Review page 3 for Singer-Songwriters releases
in cooperation with the Singer-Songwriter Radioprogram "Mark & The Woolfeman" :
NEW MODERN SINGER-SONGWRITERS :
This page will be dedicated to new Singer-Songwriters worth to trace. Altough I usually do not accept non progressive singer-songwriters for playing in my radio shows and I prefer not to try too many of them either, there are simply too many exceptions too I cannot neglect. They will receive reviews here on this page. Both producers (Woolfeman & me) their opinion is asked but not always published. Some reviews here are mine, other are from Woolfeman.
Cropduster Rec. Amanda Thorpe : Mass (2000)**°
*** means very good if you ask me. Because the CD has a more modern sound the review is done only by the Singer-Songwriting program DJ Lawrence Woolfe :
This is singer-songwriting territory with a soft pop-rock sensibility. Well recorded and coproduced by Thorpe and Garry Rindfuss. The songs have grown on me, as Thorpe's vocals effectively convey understated emotion, with no fashionable hysterics thankfully. The opening song "This Dear City" ("I've lost the map to my reason in this dear city" she sings) is a wonderfully atmospheric song with acoustic guitar and muted trumpet. On "Eyes of an Angel" Thorpe's voice reminded me a little of Debby Harry on the late night cool "Always" (once again with haunting muted trumpet). I was reminded in delivery of Scottish Singer-songwriter Jenny Burns (On "Toy Guitar" the cool beauty of the voice has an incoming resemblance"). All the songs are written by Thorpe except for "Them There Eyes"
(a great bluesy atmosphere & vocal) and the co-written aforementioned "Toy Guitar". "High and Dry" has a story with commercial chorus, with a committed aching quality in the voice. In fact the songs have quality and are worthy of undivided attention and will stand repeated listens. The lyrics are the only area where I have a few quibbles but importantly they are focused enough to work as part of the songs. Well worth investigating. L.Woolfe*
There's a review page of classic singer-songwriters and one about singer-songwriters in classic 70's styles.There's one more page with reviews of busker-related CD's.
Private
Shari Elf : I'm forcing my goodness upon you (2002)***
Shari Elf : I'm forcing my goodness upon you (2002)***Stand-up folk artist Shari is indeed very funny, very enjoyable. Simple and perfect as it is. The few tracks at the end with electric guitar I found still ok but not that amusing as most of the CD. I did not play it in my radioprogram, but it has been used in the singer-songwriting radioshow. Lawrence Woolfe did the full review :
"Kansas singer-songwriter Shari Elf's debut CD is very much a low budget small studio affair apart from the first two tracks where she had arrangements and production help from Larry Klein and David Baerwald on track 2.
The opening song "Tenderness versus Watering the Lawn backwards" very much sets the tone of the lyric writing -a quircky amusing tale of various relationships/friendships very much in the mould of some of Christine Lavin's work. Larry Klein played all the instruments and has done a fine job producing. The Baerwald produced "Jerk-a-lator" is a catchy little plea to a new beau, hoping that he isn't going to be another jerk.
Those two productions seem to have been a 2 song demo deal for Interscope Records and it seems a pity that the production on some remaining songs doesn't measure up as well. Some songs are really like home demos but some songs like "Seamstress", "Ron's appliant", "Jesus and the Hardware store" still come across in their light hearted way. Covers like "Dream a little Dream" and "Ring of Fire" don't come across that very well. A couple of the self compositions are weak musically bu retain and receive a funny charm.
Overall the CD is an unpretentious contrast to much that's in the mainstream of female singer-songwriters. At least Ms Elf has a sense of humour. How she develops remains to be seen and I hope that budget restrictions don't really restrict further work." L.Woolfe
Shari is also a artist who can blend humour with beauty. Unique. Finally a modern visual artist with a content that can contribute quality in our lives trough art. In my humble opinion
(-I have a high degree in art myself-) I find her a very big visual artist. After all the nonsense I saw in so called modern art (which I prefer to call economic art mostly) I prefer this real life nonsense instead.
