I bought this album last year, but never got time to let it sink in - and it is the kind of introspective folksy-troubadour type recording that requires your attention to appreciate. Now that I'm listening closer to it, it really is lovely. I can see why it made a lot of 'best of 2012' lists last year.
From Wikipedia - Nels Andrews is a folk singer based in Brooklyn, New York. Known primarily as a folk singer, few know of his apprenticeship with cult blues icon Washboard Williams.
In 2002, Andrews was selected as a winner in the prestigious New Folk Competition at the annual Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas. Past winners of this coveted award include, Eric Taylor, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and Slaid Cleaves. In 2006, Nels was selected as the winner of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival's Troubadour Competition
In August 2006, Nels was selected as a winner of the Mountain Stage New Song Competition. Nels Andrews' debut full-length recording, Sunday Shoes rose to Number 1 on the UK Americana Chart, and finished the year ranked Number 4 on the Euro Americana Chart's Top 20 albums of 2004. Andrews frequently appears in concert with AJ Roach. The two have toured together in the United States and Europe in late 2006.
Scrimshaw can be streamed in its entirety on the No Depression site.
Only on the 1st track, but if the rest of the album maintains the infectious energy it begins with, then this is sure to be a keeper.
"Shanties on a Rock 'n' Rolling Sea
Traditional sea shanties share a number of qualities with rock and roll -- driving rhythms, catchy, memorable choruses. Sing along!
The Blow was until this album came out, one of those bands I thought would never release anything again. So I was happy to hear they, well, she, Khaela Maricich. Difficult to describe, kind of spoken word/electronic dance, maybe a bit rap-ish at time. Really great live if you ever get the chance.
@BT', I saw the William Pine & Felicia Dale album when checking out the long list of reviews on Maverick Magazine's long list of cd reviews (described as 'the UK's leading country music magazine', although seems to me to it's more folk and Americana than country). After listening to all of Blue Divide I think there's a promising premise there, but the wow factor is missing somehow. It left me wanting to hear Bellowhead or Faustus or Jon Boden. I don't know - I think maybe it is the echo voices in the shanties that don't have the required punch the songs need. It's a shame cuz it could have been a great album. What did you think?
@Kez, you hit the nail on the head. Too many elements don't seem to sync together, in particular the percussion (which sounds like bad Echo and the Bunnymen) and the somewhat campy vocal delivery. Too bad, because the genre could use a good update. Maybe I'll resample the Short Sharp Shanties collections.
Enjoying:
Intimate Latin Jazz, with touches of Tango.
BT - I've just spent the last 20 minutes or so scanning through Jonah's Jazz Picks for the last three weeks, putting several into my SFL, but so far only downloading one, the very same one that you are playing now! I am now mid way through track two and enjoying it
@Lowlife - probably only of interest to you - there are a number of decent free albums/samplers on Amazon UK at the moment. I won't put the link - you know it!
@Greg - the last time you told Lowlife "probably only of interest to you" (re the Amazon UK Navigator freebie sampler), I was interested. Even though I couldn't get the free download here in the USA, I discovered several great artists by listening to the soundbytes. That makes me curious what new link you're mentioning now - if it's folky, I would be interested, too.
I knew that Bellowhead was made up of an extremely prolific group of individuals, but I had no idea how much so until I started following their individual trails. This one by Hannah James & Sam Sweeney is really, really good. Currently listening to it on Grooveshark: "Hannah and Sam's 2011 album, released on RootBeat Records (RBRCD13) and available from Amazon, iTunes and all good independent record shops. For a limited time to celebrate their nomination for Best Duo at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, listen to the whole album for free!" Linky
(PS. Wow, it's never happened to me before but I'm privileged to get to be at the top of a new page this time - and it's not even a scary picture.)
My ongoing eMu 50% cleanup of my SFL's picked this up this morning - from that VampiSoul feature they had a while ago - Toma Tu Jabon Kapax by Los Piranas - some really weird kind of Latin garage-psych I don't know what but I like it. Very strange.
Jazz at no cost from the Free Music Archive.
Then:
Working on my SFL too...the half price boosters I got are almost enough to clear my SFL. So the result of emusic's promotion might end up being that I go on hold. Those cheap boosters had an effect on me slightly different from what I imagined (though I should have expected it if I had thought about it and known myself). Having all that free money to spent made me concentrate more, not less, on whether I really wanted what I was getting (a combination of "if I don't want it right this minute at this price I can probably live without it" and "wow a fun, finite resource - let's milk all the enjoyment possible out of it"), and that led to a slash and burn approach to my SFL, which is now getting close to empty.
