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Category Archives: Americana
JOHN HARTFORD – Headin’ Down Into the Mystery Below – (Flying Fish) – 1978
I have fought the urge to rush out a Rod McKuen, who died a couple of days ago, comment today. I have commented on McKuen before, and I love his music, but I don't think it would be wise to … Continue reading
ARLO GUTHRIE – Running Down the Road – (Reprise) – 1969
I recall having this album a long time ago but it was so hacked up it was barely listenable. I can put up with a fair bit of crackle and pop but sometimes it gets too distracting and I didn't … Continue reading
STEVE FORBERT – Streets of This Town – (Geffen) – 1988
You might ask "Steve Forbert, what happened?". You're more likely to ask, "Who the fuck is Steve Forbert?". These are valid things to ask but it's worth looking for an answer to either or both questions. At the end of … Continue reading
JIM KWESKIN – Jump For Joy – (Vanguard) – 1967
In commenting of Kweskin’s “America” LP from 1971 I said this: The beauty of Kweskin and his band though is they were not traditionalists. There was a good dose of humour and more than a passing lip service to the … Continue reading
JIM KWESKIN – America – (Reprise) – 1971
Jim Kweskin is one of the great, lost and forgotten heroes of American music. It’s not that he didn’t have his time in the sun. He did. But his time passed and his audience got older and he failed to … Continue reading
ARLO GUTHRIE – Arlo Guthrie – (Reprise) – 1974
Arlo albums are perfect Sunday morning records. They are contemplative and more than a little spiritual (though the spirituality may be secular or not of one religion if that makes any sense). His music, like a Catholic mass (the … Continue reading
MICKEY NEWBURY – I Came to Hear the Music – (Elektra) – 1974
Newbury was friends with Townes Van Zandt and occupied the same territory as him but no cult has developed around Newbury since his death as it has with Townes. Townes is great but, Newbury is better. They both write direct … Continue reading
SKIP BATTIN – Skip – (Signpost) – 1972
This is a hard one. I wasn’t quite expecting this. I know Skip Battin (with, and without Kim Fowley) contributed some quirky songs to the late Byrds when Skip played bass for them but I still thought I … Continue reading
STEVE FORBERT – Steve Forbert – (Epic) – 1982
Poor Steve Forbert. He was burdened with the title “the new Dylan” when his first LP was released in 1978. Forbert’s specific attributes for the “new Dylan” title were his Americana shaggy troubadour persona, conversational lyrics with sophisticated wordplay, … Continue reading
ARLO GUTHRIE – Amigo – (Reprise) – 1976
Look to my other entries for detail about Arlo. I had only heard, comparatively, little of Arlo’s work before, so every new album of his is quite a treat. (Though I actually heard this specific album for the first … Continue reading
