Putumayo Presents American Folk

Putumayo World Music – P240-A

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2005
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Folk Rock
[Tracklist]
01 Pale Moon: Shannon McNally (4:37)
02 You Don't Make It Easy Babe: Josh Ritter (2:30)
03 She Don't Like Roses: Christine Kane (4:45)
04 Don't Look For Me: Jeffrey Foucault (3:01)
05 Pour: Lori McKenna (3:45)
06 I Had Something: Lucy Kaplansky (4:14)
07 Shirt: Peter Mulvey (3:07)
08 Boots Of Spanish Leather: Nanci Griffith (5:17)
09 Rowing Song: Patty Griffin (3:22)
10 Jubilee: (2:51)
11 Owensboro: Natalie Merchant (4:20)
12 Judge Not Your Brother: Eric Bibb (4:33)
[Credits]
Producer: Dan Storper, Liner Notes: Jim Bessman, Illustrator: Nicola Heindl, Designer: Liliane Van Balberghe, Photographers: Danielle Hutchins, George Leisey and Abigail Seymour, Engineer: Emily Lazar
[Notes]
Putumayo is primarily a world music label; whether the focus is Celtic, African, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, or Latin music, the vast majority of Putumayo's compilations have had some type of world music connection. But American Folk is an exception -- and while this compilation doesn't unearth the sort of delightfully unorthodox things Putumayo has a way of finding (such as Scottish and Japanese artists playing salsa), it is a disc that isn't lacking when it comes to quality. As its title suggests, this 46-minute, 12-track CD spotlights American folk recordings -- specifically, American folk-rock recordings of the '90s and 2000s. Instead of getting into folkies who made their mark in the '50s or '60s, American Folk sets out to demonstrate that folk-rock is alive and well in the 21st century -- and many of the artists are people who emerged in the '80s, '90s, or 2000s, including Patty Griffin, Lucy Kaplansky, Shannon McNally, Josh Ritter, Christine Kane, and Nanci Griffith (who shines on an intimate remake of Bob Dylan's "Boots of Spanish Leather"). Natalie Merchant, meanwhile, is in fine form on her 2003 recording of the traditional "Owensboro," which favors a sparer and more stripped-down approach than most of her recordings with 10,000 Maniacs or her 1995 solo debut Tigerlily. Given Putumayo's history of being ultra-adventurous, it wouldn't have been surprising if they had come up with something by artists who are really pushing the folk-rock envelope (such as Adam Brodsky and Deirdre Flint, two Philadelphia-based anti-folk/folk-rock artists known for their madcap, over-the-top humor). But while American Folk isn't as daring as other Putumayo releases, it's still a worthwhile, engaging disc that paints an attractive picture of folk-rock in the 21st century.-- AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

Nanci Griffith: Winter Marquee

Rounder Records 11661-3220-2

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Folk Rock
[Tracklist]
01 Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness (4:40)
02 I Wish It Would Rain (2:36)
03 Boots Of Spanish Leather (6:34)
04 Two For The Road (2:59)
05 Listen To The Radio (3:51)
06 There's A Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (4:46)
07 Gulf Coast Highway (3:32)
08 The Flyer (4:46)
09 Good Night, New York (5:06)
10 Traveling Through This Part Of You (4:19)
11 Last Train Home (3:05)
12 I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels (Bring The Prose To The Wheel) (3:40)
13 What's That I Hear (4:08)
14 White Freight Liner (5:01)
[Credits]
Nanci Griffith (guitar/vocals) Le Ann Etheridgeh (guitar/vocals) Ron De La Vega (bass/vocals) James Hooker (keyboards/vocals) Chas Williams (dobro/guitar) Pat McInerney (drums)
Producer: Monty Hitchcock, Engineer: Dean Norman and Mark Lambert
[Notes]
Artistically speaking, Nanci Griffith has been in somewhat of a funk since 1998's Other Voices, Too. 1999's The Dust Bowl Symphony offered a syrupy greatest-hits package and 2001's Clock Without Hands, her first new material in several years, seemed both over-produced and overwrought. To further muddy the picture, Rounder released three early Griffith albums in 2002, reminding listeners how well she could write. Also released by Rounder, the live Winter Marquee is the first new album Griffith has released on the label since the mid-'80s. Following the reissues, it seems like something of a homecoming. The straightforward, hour-long set is made up of old favorites, a couple recent pieces, and a few covers. Accompanied by a country-folk band, Griffith's vocals take center stage to offer fine versions of "I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels" and "The Flyer." She's in great voice, and one of the pleasures of her music has always been the way she lovingly lingers over phrases for emphasis. She's joined by a couple of special guests, including Emmylou Harris on "Good Night, New York" and Tom Russell on "What's that I Hear" and "White Freight Liner." The set is also strengthened by the inclusion of less-frequently covered pieces like "There's a Light Beyond These Woods." While Winter Marquee may lack the spark of an early album like Once in a Very Blue Moon, fans will enjoy this live set. (AllMusic Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.)