Reviews by kuvien

The duo is back, once again mixing their own compositions in with snippets and passages from the traditional folk of the region, that region being southern France, where the dying Occitan language is now spoken by only 600,000 people, most of whom are elderly. These ladies lend their magic to preserving the language and culture as best they can, also lending their artistic voice to progressive issues important to them. What we the listeners get is a lovely album of in-your-face folk led by powerful polyphonic singing and fierce string tambourine playing. Having created another delightful exploration of what the present means through the lens of the past, the members of Cocanha express a desire to strive for authenticity in their music, and they clearly succeed here.

This album is a folk exploration of Biblical stories and poetry, such as The Song of Solomon, so there are rich themes of nature and romantic love. I especially enjoy the sound of the two balalaikas, giving some of the tracks a troubadour feel.

Listened to this one for the first time at an old jazz cafe in Tokyo. Brick walls, basement, excellent speaker system, classy clientele.

Y'all hear that distant braying? They're coming. They know what's up.

What strikes me most about this album is how it can be electronic—which is so often associated with cold mechanization—yet also create such a warm, natural atmosphere, like I’m walking through a forest. Part of it, of course, is the nature recordings—nothing like bird chirping to evoke pastoral feeling. This is a pretty great record for something that was recorded in only two days.

Cluck sucks, and not in the good way.

When you make sex this boring, it's no wonder you don't bother.

He ain't gangsta. Google the video where he bitches out on Hot Ones. Pussy ass whack bitch poser.

Like all good folk, this album treads the line between cultivated field and unexplored forest, between high, bonny festival and the lonesome hours of night.

I bet this bloke is pretty cool in his local scene.

Let’s not forget to mention Michel Godard, Jean-Louis Matiner, Michael Riessler, Carlo Rizzo, and Gerard Siracusa, because this wild, crazy, beautiful album couldn’t have been performed alone. Basically, this is folk-inspired jazz, and it’s got my seal of approval. Viele, tuba, accordion, clarinet, saxophone, hurdy gurdy, and serpent (yes, serpent) all spar and vie for primacy, resulting in a jarring dance of controlled and carefully-orchestrated chaos.

What strange and interesting reasons for making this specific album: according to the artist, he wanted to make music inspired by the Cathar heresy, and since the vielle appeared in Europe at about the same time, what better instrument to symbolize and communicate that heresy than the hurdy gurdy? Bizarre. "Modern" music for an instrument of yesteryear. In addition, if you're going to spout heresy, I guess throat-singing is as good a way as any. Nice to hear Sclavis on this recording, by the way.

I'm going to kill myself.

Though not as engaging as his debut, this album is a fine collection of comfortable outlaw tunes. The warm female vocal accompaniment is a nice touch because it's used sparingly. There are some brilliant saloon moments, too, equal parts swagger and broken heart.

These guys are so fun, like an updated Talking Heads. And like with Byrne, I think the singer's voice is a feature, not a bug. This music drives on, never letting up in its tempo.

Just sitting around with an old guy and listening to him play his git’tar. Pretty damn soothing, making me nostalgic for a time I never knew.

A lovely Irish romance about sitting beneath apples trees and going out to see the morning dew on the grass and meeting a maid gathering mushrooms. This music is pastoral through and through, an idyllic portrait of country life.

The last gasp of acoustic authenticity before the band went electronic and new age, before Enya joined the family band (shudder). There are many reasons why I love folk as a genre, and one of those reasons is the way folk grew out of the daily lifestyles of the people making it, whether it be work or play. And such music is featured here, what with the clothwork music. And sung by women? Even better! Excellent flute and tin whistle work, too, that will transport the listener right to the Isles (both Ireland and the UK).

141 seconds

This collaboration is nothing short of magic, and according to the press release, this is the first time the kora (a west African stringed instrument) and the kanklės (a Baltic box zither) have been recorded together. And my goodness, it's like they were made to play together. Cissokho and Jurgelevičiūtė wield their respective instruments from their respective cultures like alternating looms as they weave their musical narrative together into a tapestry that includes vocals both bright and dim, communal and lonely, panegyric and meditative.