Browse Titles - 16 results
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Comedians & Angels
produced by Jim Rooney; performed by Tom Paxton, 1937- (Appleseed, 2008), 53 mins, 15 page(s)
Tom Paxton was one of the few New York City based singer/songwriters to get a pop hit; the Fireballs waxed his alcoholic anthem "Bottle of Wine" and took it to the Top Ten in 1968. He also contributed his share of folk standards to the canon including "The Last Thing on My Mind," "Ramblin' Boy," and "I Can't Help...
Sample
produced by Jim Rooney; performed by Tom Paxton, 1937- (Appleseed, 2008), 53 mins, 15 page(s)
Description
Tom Paxton was one of the few New York City based singer/songwriters to get a pop hit; the Fireballs waxed his alcoholic anthem "Bottle of Wine" and took it to the Top Ten in 1968. He also contributed his share of folk standards to the canon including "The Last Thing on My Mind," "Ramblin' Boy," and "I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound." Never comfortable with folk-rock, or rock for that matter, despite the fact that rockers and folkies alike...
Tom Paxton was one of the few New York City based singer/songwriters to get a pop hit; the Fireballs waxed his alcoholic anthem "Bottle of Wine" and took it to the Top Ten in 1968. He also contributed his share of folk standards to the canon including "The Last Thing on My Mind," "Ramblin' Boy," and "I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound." Never comfortable with folk-rock, or rock for that matter, despite the fact that rockers and folkies alike covered his songs, Paxton stayed true to the folk singer ethos, one man and a guitar delivering heartfelt, humorous, and gently political songs like 1978's "Anita OJ," a mild put-down of Anita Bryant's anti-gay activities. Although his profile outside folk circles may be low, Paxton is still a vital artist, as this fine collection shows. The songs here, delivered by Paxton and a band of pickers adept at folk, acoustic pop, and country styles, deal with love, marriage, aging, and mortality. Love songs that deal with long-term relationships are few and far between in pop music. There are more of them in country music, but they're often cloying, cliché ridden, and embarrassing. Paxton avoids all those traps with nine delicious tunes to his wife Midge. "Home to Me (Is Anywhere You Are)" is a mid-tempo country tune with an understated message of fidelity. "I Like the Way You Look" could be a rock & roll hit for someone like Bob Seger, a frisky, humorous, slyly sexy tune with a chooglin' melody and some nice solo work by Tim Crouch on mandolin and Mark Howard on guitar. "What a Friend You Are" is a poignant ode to the friendship of a supportive spouse, while "The First Song Is for You" salutes the art of songwriting and long-term relationships. These love songs will bring a glow to anyone who has ever experienced a long-term love affair or successful marriage. Paxton's playful side is evident on "And If It's Not True" a lilting waltz full of tall tales about hanging out with Ravel, meandering through smoky Barcelona bars, and watching Van Gogh and Cezanne paint their masterpieces. "Jennifer and Kate," dedicated to his daughters, is a meditation on fatherhood, funny as well as achingly beautiful and poignant. The title track pays tribute to his pals Dave Van Ronk, the Clancy Brothers, and other singers and poets who made the Greenwich Village scene so vital. Like the rest of the songs on the album it's a masterwork of unassuming poetry married to a strong, folky melody. Paxton's songwriting here is deep and affecting, touching the heart ever deeper with repeated listening. ~ j. poet, All Music Guide
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Date Written / Recorded
2007-09
Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Tom Paxton, 1937-
Contributor
Dave Ferguson, 1962-, Jim Rooney
Author / Creator
Tom Paxton, 1937-
Date Published / Released
2008
Publisher
Appleseed
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Companion
produced by Cathy Fink, 1953- and Marcy Marxer, 1956-; performed by Si Kahn, 1944- (Appleseed, 1997), 44 mins, 14 page(s)
Sample
produced by Cathy Fink, 1953- and Marcy Marxer, 1956-; performed by Si Kahn, 1944- (Appleseed, 1997), 44 mins, 14 page(s)
Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Si Kahn, 1944-
Contributor
Ronald Freeland, Cathy Fink, 1953-, Marcy Marxer, 1956-
Author / Creator
Si Kahn, 1944-
Date Published / Released
1997
Publisher
Appleseed
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David Lewis: For Now
produced by Chris von Sneidern and John Wesley Harding; performed by David Lewis (Appleseed, 2001), 40 mins, 11 page(s)
David Lewis waited five years to follow up 1996's much-praised No Straight Line with For Now. Like the former, John Wesley Harding lends a hand by playing guitar and adding harmony. While acoustic instruments infused the earlier album, Lewis takes a more eclectic route this time around. A number of tracks -- "You...
