Some Recycled Record Reviews

pasted into this post are two record reviews from my banjohangout blog. I wrote several of these and I will try to pull them over here over the next few days. This entry has reviews of two double albums that all old-time music fans should have.

The Early Years, 1958-1962
The New Lost City Ramblers (1991)

I don't think it's possible to overestimate the impact of The New Lost City Ramblers. These guys were an old-time music machine starting in the late 50s. I've always enjoyed the diversity of material on this record, which was drawn from their first 12 Folkways releases. That's not a misprint--they made 12 records in 4 years.

On the banjo front, you hear fingerpicking and frailing styles back to back. Lots of great songs and tunes here, and also a variety of instruments. I love the autoharp on this record, and that's what turned me on to The Carter Family.

Of particular strength on this record are the depression-era songs, such as "No Depression in Heaven" and "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?" Seeger, Paley, and Cohen are great at tight harmonies on these and the other tunes.

Speaking of tight harmonies. I've never been a huge bluegrass fan, but "On Some Foggy Mountain Top" and "My Long Journey Home." We used to do these tunes in the Frenzy Brothers. Great fun to play bass on these.

I love Mike Seeger's voice. He's almost as good a yodeler as my pal Curtis Eller.

I've often thought that if I could go back in time, New York City between the years 1955-1965 would be an amazing musical destination. I'd try to soak in the New Lost City and all my favorite jazzers like Miles Davis, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, etc.

This record is a must have.

Holy Modal Rounders: 1 & 2
The Holy Modal Rounders (1964)

Real world, real world, real real real world.
Real world, real world, real real world.
World world world world, real real real world
World world world world, real real world.

The first "old-time" recording I remember hearing was "Bully of the Town" by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber, aka The Holy Modal Rounders. That's when it all started. I was working at Elderly and when I heard this record, it was all over. I just kept going deeper and deeper. This irreverant, drug-induced, hilarious recording truly changed my life.

I must admit that I've always enjoyed a sprig of humor with my fiddle tunes and songs. This music is supposed to be fun, right? Music that is too damn serious just gets me down sometimes. I can just picture these Greenwich Village kids spinning Harry Smith's Anthology, tripping on God-knows-what and jamming to the wee hours.

The new version of this CD has an unreleased take of "Sugar in the Gourd" which is just fantastic. I can't imagine why it didn't get on the original record.

A pal of mine once said, "Some people don't like having breakfast for dinner--you can't trust those people." To paraphrase, if you don't like the Rounders, man there's gotta be something wrong with you...

Stampfel's scratchy fiddle is like euphoria to me (to drop a song title from this record). I've gotta plug another one of my favorites, not old-time, from Michael Hurley and Stampfel called Have Moicy! by the Unholy Modal Rounders. Great 70s country drug rock (my term--don't get mad at me, but that's what it sound like).

Back to the 1964 Rounders. "Hesitation Blues:"

I was born in Pennsylvania
I was raised in France
I'm a dirty old man
And I wear silk pants

These guys play up the grotesque, bizzare, and grusome nature of old-time like in their version of "Reuben's Train." I misheard the lyric "Can't read the letter from his home" when I first heard this, so to this day I sing "Can't read the letter from his mom." People dig it.

I got my razor blade
Laid Reuben in the shade
I'm startin' me a graveyard of my own

Man, it doesn't get better than this. For a 20 year old rock & roll guy, this was the perfect introduction to New Lost City, Uncle Dave Macon, The Skillet Lickers, etc.

I know this record isn't traditional, authentic, or even respectful of the old-time tradition. But it's so damn much fun. Love it, love it, love it.