Other review at http://www.rahul.net/hrmusic/discos/fadisc78.html
More short reviews at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sharielf
More artwork at http://www.zetteroutsider.com/ProctorElf/
PS. Another artist with humour I reviewed is Harald Sack Ziegler
Camera Obscura Rec.Marianne Nowtonny : Illusions of the Sun (US,2002)**°
Marianne Nowtonny : Illusions of the Sun (US,2002)**°When I read other reviews I cannot believe my eyes how positive the reviewers are and how many references they bring in, upto a ridiculous point. Of course we have to be serious with music, but what, when the music itself has something absurd ? Do we still have to compare then with very serious examples ? Hell no ! This is indeed a very original approach, but so are many more examples of the 'incredibly strange music' subgenre, which I prefer to call the 'idiotsyncratic' genre. Whether you like it or not is up to you. Now, I do, with a certain reserved amount of non-seriousness. This non seriousness doesn't have to be 'humour'. The music has to be big enough yet not to fit the usual serious music, and has to be created seriously enough, in a very individual world strange expression of a certain genially autism. And wow what a strange world the 17 year old Marianne Nowtonny brings, on small keyboards and with her voice only. On "Illusions of the sun", she recalls a bit the Japanese Jon : going from a melodic normal song approach towards oddities going around the song ideas, falling of, and then again back to normal.
It's not esoteric, only odd at first, it's just her own world, still anybody's world. "Rainy Days and vinyl" continues expressing a strange world, surreal, like the early contemporary "Pierrot Lunaire" was, from Arnold Schönberg (a very poetic work by the way, often misinterpreted as being a technical work only). All oddities in singing mentioned she does this with full confidence. The last track "Sweet and Low" with harmonium, sounds like Om khalsoum on acid, and leaves me with a desire for more.
What puzzled me at first after a while got me hooked, was as if the music was the purest, and most dangerous, acid.
While at first listen I was thrown out of my chair, listening further whilst wrecked on the carpet, I enjoyed the music at second listen as a cocktail of colourful delightful island, of oddities in my head.
Is this a recommended release ? Not if you expect just anything, but yes if you are open to a pleasant unexpectedness (and when you like 'Outsider Art' for instance).
Webpages :
http://www.salon.com/audio/2000/10/05/nowottny/ (with sound fragment)
Microbe Rec. (Jesse) Morning Star (UK,2001)**
(Jesse) Morning Star (UK,2001)**It is not always possible to remain in the same intensity of a listening experience within a certain mood, because there appears a certain differing variety in it. As soon as I did put this CD on we heard a few warm jazzy songs which had something extremely pleasant, almost funny in a good sense. My girlfriend called it parochial humoristic peaceful evening music. We immediately started to dance slowly on its first song, "I heard beauty calling". We could have continued with the next couple of songs. "Hereafter" still a song, with an evening band, and some 70's touch of a jazzy flute, a female duo on the background still is nice. The band keeps on being entertaining on "Morning Star", a slightly English styled song. Then, "Humming Song" is a beautiful folk like s/sw song accompanied by guitar only with Jesse's pleasant voice. These last two mentioned songs can both to be called ballads. Then the mood sadly slightly changed. Already the bluesy country piano bar like song "Peace beyond all ages" was not exactly the same. Luckily the great band came in on time before I switched to fast forward. The next two songs, a pop ballad and a poprock song could not please me that much any more. The instrumental followed there was still ok. A nice jazzy song again at the end kept me puzzled a bit how to judge this group..
Contact : jessemorning@blueyonder.co.uk
Jesse cooperated with another group : Solar Mumuns.
See review of their release at the second Poor Minstrels of Song page
The following CD is reviewed only for and by the singer-songwriting radioprogram "Mark and the Woolfeman" It does not fit with the "Psyche van het Folk" radioprogram at all (dedicated to progressive crossovers with folk mostly) :
Waterline Rec.Sandy Madaris : Way Back Home (US,2002)° (only chosen to review by Woolfeman)
Sandy Madaris : Way Back Home (US,2002)° (only chosen to review by Woolfeman)"This CD belongs to the American singer-songwriter territory, except that all bar two of the twelve songs are written by Luke Powers and therefore Sandy Maddaris is the interpreter of his songs rather than a singer-songwriter in her own right. Only on "Only one way" does Madaris share a co-written credit. Sandy Madaris does a fine and convincing job with an interesting bunch of songs that are well recorded. She has a voice that is remniscent of Emmylou Harris (not a bad reference). The opening track "Man with a loaded gun" is an unsettling narration taken from the thoughts of an obviously disaffected socially disconnected person who dangerously believes the angels inside his head have given him the power of life and death. The title track has a nice feel - structure - and electric guitar motive, and reflects on returning home and gauging the gulf in recognition between the woman and the girl that was left begind. For me the stand out track is "Waterline". Beautifully atmospheric it transcends the country genre and hits the timeless s/sw mark. Other songs such as "Dad is drunk" (living with an alcoholic), "Hey Hector" (delinquency) "Rocking at the end of the world" (gigs from hell) make for interesting listening both lyrically and musically within the alternative country/rock genre. There's an amusing song entitled "Whatta you done to Elvis, Dr.Nick ?" with a lyric that says "He was just a mama's boy, wasn't too durn bright, made a lot of money for the RCA, turning black to white" One for Elvis worshippers ? Overall then, an enjoyable album." L.Woolfe
Webpage : http://www.phoebeclaire.com/default.htm
Cooking VinylMary Lorson & Saint Low : Trick for Dawn *** Review by L.W.
