Tag Archives: Contradance music

The Barn Owl Band’s Barn Owls Live

Posted on 29th January 2025 by Diverse Voices

Tim Hoke wrote this review. I’m often disappointed with recordings done by dance bands. Outstanding dance bands generally can’t reproduce that energy in a studio, and the end result is lackluster, even boring. By recording in a live setting, The … Continue reading →

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Flying Tomatoes’ Rags to Racenicas, Atomic City Rhythm Rascals’ Atomic City Rhythm Rascals, Birol Topaloglu’s Aravani, Mukka’s Skip Lizard, Pinewoods Band’s South by Southeast, and Stömp’s Machine Without Horses

Posted on 18th July 2023 by Jack Merry

One cannot live by English and Celtic music alone, so there needs to be music outside those traditions that’s interesting too. For me, that music is that of the Central European region. And what I like best is the dance … Continue reading →

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Hotpoint Stringband’s Steppin’ On Cords and The Road To Burhania

Posted on 4th June 2023 by Diverse Voices

Tim Hoke wrote this review. I’ve said before that good contradance bands rarely make good sit-and-listen-to bands. I’ve also noted that there are exceptions to that rule, and Hotpoint Stringband can be added to that list. All of the tunes … Continue reading →

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Hotpoint Stringband’s Hotpoint Special

Posted on 4th June 2023 by Diverse Voices

[Editor’s note: Sadly, we’ve lost track of who wrote this review.] Casually throwing Hotpoint Special into my CD player, I chose a track at random. My ears were greeted by an infectious groove of drums and shaker. This stood in … Continue reading →

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Wild Asparagus’ Best of Wild Asparagus

Posted on 2nd May 2016 by Vonnie

Wild Asparagus is one of the premier contradance bands in New England. But what works well at a contra dance doesn’t always translate to an excellent CD. The very things that are necessary for dancers — a steady beat and … Continue reading →

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Scrod Pudding’s Food For Your Feet

Posted on 2nd May 2016 by Peter Massey

One of the first things I liked and found amusing about this album was the band’s name: Scrod Pudding. Well, for years I’ve been one of the Marrowbones and I’ve had to endure the endless and sometimes embarrassing jokes people … Continue reading →

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Popcorn Behavior’s Hot Contra Dance Tunes, Journeywork and Strangest Dream

Posted on 12th April 2016 by Diverse Voices

Naomi de Bruyn wrote this review. It is rather disconcerting at first to listen to this group. The music is impeccable and surpasses much of what I have heard in my life. This in itself is not all that remarkable. However, … Continue reading →

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