Amish Rec.P.G.Six : music from The Sherman Box Series and other works (2006)***°

The Sherman Box series is an artwork exhibition from Christine Krol at the Abaton gallery in NY, collages constructed in cigarette boxes and small paintings. 7 pieces were arranged for the exhibition, provoking the artist, and are composed for folk harps : wire-strung and Bray harps, solo or combined with echo, tremolo pedal, flanged reverb or played with slide. The recording is played very directly. On the first track I hear also something like electric piano, following close in sound to the harp and as extra echo to it with its own independence. The third track with Bray harp sound in between a koto, harp and sitar. This harp with a beautiful sound has a resonating buzzing tone and was commonly used in medieval and Renaissance times. The fifth track has a piece with two of such a harp. On the 6th track the resonating sounds of the harp are produced by plucking the theme, but also by using some slide with the melody. Last track adds more effects in echo to the already rich bray harp sounds, with a danger to blur it all up, but still controlling the organic sound waves. A very special recording which holds the middle between old and new, while reviving old sounds and adding new experiments, in the direct inspiration and exploration.

To complete the CD format, first of all a piece from 1994 is added, called “The book of Ragguns for 6 electric guitars”. It is PG Six's first solo recording, previously released on a 7-inch single (Superlux Records), a piece that grew out of composition lessons with composer Dary John Mizelle, and it is played by Tom Keller. It is even more an experimental composition of sonic string sound exploration. The piece evolves to long stretched sounds mixed with tremolo and shorter vibrations. Last track is a contemporary 12-tone ? piano piece mixed with electronic sounds. It fits less with the first series of explorations, and it is a distraction from the time perspective richness of the harp instrument exploration, gives an idea of a young, new music interest.

Audio : "#3 For Bray Harp" (from WFMU broadcast & http://www.secondlayer.co.uk/tracks/p3141.htm

& on http://www.rhapsody.com/pgsix/...

Bray harp improvisation live on http://meems.imeem.com/...

Review with audio : http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=24157

Description : http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=275618

Label entry (with audio track) : http://www.amishrecords.com/ami024.html from http://www.amishrecords.com

More on the artwork : http://www.abatonbookcompany.us/krolgarage.html

Bray harp : http://www.harpspectrum.org/glossary/glossary.shtml#bray :

"Medieval and Renaissance harps which use "bray pins", adjusted to lightly touch each string to create a loud buzzing tone. Bray pins are usually L-shaped, can be moved away from the string for a "regular" tone, and have the additional function of attaching the string to the soundboard."

(or) Gothic harp : http://www.michaeljking.com/harp.htm

More on terminology of harps: http://www.clarsach.net/1stCongress/session4.htm

from the Gaelic harp webpage on http://spanglefish.com/Clarsach/

Drag City         Espers : II (US,2006)****°

Now expanded to a sextet, (adding cellist Helena Espvall, drummer Otto Hauser and bass player Chris Smith) Espers has developed their sound and strength, deepening in all directions, both emotionally and musically. As a sextet the group’s vivid creations sound like a they are founded like the magical mandala on the front cover, with a strong focusing form to this expansion, developing a continuum of emotions of mostly rather melancholic beauty, which thanks to the strong structural balance at the same time has a certain freedom to build up various tensions with harmonies, creating some strains in overtone-melodic evolutions and rhythms, but mostly describe with a combination of delicacy, variation, beauty and strength. One more step liberated from boundaries in folk, they as easily add some chambermusic-kind of arrangements or flavours, which makes them at times more like a kind of art-rock band, ever in respect for the essence of what are the acoustic/electric fundaments of any musical expressions.  Like before there are a great variety of instruments, I still love to death the beautiful folk-voice of Jesse Sparhawk, which are alternated by the alternated ideas from Greg Weeks, and the group’s somewhat improvisational arrangements. It’s a surprise how they, with an ever growing success, still keep on showing growth of quality. This third album is released by three different labels (in America,Europe and Japan). Highly recommended, essential.