Mary Lorson & Saint Low : Trick for Dawn *** Review by L.W."When we go away, what do we leave ?" asks Mary Lorson on 'Morningless Dreamer' in her breathy mellifluous voice. Almost 3 minutes of introspective ruminations yet with a classy pop sensibility. Following on 'Friends, I have been drinking' meanders its musical course with casual elegance. Classy production and playing from Saint Low. I am helplessly drawn into the musical landscape of cello, guitars, violin, jazzy textures. On first listen the songs are almost lightweight but soon Mary Lorson's vocals insinuate themselves with their airy and deceptive attractiveness to reveal more than may first catch the ear. The lyrics are similarly weighted, well written reflections, quietly, intense and thoughtful and delivered with an intimacy that serves the music well. Songs such as 'Anything can happen', 'Blast off', 'Accelerate' all stand out as having that songwriting quality that spells out integrity as well as charm. "So you've made a few mistakes, sometimes that's exactly what it takes, and a little later she comes to you with scars and shame but smiling, you know the telltale dues to what she really wants" goes the lyrics on 'Anything can happen' which seems to warn of the danger of falling under the spell of someone else's strength of personality (a force for positive and negative depending upon the individual concerned). Set upon / against a piano riff it wends it's glorious and melodic soundscape with a killer chorus, and finishes with a beautiful burst of violin. 5 minutes of splendid intoxication that in a (more perfect) less self obsessed musical culture, would gain the measure of acclaim it indoubtably deserves. Yes, and it's very accessible !
The closing tracks 'Long Way Down' and the title track, 'Tricks for Dawn', round things off, with an atmospheric chamber like orchestral soundscape. We end with the sound of pouring rain but it's the voice of Mary Lorsen that will haunt : intelligent and heartfelt with an effortless elegance."
Lawrence Woolfe
Webpage at http://www.saintlow.com/
I believe this item might have been sold out already at the label : http://www.cookingvinyl.com/artists/index.htm
Other reviews at http://www.venuszine.com/venus/stories/reviews/002740.html & http://www.adequacy.net/int/lorson/index.shtml
http://www.ink19.com/issues/april2002/musicReviews/musicL/maryLorsonSaintLow.html and http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/music/2002/Pop/saintlow.shtml
German review : http://www.hinternet.de/musik/cd-l/lorson.php
Big scan of cover at http://www.spinartrecords.com/art_photos/art_marylorson_4.html
Private Annavox : All Day Breathing (2001)*** review by L.W.
Annavox : All Day Breathing (2001)*** review by L.W."This is the debut CD from Annavox who were formed in the autumn of 2000 and a very pleasing one it is too. Consisting of David Gerritsen, acoustic guitars and vocals, Anna Fritz, cello and vocals. They have combined their strengths and talents to give us a collection of songs that are distinctive, melodic and appealingly intense. The fact that they sound like an ensemble playing with no deceptive recording studio trickery, makes far an organic and well crafted CD. The instrumentation used, with no rhythm section lends itself to material that is passionately played and sung. The songs themselves show a diverse and intelligent view of life and loves complexities, very much like the best singer songwriters (solid subjects, personal and further flung considerations, politics, the humanities, etc.) to have come from folk and poetic traditions. Check out the lyrics on "Xmas", "Biafra" ("How many screams does it take to get to the centre of your soul"), "Skin" and "Not me" to name a few. The arrangements are perfectly suited to the songs with the cello lines providing many spine tingling moments. Being classically trained is not necessarily a guarantee of good arrangements in rock/folk/pop music but in this instance there is an over abundance of wonderful arrangements between the instruments. Production plaudits go to Nathen Lester.