Sample
produced by Chris von Sneidern and John Wesley Harding; performed by David Lewis (Appleseed, 2001), 40 mins, 11 page(s)
Description
David Lewis waited five years to follow up 1996's much-praised No Straight Line with For Now. Like the former, John Wesley Harding lends a hand by playing guitar and adding harmony. While acoustic instruments infused the earlier album, Lewis takes a more eclectic route this time around. A number of tracks -- "You Don't Have to Lose" and "Almost a Stranger" -- feature little more than guitar and background organ. Others -- like "Ramadan Moon" and...
David Lewis waited five years to follow up 1996's much-praised No Straight Line with For Now. Like the former, John Wesley Harding lends a hand by playing guitar and adding harmony. While acoustic instruments infused the earlier album, Lewis takes a more eclectic route this time around. A number of tracks -- "You Don't Have to Lose" and "Almost a Stranger" -- feature little more than guitar and background organ. Others -- like "Ramadan Moon" and "The Rain Stops Everything" -- utilize full band arrangements. While both styles work well, it is a bit jarring when a noisier track follows a quieter one (though this can be overcome by programming the track sequence differently). Lewis' pleasing vocals remind one of Al Stewart, which makes it appropriate that Stewart joins him for some fine harmony on "You Don't Know." Mandolin and accordion player Robert Lloyd adds a number of nice flourishes, while Chuck Prophet throws in a bit of energetic electric guitar. Perhaps the most effective track on the album is "Let the Sunlight Dry Your Tears," a lovely song that uses a fuller arrangement without electric instruments. The big sound, with Spanish guitar and trumpet, offers atmosphere to spare, much like the acoustic folk-rock of late-'60s groups like Pentangle. A listener also wouldn't want to miss a good version of Nick Drake's "Northern Sky." For Now finds Lewis growing into new forms, offering fans a broader brand of folk than his first outing. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
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Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
David Lewis
Contributor
Chris von Sneidern, John Wesley Harding
Author / Creator
David Lewis
Date Published / Released
2001
Publisher
Appleseed
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Fields of Promise
produced by Kari Estrin; performed by Dave Crossland, fl. 2000 (Appleseed, 2000), 26 mins, 6 page(s)
Sample
produced by Kari Estrin; performed by Dave Crossland, fl. 2000 (Appleseed, 2000), 26 mins, 6 page(s)
Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Dave Crossland, fl. 2000
Contributor
Kari Estrin
Author / Creator
Dave Crossland, fl. 2000
Date Published / Released
2000
Publisher
Appleseed
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Folkzinger
produced by Brian Bauers and Christine Lavin, 1952-; performed by Christine Lavin, 1952- (Appleseed, 2005), 57 mins, 13 page(s)
Folksinger and songwriter Christine Lavin's 17th release (and third for Appleseed Records) is very much a New York album, not so much as a stated theme, but the feel of the city and the after effects of 9/11 seem to drift in and out of the background of these songs like a half-remembered dream. Lavin hasn't by any...
Sample
produced by Brian Bauers and Christine Lavin, 1952-; performed by Christine Lavin, 1952- (Appleseed, 2005), 57 mins, 13 page(s)
Description
Folksinger and songwriter Christine Lavin's 17th release (and third for Appleseed Records) is very much a New York album, not so much as a stated theme, but the feel of the city and the after effects of 9/11 seem to drift in and out of the background of these songs like a half-remembered dream. Lavin hasn't by any means abandoned her good humor and wry, gently sarcastic view of the little oddities of contemporary life, or the murky, ambivalent in...