Audio : "Dead Queen" (or here or here), "Widow's Weed" (or here), "Cruel Storm"(or here), "Children Of Stone",

"Mansfield And Cyclops", "Dead King", "Moon Occults The Sun" (or here) and full album here

Info on release on the 3 labels : http://www.dragcity.com/catalog/records/dc310.html

& http://www.wichita-recordings.com/ & http://www.bls-act.co.jp/music/detail.php?wpid=3265

and on band : http://www.dragcity.com/bands/espers.html

Homepage : http://www.espers.org/ & http://www.myspace.com/espers

Other reviews : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/e/espers/ii.shtml

& http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/espers/ii.htm

& http://robosexual.typepad.com/glob/2006/04/espers_ii.html

& http://www.fusetronsound.com/label.php?whomart=ESPERS

& http://www.p0si.com/blog/?p=492

& http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/espers/espers_ii/

& http://www.eyeheartmusic.com/reviews/review.php?review=138

Article : http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/espers-060502.shtml

The next "Espers" related product (2007) is The Valerie Project (see next page->) ; 2009 CD is reviewed below->

Locust Music      Espers : The Weed Tree (US,2005)****'

The album is a bit more traditional in the UK folkrock/folk tradition (Pentangle, Dando Shaft, Mr.Fox,..) with sweet female vocals by a singer, Meg Baird, who sings out this time around. She is just perfect for this kind of music, accompanied by acoustic guitars, cello and flutes (Espers now became a sextet). The sweet melancholy is truly captivating and magical in the old traditional sense. Especially “Black is the color” really did it for me. Michael Hurley’s “Blue Mountain” has some beautiful double bass with whistles (and electronic sounds ?) arrangements. “Flaming Telepaths”, a terrific Blue Oyster Cult cover, has some fantastic emotional electric outro. Their own “Dead King” with its cello arrangements is a just perfect closer for another perfect future classic !

Audio : "Rosemary Tree","Blue Mountain"

Homepage : www.espers.org ; Info : http://www.locustmusic.com/espers.html

Other review : http://www.cargorecords.co.uk/release_zoom.php?item=1568                  next Espers release ->

NEW ACID FOLK related items REVIEW PAGE 5

-all items on this page received airplay in my radioshow PVHF-  

Listed here are : The Kitchen Cynics, Electroscope, Sharron Kraus, Alphane Moon, Múm,

Dead Raven Choir, P.G.Six (2 releases), Born Heller, Espers (4 releases),The Books (2 releases)

Secret Eye                          The Kitchen Cynics : Parallel Dog Days (UK,2004)****°

Having been a big fan of Alan Davidson's work with this one man band it's about time I reviewed one of his records. I'm glad Jeffrey from Secret Eye shared my enthusiasm, and decided to release one of his issues. Perhaps it has some rerecorded tracks, so I guess completists can still go for both.

Now, who is Kitchen Cynics ? Many will agree he's a poetic genius. Musically every song becomes like a coloured miniature. All the guitar fingerpicking steps gently into the story's' tremblings. Surreal musical toy-like accompaniment finishes off the mood. Alan personally found some relative similar empathy with Pearls Before Swine's and Tom Rapp's kind of approach to music. But Alan's music is not from the 70's, but still, the acid folk gentleness of the gems, has survived. He is not afraid to use a rhythm box a few times, subtle and carefully enough mixed, a bit more to the back. The poetic approach is that much more inspiring to me, that each time when I hear a new couple of songs by him, no matter after how much time has elapsed, any writer's block dissolves, and I start to feel inspired to writing again. I consider the Kitchen Cynics as having created a psych folk genre on its own. It's all home-made, but well recorded. For new listeners this can work as the 'Alice in Wonderland' for the private life.

Before this release came out I had a dream about a new KC release in the form of a small labyrinth cardboard-game with a tiny ball, with the plate  full of pictures. There actually is another -card board- game with funny pictures in the inner side of the sleeve. I feel this similarity as another proof and aspect of how I feel the K.C. stimulate various connections with a parallel (dream-)world of experiences, which you can expect as a poetic picture, a funny shadow, all from another, perhaps cynic side of reality.

I don't know how others would experience Kitchen Cynics. For me every miniature is like a world with space on its own.

Highly recommended, and a good start for K.C.

Soundfiles : "The Turnstone", "The Place You Hid"

Info : Secret Eye Label : http://www.secreteye.org

More info on Kitchen Cynics : http://singersong.homestead.com/TheKitchenCynics.html

GO TO NEXT REVIEW PAGE ->

go back to Psychedelic Folk page

go back to General Index page

Bod Rec.Electroscope : Journey to the centre of (SC,1999)***°

Having heard the new group Phosphene first (reviewed on next page) I didn't expect an acoustic group, but perhaps some kind of neo-psychedelic space group or something like that. This is a nice surprise. The attention to sounds (with Phoshpene) was already there with Electroscope. But this has more than just (multiple) keyboard soundwaves, mixed with acoustic instruments. This is a beautiful hazy pastel dreamy world, with song (-often Fit & Limo like quiet whispery female & male vocals-) orientated fluxes. Only 475 made. My copy is already nr.339 !

