Category Archives: Music

Kate Campbell’s Monuments, and Twang On A Wire

A year ago I wrote a retrospective article reviewing Kate Campbell‘s first five albums. A recent visit to her Web site showed two new albums, which are only available at shows or by mail order. Monuments has been released in … Continue reading →

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Susana Seivane’s Alma De Buxo

I should point out from the start that I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to Galician traditional bagpipe music. My previous encounters with it basically amount to seeing the wonderful Carlos Nuñez strutting his stuff on stage with … Continue reading →

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Gangar’s Stubb, Fränder’s Fränder II, and Rüüt’s Kiriküüt

Gangar’s Stubb Norwegian metal folk-rock is one of my new favorite things, thanks to Gangar. We already previewed the first single from Stubb back in June (2023). As I said of “Sukkeri er søtt” (“Sugar is Sweet”) at the time, … Continue reading →

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Vimma’s Tornadon Silmässä

A listener, especially one who doesn’t speak Finnish, could be excused for mistaking the music on Vimma’s Tornadon Silmässä for standard World music folk pop. The pretty voice of Eeva Rajakangas and the catchy, often lilting melodies of main composer … Continue reading →

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Various artists’ Irish Life and Lore Collections, and Jane O’Hea O’Keefe’s The Ancient Barony of Duhallow: Living Voices

Maurice O’Keefe’s Irish Life and Lore Volume 1 Maurice O’Keefe’s Irish Life and Lore Volume 2 Jane O’Hea O’Keefe’s The Ancient Barony of Duhallow: Living Voices Maurice O’Keefe’s Irish Life and Lore Series 2 CD 2: Julia Mary Murphy Maurice … Continue reading →

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Chien Chien Lu’s Built In System (Live from New York)

I haven’t enjoyed any album of straight-ahead jazz this year more than I’ve enjoyed Chien Chien Lu’s Built In System. It’s an astonishingly assured sophomore release from a rising star of jazz and the vibraphone in particular. She’s one of … Continue reading →

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Various artists’ 100 Ans de Musique Traditionnelle Quebecoise (100 Years of Traditional Quebecois Music)

I have to be upfront about this. I am a sucker for a box set! Just looking at anthologies excites me! 100 Ans de Musique Traditionnelle Quebecoise is just what it promises to be, on four double CDs, all packed … Continue reading →

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Ken Whiteley’s Acoustic Electric, and Le Vent du Nord’s Maudite Moisson!

Ken Whiteley is a multi-talented musician. He has played behind such people as Tom Paxton and Leon Redbone; he was part of the Original Sloth Band; he and his brother Chris (not to be confused with American slide guitarist Chris … Continue reading →

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Frank Zappa’s Zappa Picks – By Jon Fishman of Phish

Frank Zappa was an iconoclastic American musician. He surfaced in the ’60s but was decidedly non-hippie and anti-drug, and his music drew more on jazz and cabaret than the folk and acid-rock of that decade. If I had to pick … Continue reading →

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Frank Zappa’s Zappa Picks – by Larry LaLonde of Primus

Frank Zappa has become legendary in death. He must be laughing as he looks down, or up, from wherever he is spending eternity. His music is still available in beautifully packaged editions, just the way he always wanted it to … Continue reading →

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