Folksinger and songwriter Christine Lavin's 17th release (and third for Appleseed Records) is very much a New York album, not so much as a stated theme, but the feel of the city and the after effects of 9/11 seem to drift in and out of the background of these songs like a half-remembered dream. Lavin hasn't by any means abandoned her good humor and wry, gently sarcastic view of the little oddities of contemporary life, or the murky, ambivalent ins and outs of relationships in the 21st century, but she has always been a New Yorker, and it shows here. She also has a political agenda, which is in full display on Folkzinger, particularly on the heat-seeking "The Peter Principle at Work" (written with songwriting veteran Ervin Drake), which sharply damns the presidency of George W. Bush, and is one of the most striking songs on the album. The charming "Winter in Manhattan," which is presented both in a version with Lavin singing and in an a cappella version by the Accidentals, is a gem in miniature, managing to make a Big Apple winter seem worth traveling to see. Mixed in are songs about safe sex ("Bad Girl Dreams"), e-mail subscriptions ("Chicken Soup"), and soothing covers of Donovan's "Happiness Runs" (complete with a spoken interlude about meeting Donovan on a plane), and the Beatles' "All My Lovin'." Gentle and wry, but with plenty of her trademark zing, Folkzinger will be received with enthusiasm by Lavin's many fans. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
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Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Christine Lavin, 1952-
Contributor
Brian Bauers, Christine Lavin, 1952-
Author / Creator
Christine Lavin, 1952-
Date Published / Released
2005
Publisher
Appleseed
Tracks
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Gardener
produced by Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett and Lisa Zeiler; performed by Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett and Lisa Zeiler, Rebecca Riots (Appleseed, 2000), 58 mins, 16 page(s)
Sample
produced by Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett and Lisa Zeiler; performed by Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett and Lisa Zeiler, Rebecca Riots (Appleseed, 2000), 58 mins, 16 page(s)
Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Rebecca Riots, Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett, Lisa Zeiler
Contributor
Gary Mankin, Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett, Lisa Zeiler
Author / Creator
Rebecca Riots, Eve Decker, Andrea Prichett, Lisa Zeiler
Date Published / Released
2000
Publisher
Appleseed
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Imbizo
produced by Sharon Katz; performed by Sharon Katz, The Peace Train (Appleseed, 2002), 56 mins, 12 page(s)
Sample
produced by Sharon Katz; performed by Sharon Katz, The Peace Train (Appleseed, 2002), 56 mins, 12 page(s)
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
The Peace Train, Sharon Katz
Contributor
Ken Love, Sharon Katz
Author / Creator
The Peace Train, Sharon Katz
Date Published / Released
2002
Publisher
Appleseed
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It Happened One Night & It Never Happened at All
produced by John Wesley Harding and David Seitz; performed by John Wesley Harding (Appleseed, 2004), 1 hour 59 mins, 33 page(s)
John Wesley Harding makes a confession in the liner notes of his latest release: It Happened One Night, his first album, should've never been his first album. It was live, which meant it would never get radio play, and he was bored with the songs by the time he recorded them. It Never Happened at All, on the other...
Sample
produced by John Wesley Harding and David Seitz; performed by John Wesley Harding (Appleseed, 2004), 1 hour 59 mins, 33 page(s)
Description
John Wesley Harding makes a confession in the liner notes of his latest release: It Happened One Night, his first album, should've never been his first album. It was live, which meant it would never get radio play, and he was bored with the songs by the time he recorded them. It Never Happened at All, on the other hand, is an imaginary reconstruction, an album Harding says was much more representative of where he was at the time. This previously...
John Wesley Harding makes a confession in the liner notes of his latest release: It Happened One Night, his first album, should've never been his first album. It was live, which meant it would never get radio play, and he was bored with the songs by the time he recorded them. It Never Happened at All, on the other hand, is an imaginary reconstruction, an album Harding says was much more representative of where he was at the time. This previously unreleased material (the second disc of this collection) should have been his first release. Whatever one thinks of Harding's revisionist history of his own career, it's easy to listen to It Happened One Night and think it rather old-fashioned. His topical songs sung to the tune of an acoustic guitar remind one of Phil Ochs without the humor (and 25 years too late), and one imagines that he's instructing the audience more than entertaining them. It Never Happened at All, recorded with a full band in the studio, sounds like a lush product of the 20th century by comparison. The comparison is most obvious on a piece like "The Devil in Me," a cut that appears on both albums. The studio version, spruced up by Steve Donnelly's spunky guitar work, is far superior and really doesn't seem like the same song. Even Harding's vocal is much more spry, which makes the rather heavy lyric much easier to listen to. These observations are true across the board. Whether or not It Never Happened at All should've been Harding's first album, it is a much superior work than It Happened One Night, and a fine addition to his catalog. Fans should be ecstatic. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide
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Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
John Wesley Harding
Contributor
Emily Lazar, John Wesley Harding, David Seitz
Author / Creator
John Wesley Harding
Date Published / Released
2004
Publisher
Appleseed
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Love Call Me Home
produced by Calum MacColl and Neill MacColl; performed by Peggy Seeger, 1935- (Appleseed, 2005), 44 mins, 12 page(s)
During the 1950s-1960s folk revival, Peggy Seeger developed one of the most distinct vocal styles among traditional singers. She sang within tradition, but honed a personal style that surpassed mere emulation. Perhaps because she was -- like Jean Ritchie -- so traditional, or perhaps because she spent so much time...
