, another rising star who is establishing herself outside her native Norway.
Having recovered from a writing block coupled with distressing personal issues, Rustad returned to the studio to record WHEN WORDS FLEW FREELY. Her previous albums include the Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) nominated HEARING COLOURS SEEING NOISES (2016) and her 2012 debut album GOLDEN TOWN.
Born and raised on a farm in rural Norway, there is a peacefulness and placidity about the album, possibly fuelled by that unhurried upbringing. The material often seems to question if a comparable calmness could be rediscovered in adult life. The album’s title is also both the opening and closing tracks on the album. The former is a spoken word prelude that dances across the speakers and the latter is a fleshed-out version, which opens with Rustad’s vocal accompanied by piano and gradually builds climatically over the following six minutes. We Belong Somewhere is a charming ballad, reminiscing the difficult matters of detachment and growing apart. It features Rustad’s vocals caressed by simple piano and strings. Both Something Easier and Hands Across Her Back are stand out tracks for me, ebbing and flowing in a style perfected by Tori Amos at the top of her game.
The composure and mood of the album demands a precise listening environment. A late-night listen, alone and delivered by headphones will reward the listener to maximum effect.
I’d have little complaints If I were to be condemned to listen only to music by Norwegian artists for a period of time. WHEN WORDS FLEW FREELY is a strikingly impressive alt-folk experience, that would be top of the pile. Simply gorgeous.
Review by Declan Culliton
Torgeir Waldemar Love Jansen
LOVE is the third full length album recorded by Norwegian singer songwriter Torgier Waldemar. His sound has been hailed as trademark Laural Canyon 1970’s revisited, but for readers more familiar with more recent and rockier Americana outputs, Israel Nash is probably a more accurate yardstick.
Bursting on to the local scene with his self-titled debut album in 2014, Waldemar earned two Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) nominations for best country album and best newcomer. Signed to Jansen Records in 2017, his sophomore album NO OFFENDING BORDERS (2017) contained a more aggressive and pumped up sound than its predecessor, gaining him a Spellemann nomination in the rock category. The new album follows in a similar vein, layers upon layers of vocals and instruments combining to generate a quite riveting listen.
The album includes eight tracks, three of which are short intros. However, there’s nothing short about the other tracks with the epic Leaf In The Wind and Truncated Souls running for eight minutes and the hefty closing track Black Ocean breaking the fourteen minute mark.
With only a promotional copy of the album and without the benefit of any information regarding the players on the album, I’m unaware of Waldemar’s musical input or who else features on the album. However, what is beyond doubt is the quality of the playing including some killer saxophone on Contagious Smile. A most impressive introduction to Waldemar for me and an album to be played at maximum volume.
For fans of Rich Hopkins & The Luminarios, Crazy Horse and the previously referenced Israel Nash.
Review by Declan Culliton
Zoe & Cloyd I Am Your Neighbor Organic
Considering their respective musical lineages, it’s not a surprise to discover a fine album from this husband and wife duo based in Western North Carolina. Hailing from each end of the Appalachians, Natalya Zoe Weinstein and John Cloyd Miller make their home in Ashville, a hotbed of rootsy folk and bluegrass. Blending bluegrass, country, klezmer and Old Time American sounds, the album demonstrates why there’s quite a buzz about this band recently.
The albums title comes from the song Neighbour, a cowrite with Kari Sickenberg, which encourages a celebration of human similarities at a time when racist attitudes are again emerging - we may be different but after all we count the same stars. Looking Out For You And Me, the bluegrass opener written and sung by Cloyd, highlights the risks to the human race from ongoing environmental destruction. It allows him to showcase his chops on mandolin and guitar, while Zoe weaves her sweet fiddle in and out of the melody. Her Russian grandfather was a professional klezmer musician, hence the inclusion of a traditional klezmer instrumental here - Berditchever Cher. In addition they have written a beautiful new klezmer instrumental, Zisa Meydele, for their daughter.
Although Cloyd is the grandson of the famous fiddle player Jim Shumate (Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys and Flatt & Scruggs) he leaves the expert fiddle playing to Zoe while he plays banjo, mandolin and guitar. Each can take lead vocals and contribute backing vocals, producer Jon Weisberger lends his usual magic and the sound is rounded out by two local hotshots, Bennett Sullivan (banjo) and Kevin Kehrberg (upright bass). Zoe’s rendition of the gospel staple Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down breathes new life into this well known tune, bolstered by stirring clawhammer banjo and guitar.
A record to get to know and savour.
Review by Eilís Boland