Strange Folk

John Fahey - The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death (1965) {Takoma-Fantasy CDTAK 7015 rel 1997}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 174 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 73 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1965, 1997 Takoma / Fantasy | CDTAK 7015
Folk / Contemporary Folk / Finger-Picked Guitar / Folk Jazz / Folk-Blues / Progressive Folk

A strange man, John Fahey, with an unusual set of guitar styles. This album, originally released on Riverboat Records and later reissued by Fahey's own Takoma label, has a lot of rough edges in terms of the recording but a tremendous amount of power when it comes to the music. Fahey was at the top of his game, alternately playful and dark, so there's never a dull moment. There is always something new to be heard on each playing.

The Mamas & the Papas' second album was made while the group was still riding high from the chart success of their first album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, and the two singles, "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'," that made them icons of the young pop generation. At the same time, their personal lives were so messy that Michelle Phillips got bounced out of their ranks for a few months. Only the good vibes made it on the record, though, as the same creative team sought to recapture the beautiful harmonies and jangling, sometimes moody folk-rock that made their debut sound so good.

This 1972 album is actually great! Tons of great melodies and his voice really was really superb. The rock parts are decent, staying on the safe side of 70s soft rock cheese despite the electric guitar and saxophone bits, and a track like "If wishes were horses" sits well alongside the likes of Steeleye Span from that era, but I mainly get into the slow, tender, ballad-type tracks, e.g. "Have you ever really seen the rain?" with just voice and acoustic guitar. …

Selections from the Sinecure Publication Enjoy The Experience. "Psych, funk, folk, jazz, lounge, and boogie from American private press albums". Calling all crate diggers! This gem of a compilation gathers 24 strange and excellent private press records – some already underground classics, alongside others waiting to be discovered.

Dreaming Out Loud finds Michael Chapman in fine form, turning a record that isn't drastically dissimilar from his early work. While it doesn't have the spark of his early albums for Harvest, it has a professional journeyman quality that is appealing in its own way. Chapman plays most of the instruments on the album himself, which can occasionally give the music a stilted feel, but on the whole, it's an ambitious, successful effort that fits nicely into his body of work.