@Gprof - similar mechanism for me - I have been very methodical with this largesse - filled in some things, completed a few, stayed with material I felt I really am going to get usage out of - maximize this little splurge. And then there's Los Piranos......but they're so wack I'd be happy at full price. It feels very satisfying for some reason to get those SFL's whittled down.
@Lowlife, thanks for the post on Rachel McShane. Glad to have your feedback on it. I haven't listened to it yet, but had it in my wish list along with a whole slew of others from the Bellowhead gang. I think it might be fun to make a mix featuring some of the projects of this group and call it something corny like Headfull of Bellows or something. Now I'm off to listen to that Rachel McShane!
I find it interesting that eMusic has only "picked" one new Blues album this year. Is 2013 a bad year for the Blues (or would that make a it a blue year for the Blues)?
Comments
Pusha T - My Name is My Name
No trouble deciding if I like this one. It's excellent. And not just because the album title is a reference to The Wire
Craig
JODY - Magique
Quite enjoyable experimental R&B. $1/NYOP on Bandcamp.
Craig
When the Devil's Loose - by A.A. Bondy
Very pleasant contemporary folk/soft rock. I like it.
I bought this album last year, but never got time to let it sink in - and it is the kind of introspective folksy-troubadour type recording that requires your attention to appreciate. Now that I'm listening closer to it, it really is lovely. I can see why it made a lot of 'best of 2012' lists last year.
From Wikipedia - Nels Andrews is a folk singer based in Brooklyn, New York. Known primarily as a folk singer, few know of his apprenticeship with cult blues icon Washboard Williams.
In 2002, Andrews was selected as a winner in the prestigious New Folk Competition at the annual Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas. Past winners of this coveted award include, Eric Taylor, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and Slaid Cleaves. In 2006, Nels was selected as the winner of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival's Troubadour Competition
In August 2006, Nels was selected as a winner of the Mountain Stage New Song Competition. Nels Andrews' debut full-length recording, Sunday Shoes rose to Number 1 on the UK Americana Chart, and finished the year ranked Number 4 on the Euro Americana Chart's Top 20 albums of 2004. Andrews frequently appears in concert with AJ Roach. The two have toured together in the United States and Europe in late 2006.
Scrimshaw can be streamed in its entirety on the No Depression site.
Streaming on Bandcamp
Only on the 1st track, but if the rest of the album maintains the infectious energy it begins with, then this is sure to be a keeper.
"Shanties on a Rock 'n' Rolling Sea
Traditional sea shanties share a number of qualities with rock and roll -- driving rhythms, catchy, memorable choruses. Sing along!
The Blow was until this album came out, one of those bands I thought would never release anything again. So I was happy to hear they, well, she, Khaela Maricich. Difficult to describe, kind of spoken word/electronic dance, maybe a bit rap-ish at time. Really great live if you ever get the chance.
Free download from Noisetrade - a ten track sampler from previous albums plus one from their next album
Kez - the site I go to most often from information on new folk albums is Bright Young Folk
Enjoying:
Intimate Latin Jazz, with touches of Tango.
Forty years old/Timeless
I knew that Bellowhead was made up of an extremely prolific group of individuals, but I had no idea how much so until I started following their individual trails. This one by Hannah James & Sam Sweeney is really, really good. Currently listening to it on Grooveshark: "Hannah and Sam's 2011 album, released on RootBeat Records (RBRCD13) and available from Amazon, iTunes and all good independent record shops. For a limited time to celebrate their nomination for Best Duo at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, listen to the whole album for free!" Linky
(PS. Wow, it's never happened to me before but I'm privileged to get to be at the top of a new page this time - and it's not even a scary picture.)
Jazz at no cost from the Free Music Archive.
Then:
Working on my SFL too...the half price boosters I got are almost enough to clear my SFL. So the result of emusic's promotion might end up being that I go on hold. Those cheap boosters had an effect on me slightly different from what I imagined (though I should have expected it if I had thought about it and known myself). Having all that free money to spent made me concentrate more, not less, on whether I really wanted what I was getting (a combination of "if I don't want it right this minute at this price I can probably live without it" and "wow a fun, finite resource - let's milk all the enjoyment possible out of it"), and that led to a slash and burn approach to my SFL, which is now getting close to empty.
How I like my Blues: ragged, rough and rural.
Rachel McShane- No Mans Fool
Kez, another of the Bellowhead clan, this is a cracking album, really worth investigating
Speaking of Bright Young Folk, this was reviewed a while ago but finally arrived at eMu. Very fun.
I find it interesting that eMusic has only "picked" one new Blues album this year. Is 2013 a bad year for the Blues (or would that make a it a blue year for the Blues)?