english folk music recommendations?

You should be listening to Mike Harding radio 2 at 8.00 pm on wednesdays, or any time you like thru the net.
the bbc folk website seems to have lots of info too www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/folk/.
I seem to be favouring the more acoustic ones at the moment rather than the 70's electric folk rock types. Dick Gaughan is one of my all time favourites although I only know a few of his such as "live in Edinburgh" (he is one of Alan's non english ones).Also from the 70's Nic Jones and June Tabor (june is still going so far as I aware)

the whole of the Carthy clan (Norma Waterson, and Eliza are worth a look)and also Martin Simpson

from mikes show I will also be taking a look at Coope, Boyes and Simpson ( a male acapela trio), Andy Irvine and Paul Brady ( who seem to be scottish and Irish).

CNC

Of these the Nick Drake albums (all 3) transend the folk genre to such an extent as to make them a compulsary purchase to anyone with a passing interest in modern music. They are simply 3 of the best albums ever made (IMO).

But I guess you already have these Nick?

yep. got all 3 Nick Drake albums, couldn't do without them. Thanks for the recommendations and BBC radio2 thread, my credit card is bracing itself..

quote:

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Originally posted by Chunny Nochubb:
the whole of the Carthy clan (Norma Waterson, and Eliza are worth a look)
CNC

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Worth a listen maybe, but a LOOK!

ok sexist, I knw, I take it back.

malcolm

On a more helpful note, what about Pentangle. Folk meets Jazz, but brilliant playing and accoustic instruments help keep it pure. The Janch/Renbourne electric noodlings are best skipped. I find myself returning to Pentangle and Cruel Sister time and again. The recent Sanctuary CD re-issues are superb.

malcolm

Roy Harper, Dave Cousins to name but 2

Thanks for the tips, checking them out on Amazon at the moment!

Kit
Interesting recommendation; I've got the Mark Hollis album. I bought it straight off the back of hearing Spirit of Eden for the first time, which I find completely wonderful. He's a really interesting character. I don't play his solo album much as I find it much harder going but can see where he's coming from; it has to be one of the quietest albums ever recorded? It's not folk but it is somehow very english.

Just ordered CD's by Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan,Jackie Leven, Kathryn Williams, Martin Simpson and Boo Hewerdine...sounds right up my street.

cheers
nick.

marc
Just looked at Boo Hewerdine on Amazon and discovered that he was in the Bible; a great band i'd completely forgotten about - i'm going to have to get Eureka too...

quote:

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:

Steeleye Span, still going strong.

Tom
Enjoying it all

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and still on tour. Started a thread that subject very lately which had ZERO responses - I still cannot show my face in public because of the shame...check them out if they are near you.

Mike

Steeleye Span are one of those bands I've heard of but really don't know anything about.
Tell you what; i'll try and resurrect your thread!

or on the web - mike hadrding presents "a selection of this year's best live performances including celtic connections, the folk awards,cambridge and sidmouth folk festivals"
according to the radio times.
it probably won't be all english or even british, but it probably will be good - if you like that sort of thing.

CNC

Lots of great solo artists mentioned above, but unless I am mistaken, Belle and Sebastian are folky enough to be considered for this thread.

I can recomend all their works (perhaps not their latest LP but the rest are great).

Simon

Yep! I'm a fan, got most of their albums/ep's except 'storytelling' which I've not heard. Especially fond of 'Tigermilk'. I'm also a big fan of their fellow Scottish band Arab Strap. 'mad for sadness' is especially good.

She's still going strong. Very distinctive folk voice try her compilation 'Abyssinians', it's excellent. I'd also recommend the Silly Sisters' (June and Maddy Prior) 'No More to the Dance' and June Tabor and the Oyster Band's 'Freedom and Rain'.

Pentangle's 'Basket of Light' is a classic folk rock record which was marketed (but not produced) by Linn a few years ago. The music and recording quality are both superb.

Why not try some URBAN folk music?

I'm referring to The Fall.

Best LP is 1980's Grotesque, but Dragnet, Totale's Turns, Extricate, Perverted By Language, John Peel Sessions and many others of their squillions of LPs are worth investigating.

And if you want to hear what traditional English folk and psychedelia sounds like when melded with modern electronics, then you have to hear Every Man & Woman Is A Star (1990) which is a masterpiece. Folk and United Kingdoms are also extraordinarily good.

By the way, I'm not taking the piss, I'm being perfectly serious.

Good point. Billy Bragg is another I'd classify as folk. The Barking Bard (as in Essex rather than insanity).

Bruce

Kevin-W
Don't know how to class The Fall, urban folk...
kind of an interesting angle! I saw them live at Brixton Academy several years ago and they were fantastic. I've not got any of the albums you recommend. I have The Peel Sessions, This Nation's Saving Grace, Code Selfish and Shiftwork - all really good. Maybe try Grotesque next, I've also heard that Hex Enduction Hour is good? The Fall have so many albums out it's a little daunting.

Every Man & Woman Is A Star, Folk, United Kingdoms... these are Ultramarine albums? Saw them at Glastonbury a while ago, but don't think I was in a fit state to make a critical appraisal! Maybe have to take another look at them.

Colin
June Tabor/Pentangle: on my list of stuff to check out. Has Bert Jansch got links with Pentangle? I've just picked up his 'dazzling stranger' anthology; this guy is really, really good.

Bruce
Spot on. I would say Billy Bragg is definately english folk. I read somewhere that he has been called 'the english Woody Guthrie' which I thought was a very enlightening comparison. He then went on to do those two great albums of Woody Guthrie material with Wilco... Whatever he is i'm a fan!

Nick - Yes tthey are by Ultramarine! Forgot to mention! They're definitely revisiting, especially EMAWISAS, which think is one of the 5 best albums of the 1990s, period.

Also, Hex Enduction Hour by the Fall is very good. I also think they're about to release a kind of singles anthology, which should be very good as the all have always been a fantastic singles band. Code Selfish is great also. Originals on vinyl are very scarce but some stuff has been reissued on 180g vinyl. CDs are of course readily available.

Kevin

by Roy Harper

Strictly speaking not strictly folk but close

http://www.royharper.com/albums/east.html

by Clive Carrol (sometimes plays with John Renbourn)

ditto

http://www.clivecarroll.co.uk/

Yes Bert was very much part of this folk 'supergroup'. Also featured John Renbourn, Danny Thompson (brilliant Bass player), Terry Cox (drums) and Jacqui McShee who shared the vocal duties with Bert. If you like Bert's stuff you must check out Pentangel, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Another recording from the same period as Fairport and Pentangel that's well worth checking out is 'On The Shore' by Trees.

Hear Beth Gibbons
Out of season

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