From the opening track 'Radius' with the cello in pizzicato mode until 335, when the cello opens up gloriously you will realise that you are listening to something that is quite special. There is a remarkable consistency overall for which this trio deserves high praise. This CD is an independent release that according to the notes would not exist but for the financial support of some 50 people. All the more reason to give this excellent music your attention. I wish them every success and look forward to hearing more from them." Lawrence Woolfe
Dragonfly Lake Sally French : Destiny (UK,2002)*** (only chosen for review by me)
Sally French : Destiny (UK,2002)*** (only chosen for review by me)Normally I am not too keen to receive or to review singer-songerwriters items because s many private releases categorised under singer-songwriting are often too basic or too pretentious. I'm glad this release is at first defined under rock / pop although it has all the looks of being a basically a singer-songwriting item. The music has at his best something of a 70's progressive music foundation that came filtered through the more darker 80's, to result in something renewing fresh, especially thanks to the voice of Sally. The sextet band with Sally are accompanying such tracks perfectly, not too much in composing music, but as the perfect studio band, with openings to some improvisational counter parts : beautiful coloured sounds are created by keyboards, electric fingerpicking guitars, el.guitars, drums and the beautiful mellotron. On more easy played tracks Sally reminds me too of more ethereal celtic music, dark but still sprankling at the same time, and surprisingly pleasant, and at its most easy accompaniment, an 80's pop of Kate Bush, although not having such a high voice, she also succeeds too, in creating a special atmospheric mood with her singing. But there are tracks where Sally experiments more with her voice, like on "The Mist of Avalon", a track with the band on its best again.
I will ask our singer-songwriter specialist to review the textual part with the music
Website : www.dragonfly.co.uk
Trust MeThings in Herds : I can dancing and walking (UK,2002)*** (VG)
Things in Herds : I can dancing and walking (UK,2002)*** (VG)It's not always that easy to say why a particular sound from a group is so nice and appealing. Is it the minor chords ? (-Why in earth are we always reminded at certain moments of Nick Drake, even when there's no other reason ? -). Or is it the feeling that I would like to sing along, in a romantic way, and why does this music recall better (human) bounds (like with family), or is it the fact that there's a decent acoustic sound combined with a fine modern production with sweet electronic effects, and with a suitable soft voice, that make all these associations possible ? Hope our singer-songwriter specialist finds time to review the content of the songs.
(press : marit@trustmerecords.co.uk)
Label entry : http://www.trustmerecords.com/thingsinherds/index.htm
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Private Serah : Late Harvest (US,2003)***
I was impressed by the information on Serah's backgrounds, an interesting biography that fills a full page with important references. One important influence came after having been in Kenya for a year. This influence can be noticed in some additional arrangements, in the list of some of the musicians. On one hand she's involved with commercially interesting charts hitting adult folk-pop, with an impressive list of top musicians (with history in mostly the top pop world, but also jazz, and other genres), helping her with it. Seeing this list it's no wonder this release has the best production a pop release can imagine. The CD cover does make it look a bit like a Wicca singer-songwriter release but it isn't. The booklet is wonderful, the artwork fabulous and it looks like a treasure to keep. The music is much more headed for a large public. There's a talent to perform what easily commercially appeals in a singer-songwriter pop style. There are mature qualities that help her, like the travelling experiences showing in the writing, and a perfectionism to work songs out, and the fine contributing combinations with the African elements (reminiscent to Yousou N'Dour) that all make the music more original. The most individual and independent, and often more introspective songs I like most (, songs like "Sailing", "Joined at the Wing", and "Dolce",..). Also "Psalm song" based upon a Old Testament prayer, is an original and strong individual choice, worked out by a fine use of classical, African and fused pop arrangements. In some of the relaxed songs like "Pieces of Dreams" or "Crazy Love" I can imagine her admiring Van Morrison. There is a certain romantic and socially concerned flavour lying underneath as well. Several songs still have the fundaments of popular pop rhythms, in such way those songs could make it with popular radioshows, but not in a progressive music show like mine.
And from a cover of a hits like "Stand by me", I can only imagine it's choice being chosen for a commercial and a personal reason, but not as a contribution in creativity seen from a musical level. A song chosen or sung for the reason or destiny to remember it nostalgically but not to hear from a deeper musical experience or level for me is an aspect in performing I see as passing moments of accidental needs of the mind. Serah has the direct approach to the public of a popular artist, and has enough background to give more than just a performance. Therefore the sum of her qualities will enrich the listener by hearing a release like this.
Other review : http://www.cosmik.com/aa-june03/reviews/review_serah.html
Homepage with soundfiles : http://www.serah.com/harvest.htm
Management : CreatServ9@aol.com
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Other suggestions (of releases with good lyrics or a progressive touch or just a nice and sweet mood, of a deep soul and spirit, of fusing elements or just extremely talented ?
There's also one page of singers before and after known successes at next page
Go back to review page 1
There's also one more page with reviews of some 70's or 70's inspired singer-songwriters, which are the busker-related CD's.
The few singer-songwriters which neglect a professional production now andthen are reviewed at the "Poor Minstrels" Acid Singer-Songwriters page.
Go back to the Main index of Radio Program "Psyche van het Folk"
