Review: The long lost 1968 debut album by singer-songwriter Scott Fagan, South Atlantic Blues, comes reissued for the first time in its original artwork, with an iconic portrait of Fagan by famed rock photographer Joel Brodsky, following a widely celebrated 2015 release. Revisiting his mystical, mythical, and deeply soulful masterpiece, this psych-folk gem doffs a Tropicalia hat direct from downtown New York. Fagan's story is worthy of a movie in itself. A swinging hipster who landed in 60s Greenwich folk scene, escaping the abject poverty of his U.S. Virgin Islands upbringing, Fagan found himself mentored by the Brill Building's Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and feted as the next big thing. "Forget Rodriguez, forget Searching for Sugar Man," says Sharyn Felder, daughter of the late Doc Pomus, the legendary songwriter who signed Fagan to management in 1964. "Scott was so much more. He was cut from a different cloth." South Atlantic Blues is the perfect soundtrack to this tale, an epic song cycle wrapped around an impassioned love story, driven by Fagan's dense, allusive lyrics, and production by Elmer Jared Gordon (Pearls Before Swine) and rich arrangements by Horace Ott (Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, The Shirelles).
Review: Fairport Convention eventually went on to become folk legends after a very quick rise through the ranks over the course of four full-lengths in just a couple of years. Revered names from British and world music played their part as the school friends set out on their mission to become 'the British Jefferson Airplane'. Unhalfbricking from 1969 is the sound of a band growing in confidence, despite the fact that Ian Matthews left the group during the writing of it. There are three Bob Dylan covers including the Top 30 UK hit single, 'Si Ti Dois Partir,' with plenty of other traditional folk songs and an 11-minute ballad.
Review: Esteemed rock guitarist Andy Fairweather Low first came to prominence in 1967 with a cover version of 'Gin House Blues', Bessie Smith's 1928 original. He then went on to front the psychedelic rock band Amen Corner, marking a surprising shift in genre ambit. With the latter move rendering Low's early bluings relatively obscure, The Last Music Company gladly announce the early blues treads of this master musician's all-pervading influence on music, here with this new selected hits compilation. There are many collaborating musicians indebted to Low, and who yet owe him more than one drink: BB King, Van Morrison, Pete Townsend, Jimi Hendrix, Chris Rea and Kate Bush, to name a few. A longtime sideman in Eric Clapton's band, hence the title, it not only highlights his mastery of blues guitar, but also his under-recognition as a hidden, arch-musician, pillaring the notoriety of others.
Review: Arabic funk, soul and folk specialists Habibi Funk are masters at digging deep to find extremely rare and unreleased music. Even so, their latest offering is particularly obscure. It's a retrospective of 1970s material by a Lebanese singer-songwriter called Roger Fakhr, who put out one self-released tape in the mid 1970s, of which only 200 copies were ever made. Some of those songs feature on this retrospective, but the majority of the material is unreleased tracks from Fakhr's archive. Interestingly, the majority of the music on offer is sung in English rather than Arabic and sits somewhere between American railroad blues, English revivalist folk of the sort popular in the late '60s and early '70s, sun-soaked Californian folk, and gentle folk. A genuinely eye-opening musical treat.
Don't Let My Marigolds Die (live In Studio) (2:14)
The Rooster (3:15)
Your Little Face (acoustic version) (2:15)
Filled With Wonder Once Again (Band version) (4:16)
How Long, How Long (Band version) (2:41)
Love Will Remain (Band version) (2:36)
Review: Good things from those who wait, someone should have definitely said at some point. For Bill Fay, who had both the privilege and the nightmare of being able to choose from some 40 years of material to put this together. Amazingly only his third LP, arriving 50 years after his debut, at 76-years-young he has clearly mastered the art of keeping things simple in order to be truly, staggeringly powerful. It's unforgettable stuff to say the least. Tender vocals, gentile guitar, delicate pianos and little more, aside from some incredibly evocative lyrics. Works such as "I Will Remain Here" and the title track summarise Fay in many ways. Songs about ancient, mysterious places and histories imagined and real, our poet-cum-troubadour acting as both guide and accomplice to the act of marvelling at it all. Records like this literally don't come along everyday, and we should treasure every moment of them.
Review: The Felice Brothers' latest release, Valley of Abandoned Songs, out on June 28, 2024, is a stunning collection of tracks originally meant for their previous albums, Undress (2019) and Asylum on the Hill (2023). These songs, featuring the lives of quirky loners, come across as charming pastiches. Each track, though fragmented, is tied together by shared incongruity. The album kicks off with 'Crime Scene Queen,' blending noir and sci-fi elements, followed by the nostalgic 'Flowers By The Roadside.' 'New York By Moonlight' offers a rich blend of New York's beauty and despair. The playful 'Racoon, Rooster and Crow' and the poetic 'Black Is My True Love's Hair' are immediate standouts. Tracks like 'Strangers Arms' and 'Tomorrow Is Just a Dream Away' highlight the band's musical versatility, while 'Let Me Ride Away With The Horsemen' and 'It's Midnight and the Doves Are in Tears' present emotional depth. Concluding with 'To Be a Papa,' the album underscores the band's ability to evoke introspection and solidarity, making 'Valley of Abandoned Songs' an album to check out.
Review: Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell is a captivating journey through the heart of folk and country music.. Ferrell's rich and emotive vocals shine brightly throughout the album, carrying the listener through tales of love, loss, and resilience. With a style that seamlessly blends traditional folk with classic country elements, Ferrell delivers a collection of songs that feel both timeless and contemporary. Each track is imbued with raw emotion and authenticity, drawing listeners into Ferrell's world with its vivid storytelling and heartfelt lyricism. The instrumentation is equally enchanting, featuring acoustic guitars, fiddles, and subtle yet expressive arrangements that perfectly complement Ferrell's vocals. The production maintains a warm and intimate atmosphere, allowing Ferrell's voice to take center stage while still capturing the nuances of each instrument. This album has been receiving widespread acclaim since being released and in our opinion, it's definitely warranted
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