It’s time for another cleanout. You’re welcome for eliminating most of the Clonevilles, those sound-alikes who think their road to Nashville is to sound like everyone else trying to make it there. These days I only review them I find something of interest in their work.
I only needed a few tracks to once again sing the praises of Julian Taylor. His latest, Beyond the Reservoir is a departure. The vibe of “Wide Awake” reminded me of something Garnet Rogers might have done if the lyrics were darker and we replaced Taylor’s smoothness with Garnet’s booming power. They’re both Canadian, though. (Taylor is of First Nations and Carib descent.) Beyond the Reservoir finds Taylor shifting from his earlier folk approach to something more rootsy and soulful. ”Opening the Sky” unfolds as if he’s going full troubadour, but he turns up the juice and immerses himself in an electric mix. Check him out in his coolest goes-down- easy mode on his official video of "Seeds." To invoke one of my favorite descriptors, he’s the real deal.
Lodestar Trio consists of Britain’s Max Baillie on violin, Norway’s Olva Laksengård on the hardanger fiddle, and Sweden’s Erik Rydvall on the nyckelharpa. That alone intrigues as all three instruments look like violins, but the second has internal strings that resonate harmonically, the third has a row of keys to alter the pitch, and each has a unique sound. Their recording From Bach to Folk indicates their aim, though the title is slightly deceptive as the music is more drawing room than town hall. Rearranged cello suites and Baroque arrangements dominate with forays into “folk” tunes as interpreted by the bewigged set. They arrange Couperin’s “Les Barricades Mystérieuses” for their instruments, a melody originally written for harpsichord, and give similar treatments to Bach, my favorite being a musette that found old Johann doing his crossover bit 270 years ago. For the record, their take on “Deliverance” has nothing to do with the film of the same name. The closest they get to “folk” as we think of that term today is a couple of Norwegian traditionals. Here’s one.
A much better-defined crossover album comes from the trio Voyagers. Their album Chasing the Light combines the talents of Yocomba Sissoko, a Malian singer and kora player; Edith Letner on alto and soprano saxophone; and guitarist Banning Eyre. The last name might sound familiar; Eyre is former print media music critic who produces NPR’s Afropop program, and is the founder of Lion Song Records. Chasing the Light shines with talents of all three and puts the “world” back into world music. There aren’t a lot of tracks available online but “Today is a New Day” gives you an idea of what I mean. “Solole” will give you a taste of Sissoko’s gentle vocals and you can hear more tracks on Bandcamp. I love the way Voyagers meld the hypnotic grooves of West African music with the exuberance of modified klezmer music and Eyre’s grounding guitar. This album and Taylor’s are my favorites for January.
Fenya Rai is a deliberately rough-edged, irreverent group of Catalan band of musical outlaws that befits this rebellious region of Spain. If you like things silky smooth, you probably won’t like songs like “les rondes del vi",” but the raucous accordion-driven "Pastor Cabrer” might put you in mind of a Cajun party that got out of hand! "baixeu al carrer” is another of the 11 tracks on Placa Major. Truth be told, the entire album is like these three. I enjoyed the insouciance of making a record that makes no effort to use studio mixes to smooth out its ragged edges. I suspect, though, that non-Catalan speakers–that includes me–will find that a little goes a long way.
Ivy Ryann grew up in a fundamentalist Virginian family. Her A Nonaggressive Extreme Violation of Boundaries holds promise, despite glitches. “Driveway Prayers” is only tangentially linked to her background; it’s mostly about finding understanding and safe places. Her most “extreme violation of boundaries” is a cover of the Johnny Cash standard “Walk the Line,” which she slows down and plays on the piano. It won’t make you forget Cash, but it’s a bold try. “The Weight” is an original, not the song popularized by The Band. She offers two versions of it, one with electric backing and another with an orchestral take. In order to soar, Ryann needs to emote more clearly and can the sonic drone and shapeless instrumental of songs like “In Wanting.” It’s always a good idea to fledge before you try to fly.
Mixed Feelings:
The three didn’t set me on fire, but they might light yours.
Teddy Grossman is a white guy who loves old-style soul music. “Leave It on the Line” comes complete with soulful backup singers. “What I Owe” is a bit less raucous but is cut from similar cloth, with some mouth harp tossed in. He even tickles the ivories on “Soon Come,” his album title track. I confess that the LA-based Grossman isn’t the kind of stuff I’ve listened to since the days of Bill Withers–too much high octane singing–but he’s very good at what he does.
Gotta be honest about The Deer’s Cry. Heal the Heart was billed as a blend of Celtic, Americana, and world music. My ears would say it’s a mash of Christian, New Age, and Japanese-style vocals. Harper/vocalist Karen Ballew anchors a quartet that includes a bass player, a banjo artist, and a percussionist. Ballew’s vocals are so high they strike me as strident, but I’m fine if you think they’re different in a good way. Try “I Want to Get Through to You” and “I See His Blood Upon the Rose.”
Rachel McIntyre Smith has room for growth. I think there’s a good voice in the development, but her songs left me waiting to see where she lands not where she is. I liked her fiddler, but that’s probably not where she wanted me to land. Try “First Love” or “High School Reunion.” I’m willing to believe I just have no desire to relive either of these things.
Rob Weir
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