Info label : www.tinsel.demon.co.uk/melodybar/index.html

Label contact : gayle@boarec.swinternet.co.uk

Info on Electroscope : http://www.phosphene.debrett.net/musicpast.htm

Small description : http://www.tonevendor.com/item/663

Camera Obscura Rec                      Sharron Kraus : Songs of Love and Loss (UK,2004)****°

I was already told through the net that Sharron’s style has developed, and that her release should show this. Sharron Kraus shows here the dark side of old folk music. Like David Tibet from Current 93 admired Judie Collins as a great singer (and she is), it’s Sharron here who shows this dark and sad aspect, but being in balance with herself, she sings with joy. I guess also her voice has improved. It reaches a kind of emotional depth which is only rarely heard. The varied acoustic (string instrument and acoustic guitars or banjo) accompaniment makes the listening pleasure complete, an enthralling experience. This is very rich music showing different aspects of feelings and expressions with each listen. Now I consider it already as a classic. Highly recommended!

(PS. Sharron Kraus participated along the Fishtown underground folk scene in Philadephia along with Espers, Jack Rose, Fursaxa and Scores).  -Espers has a review further down-

Soundfile : Gallow's Song/Gallow's Hill

Info : www.sharronkraus.com & http://www.cameraobscura.com.au/cam065.htm

Review of first album at http://singersong.homestead.com/reviews2.html

Review of her cooperative album with The Iditarod at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreview.html

New 2006 release is reviewed on http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreview13.html

Oggum Rec.                   Alphane Moon : Our Glassie Azoth,

          experimenting with an amen (UK,rec.1999,rei.2004)*°°

I remember this group from small releases years ago, with late 80’s independent droning, combined with some mixed to the background folk songs, if I remember well. Nowadays they call their music “weirdeared drone folk”. I was curious how they have evolved. Actually, this seemed a compilation of their previously recorded stuff from 1999, compiled under best production conditions. “Not for the fainthearted” it said, starting off with just a couple of unpleasant high pitched sounds, which sounded in this case pretty pleasant in their mix. We hear lots of tape hissing, and sequence travelling cosmic soundscapes, alternated with some folk song touches. “Opal Fire” has a Mike Burrows poem.  Most of it is pleasant experimental music. Last two tracks are using a few too many similar ideas in mixing sounds, going towards a tendency of a infinite circular repetition, still moving organically in space, but the last couple of minutes still open this up a bit so that it still makes sense as a whole.

Audio : "Experimenting With An Amen", "Further", "Isca". Info : www.oggum.co.uk Contact : here

Other review with official download : http://www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk/

Last Visible DogDead Raven Choir : Wine, women and wolves (POL/US,2003)*°°

A couple of disarming guitar chords, with Japanese like chords beatings, death lingers as an icy shadow, when a voice whispers.. an exhibit, dangerous to change one’s destiny.. is what I feel after the first couple of seconds  of “the eyes of beauty”.

With words by Rainer Maria Rilke (like "The Kings Of The World Are Growing Old"), Hilaire Belloe, Charles Beaudelaire (like "The Owls" ), A.A.Milne, Feral Fansworth, there are many space intervals being part of the music, entangled with aggressive chords or tangling bowed strings, contemporary abstract and odd, with whispering words that often cry out from out of the silence like shouts, Dead Raven Choir shows show a dark theatre-like expression, more than just textures with words and poetry in music. “Beacons, Rubens, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Puget, Watteau, Delacroix” by Baudelaire, is extra expressive with a second dubbed voice, working as a curse, which is, -although whispering too, and in a quiet mode-, obviously influenced by the metal scene. “Christmas Meat-carrion” by Feral Farnsworth has also mesmerizing / exorcising creaky dark aspects of human expressions. Last track concludes with an instrumental. A consistent release.

Homepage : http://wolves.tamu.edu/ with of this release: http://wolves.tamu.edu/en/disc/wine.html

Label entry : http://lvd.4mg.com/052.htm (from Last Visible Dog label at http://lvd.4mg.com/)

Review : http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/d/dead-raven-choir/wine-women-and-wolves.shtml

Amish Rec.    P.G.Six : The well of memory (US,2004)****°

It’s more than a pleasure to hear a second release from this one man acid folk band led by Pat Gubler (who was part of drone psych folk group Tower Recordings before). His first release was one of the biggest surprises within the acid folk scene.