Sample
produced by Calum MacColl and Neill MacColl; performed by Peggy Seeger, 1935- (Appleseed, 2005), 44 mins, 12 page(s)
Description
During the 1950s-1960s folk revival, Peggy Seeger developed one of the most distinct vocal styles among traditional singers. She sang within tradition, but honed a personal style that surpassed mere emulation. Perhaps because she was -- like Jean Ritchie -- so traditional, or perhaps because she spent so much time in England, she never received the same name recognition as brother Mike Seeger or half-brother Pete Seeger. This, however, cannot det...
During the 1950s-1960s folk revival, Peggy Seeger developed one of the most distinct vocal styles among traditional singers. She sang within tradition, but honed a personal style that surpassed mere emulation. Perhaps because she was -- like Jean Ritchie -- so traditional, or perhaps because she spent so much time in England, she never received the same name recognition as brother Mike Seeger or half-brother Pete Seeger. This, however, cannot detract from the fine quality of music on Love Call Me Home. Interestingly, the songs of choice show Seeger working the same ground that she first explored some 40 years ago. With -- for the most part -- little accompaniment, she allows her voice to hold center stage on old favorites including "Careless Love," "Hangman," and "Poor Ellen Smith." Highlights include "Love Is Teasing," beautifully performed a cappella. Here, Seeger reminds one of other great American and English traditionalists from Ritchie to Anne Briggs. "Who Killed Cock Robin?" is another fine piece, perfectly underpinned by a five-string banjo, while "Rynerdine" is quietly foreboding. While it might be easy -- from the album's title -- to assume that Love Call Me Home is filled with courting songs, many of these songs have darker themes. Seeger digs deep into the material, delivering a well-wrought album that should go a long way toward reminding everyone of her large talent. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
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Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Peggy Seeger, 1935-
Contributor
Rafe McKenna, Calum MacColl, Neill MacColl
Author / Creator
Peggy Seeger, 1935-
Date Published / Released
2005
Publisher
Appleseed
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Love Will Linger On
produced by Calum MacColl; performed by Peggy Seeger, 1935- (Appleseed, 2000), 58 mins, 13 page(s)
Peggy Seeger's 19th solo album is a thematic collection of originals and traditional songs concerning romantic love. It begins with the standard "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which Seeger's late husband Ewan MacColl wrote for her, and that track sets the tone lyrically, if not musically, in the sense that...
Sample
produced by Calum MacColl; performed by Peggy Seeger, 1935- (Appleseed, 2000), 58 mins, 13 page(s)
Description
Peggy Seeger's 19th solo album is a thematic collection of originals and traditional songs concerning romantic love. It begins with the standard "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which Seeger's late husband Ewan MacColl wrote for her, and that track sets the tone lyrically, if not musically, in the sense that, while not lacking in eroticism ("The first time ever I lay with you"), it has a formal sense that links it more to courtly love than...
Peggy Seeger's 19th solo album is a thematic collection of originals and traditional songs concerning romantic love. It begins with the standard "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which Seeger's late husband Ewan MacColl wrote for her, and that track sets the tone lyrically, if not musically, in the sense that, while not lacking in eroticism ("The first time ever I lay with you"), it has a formal sense that links it more to courtly love than the earthier type. Whether newly written or drawn from centuries-old repertoire, these are songs in which love is viewed with a stateliness and an emphasis on nature imagery. As such, this is more music for a sedate Sunday afternoon than a romantic evening. With the help of her son Calum MacColl, Seeger uses a variety of instrumentation and vocal support for the performances, ranging from the a cappella of "Mysterious Lover" to the art-song suite "Love Affair," which finds MacColl playing a variety of string instruments and contributing "programming," along with Seeger's autoharp and piano. Only "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a typical folk recording with just guitar as accompaniment. The back cover of the CD makes special mention of Seeger's one-time partner Irene Scott, who provides vocal support and even takes the lead on "My Joy of You," a track taken from an earlier album, Almost Commercially Viable. But the disc remains a showcase for Seeger, whose singing belies her age and who sounds at home in a romantic and familial setting. (As a hidden track at the end, the CD contains an alternate version of "Love Will Linger On.") ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
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Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Music recording
Performer / Ensemble
Peggy Seeger, 1935-
Contributor
Rafe McKenna, Calum MacColl
Author / Creator
Peggy Seeger, 1935-
Date Published / Released
2000
Publisher
Appleseed
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