"Love and Theft"
Bob Dylan
...available here.
Counted out more times than a glass-jawed boxer, Bob Dylan stunned
the music world with his haunting 1997 release "Time Out of Mind."
With the debut of ""Love and Theft""--his first album since that
earlier triumph--Dylan's artistic resurgence continues in full
force, though this time the results are a bit more playful and
quirky. It's a diverse and witty affair that incorporates blues,
swing, rock, folk, and more into a compelling mix.
"Every Single Day"
Lucy Kaplansky
...available here.
Folksinger turned psychologist turned folksinger Lucy Kaplansky has
built quite a devoted following thanks to her gorgeous voice and
great taste in material. This time out she balances original songs
with covers of Steve Earle, Julie Miller, the Louvin Brothers, and
Paul Brady. Friends Buddy Miller, John Gorka, Jennifer Kimball, and
Richard Shindell help out with the vocal chores.
"The Tiki Bar Is Open"
John Hiatt
...available here.
So did last year's bluesy, acoustic-based "Crossing Muddy Waters"
signal a long-term direction for John Hiatt? Not in the slightest,
judging by his new release. "The Tiki Bar Is Open" is a rocking and
rolling trip back to Hiatt's salad days, recalling the best work of
his past while still delivering the topnotch songwriting we've come
to expect.
"The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music [BOX SET]"
Various Artists
...available here.
A longtime labor of love for Harry Belafonte, the five-disc "The
Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music" traces the
evolution of African American music from the tribal chants and
shouts that blacks brought to the New World in the 17th century
through the blues and folk music of the early 1900s. It makes for a
challenging and provocative listen, meant as much to educate as to
entertain.
More new releases:
* Robert Earl Keen, "Gravitational Forces"
...available here.
Roger McGuinn, "Treasures from the Folk Den"
Former Byrd McGuinn returns to his folkie Village roots on
"Treasures from the Folk Den," which features a range of guests
including Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Eliza Carthy, and Odetta.
...available here.
Catie Curtis, "My Shirt Looks Good on You"
Curtis's latest, "My Shirt Looks Good on You," takes her in a
danceable folk-pop direction, which makes for her most musically
diverse set.
...available here.
"Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt"
"Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt" features kindred spirits such
as Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle, the Flatlanders, John
Prine, Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, and Willie Nelson
interpreting the songs of the late Texas tunesmith.
...available here.
Rani Arbo, "Cocktail Swing"
Covering a range of artists from Louis Armstrong to Lefty Frizzell,
Rani Arbo's "Cocktail Swing" offers a dose of amiable and eclectic
acoustic music.
...available here.
FROM THE VAULTS
Doc Watson, "At Gerdes Folk City"
Revisiting Watson's first New York solo appearances from 1962 and
1963, the previously unreleased "At Gerdes Folk City" is a wonderful
memento of the urban folk revival and a vital look at Watson in his
early prime.
...available here.
Joan Baez Remasters
Vanguard has reissued three prime Joan Baez albums as part of its
Original Master Series, each with 20-bit remastering, unreleased
material, and new liner notes and artwork.
Simon & Garfunkel, "The Columbia Studio Recordings 1964-1970"
Freshly remastered, creatively packaged, and stocked with numerous
bonus tracks, "The Columbia Studio Recordings 1964-1970" offers a
comprehensive look at '60s icons Simon & Garfunkel that will
delight completists and newcomers alike.
...available here.
Ian & Sylvia, "The Complete Vanguard Studio Recordings"
Combining seven remastered 1960s albums into a wonderful four-disc
box set, "The Complete Vanguard Studio Recordings" is a definitive
survey of this harmonizing Canadian duo, and is a vital part of the
urban folk revival.
...available here.
"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan"
Bob Dylan
...available here.
Perhaps the new Bob Dylan album has piqued your interest enough to
revisit his classic back catalog, and 1963's "The Freewheelin' Bob
Dylan" is a great place to start--it's one of his best albums and
sells for less than $10 to boot.
Editor, Marc Greilsamer. The reviews excerpted are copyright © 2001 amazon.com & associate ncdn and CDnow, TowerRecords, Barnes & Nobel associates.