This second release continues where it stopped before, but adds new ideas and additional arrangements.

I’ve mentioned it before, that it seems that “magical folk” is generally associated with 70’s UK folk, but that the new generation definitely is located in the US. “Come in/Winter it is past” –with male & female vocals- for instance, distinguishes itself only with the first period by the use of the American banjo. Generally it reproduces something still very similar, and yet unique. Most songs still hold a perfect middle between murmuring instrumental inspiration and (semi-traditional folk song interpretations but actually original acid folk) song orientation. A perfect release and a must-have !

PS. The two instrumentals with dulcimer, “Well of memory” (I & II) –as opener and almost closer- both are traditional, avant garde, and much more than this, and show Pat Gubler is not restricting himself in his expression, to create the beautiful acid folk mood on this CD.

Other soundfiles : "Considering The Lateness Of The Hour", "Old Man On The Mountain","Crooked way"

More audio : http://www.mojo4music.com/html/filter_january.shtml

Info : www.amishrecords.com (with this release here : )

Info on P.G.Six : http://www.perhapstransparent.com/artists/artist.php3?authorid=30

Other review : http://www.theunbrokencircle.co.uk/album_reviews_text_archive8.htm#Bookmark%2010

My review of their first release is reviewed on http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreview.html

while the 2006 release review you can read below->

Locust MediaBorn Heller : Born Heller (US,2004)*****

Born Heller is Josephine Foster & Jason Ajemian from the Chicago area. Their release is another proof the magical folk area now, which used to be British, and is very much alive in the US today. And yes, Foster’s voice is somewhat reminiscent of Shirley Collins. Even more I think Josephine Foster’s similarities do not come forth from the talented interpretation, but even more from emotional richness and purity (just listen for instance to “No more lamps in the morning” or "I want to"). A small part of the recordings have a minimal free avant garde structure still as an acid folk mood with an emotional richness (like "I am a guest in here”). . Also the last track, "Big Sky", is a bit different, with male voice in bluesy long vocal stretches, with some guitar & second vocals. 

I consider the release as a must-have! Favourite acid folk release from 2004 I heard so far.

Other chosen songs for airplay :  “Mountain Song”, “Lulu Follows”.

Label entry with even more soundfiles : http://www.locustmusic.com/bornheller.html

Other reviews : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/born-heller/born-heller.shtml

Josephine Foster latest release with The Supposed is review on next page

Fatcat Rec.    Múm : Summer made good (ICE,2004)****°

I heard a couple of soundfiles of this album on the net and decided to try it out. This is the third album by the group, and it’s supposed to be the darkest-sounding album to date. 

The album is presented by a beautifully looking digipack (from which I can hardly get the CD out).

I always like subtle modern electronica, combined with acoustic elements and voices, with a human touch of poetry, some kind of song orientation, or at least a theatrically rich descriptive evolution. The group that made me look for such kind of music and for opening up my perspective towards this direction was 'Pianomagic'. -I still have these plans for a complete radioshow with such music. And this is really a treasure in its kind!

This is like poetry bringing warmth into the music. You don't only hear subtle electronica used for it, but also acoustic meanderings (harmonica, violins, electrified guitar,....). It’s an ever flowing descriptive music. This album is  already amongst my favourite new releases. Highly recommended!! This is surely one of the best in its kind !

Description used on my radioshow : "Wonderful, sensitive, subtle and moody ambient-electrofolk item with high pitched whispery, breathy, emotionally rich child-like voice. Highly recommended !"

PS. This might move later to a separate page called "Poetic Electronica / Acoustic Music -review page-"

Other possible entries for that page : Four Tet, Dntel, So, Leila, Pianomagic, Takako Minekawa,..

Audiofiles : "The Ghosts You Draw on My Back", "The Island of Children's Children", "Nightly cares"

Info : http://www.noisedfisk.com/mumweb/ & http://www.fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?...

Info on release with more soundfiles : http://www.fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/release.php?id=...

Review : http://www.halo-17.net/5199.html  & http://www.almostcool.org/mr/m/m122mu.html & http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/m/mum/summer-make-good.shtml & http://www.inthemix.com.au/p/np/viewnews.php?id=15202 &

http://www.adequacy.net/reviews/m/mum.shtml

with soundfiles : http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?artist=MUM

Reissue of the more instrumental debut album and the Peel Sessions from 2002 are reviewed on http://progressive.homestead.com/prog13.html

PS. Review of Slowblow (with Mum's vocalist) is added at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/psychfolkpopreview2.html

TomlabThe Books : The Lemon of Pink (2003)***°

This second release by The Books sound more like some kind of soundtrack, or is it a sound-book ? With sometimes humoristic collages and samples, with acoustic and electro-acoustic playing, evolving with all kinds of unspecific touches, moving always moving, story like. Very good !! 

Decsription used in my radioshow : "Beautiful ambient-electrofolk item, with subtle ideas in mixing. It  listens like a good poetry book. Various songs seem to refer to different situations with language."

Soundfiles (in order of appearance on CD) : “The Lemon of Pink”,“Tokyo” (or here), "S is for everysing",

"Explenation Mark",“There is no There” (and here), “Take Time”, “Don’t even sing about it”, "The Future, wouldn't that be nice ?" “A true story of a story of true love”, "That's right ain't shit", "PS".

Homepage : http://www.bombus.org/thebooksmusic/ & http://www.tomlab.de/artists/thebooks.html

This release : http://www.bombus.org/thebooksmusic/livingroom.htm

TomlabThe Books : Lost And Safe (2005)****°

This third release is reviewed on http://progressive.homestead.com/prog13B.html

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the Islaja & Kemialliset Ystävät reviews moved to http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/finland.html

Locust Music      Espers : Espers (US,2003)****°

Incredible how so many good releases have seen the light of day over the last couple of years. And Locust Music have made good choices. Greg Weeks solo work already attracted my attention. (See the poor minstrels review page). Now he seems to be a member of this art-folk-chamber group.

I lack the words to do justice to this ! “Magical! A must for psychedelic folk & acid folk lovers!” is all I can think of at first... This is sweet, early campfire, hearth-fire and candle lights flavoured music. (The first couple of tracks "Flowery  Noontide" & "Meadow" I immediately reserve for airplay). “Hearts & Daggers” has some overloading (in a positive way) out-of-the borders-growing improvisations both electric and acoustic. In general every move is subtly descriptive. I can understand if one wants to compare this with UK 70’s folk with perhaps Bread, Love and Dreams as closest reference. But this group improvises much more as well with electric background psychedelica. The ending of “Travel Mountains” for instance even uses weird electric-ghosty vocals on top of it. They used of course the advantage of the use of new studio mixing techniques for this.

Special guests were Matt Everett on viola, Lara Baird on flute, Margie Wienk (yes, here she is again!)

on cello, Tara Burke, voice and Quentin Stoltzfus on tone generator.

Homepage : www.espers.org (not updated) & Label entry with MP3 : : http://www.locustmusic.com/espers.html

Other audio file : "Byss & Abyss " ; Real audio files : "Riding" (rm & ram), "Flowery Moontide"

More audio : http://www.karmadownload.com/album/?2132637

Review : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/e/espers/espers.shtml

& http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1082157970315477

& http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/1358

& http://www.wackiness.org/rev/music/espers.html

& http://www.bbc-worldwide-americas.com/a/B00012QLAU/Espers.html

& http://robosexual.typepad.com/glob/2006/03/espers_st.html

Italian review with picture : http://www.indiepop.it/bands/espers.htmnext Espers release ->

Also : don't forget to see some of my other favourite new Acid Folk groups or releases

listed at the Pagan Folk review pages!!

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Drag City         Espers : III (US,2009)****

It has taken a few years before a new Espers was recorded. Several of their members in the meanwhile were involved in different projects, while Greg Weeks continued to produce other bands in his studio. The sound of the band but also its production evolved with it. They sound less of a progressive folk-rock band. While Meg Baird’s (?) voice has something of a Sandy Denny flavour (when leading) and this brings with it certain folk-rock flavours, Espers more sounds like an alternative rock band. This is so for a couple of reasons. Where its instrumental breaks of improvisations could have sounded more “psychedelic” or “progressive” the drumming keeps the band more on ground. The overall stuffed and boozed up sound also uses all its space for its expressions. The arrangements are arty, so is the use of fuzz guitars, analogue synths and some cello/violin, and some of the vocal harmonies, the group sound dominates more as one entity, just like an alternative rock band with its own hip well arranged sound having used lots of paint and details.

Label info : http://www.dragcity.com/artists/espers

Audio : http://www.dragcity.com/products/iii

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/espers

Other reviews : -

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