Best albums, February 2010

Of the albums that arrived at the station in February 2010, my favorites were:

• Grace by Soweto Gospel Choir
• American VI: Ain't No Grave by Johnny Cash. Rich and dark instruments with simple vocals that convey depth of emotion.
  

Mostly Folk Playlist, April 11, 2010

Raise My Voice and Sing | Pat Wictor | Heaven is So High…and I'm So Far Down
Wade in the Water | Scott Ainslie | You Better Lie Down
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye | Janis Ian | The Essential Janis Ian
We Are Shepherds | Angel Band | With Roots and Wings
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine | The Weavers | The Weavers: Best of the Vanguard Years
Sara McCutcheon | Doggone My Time | Cathy Fink
This Garden Will Grow | Neal and Leandra | Old Love
Pushing Spring | Lou and Peter Berryman | Double Yodel
Life on Earth | Dan Berggren | One With the Water
Greenin’ Up | David Mallett | Ambition
Garden Song | Pete Seeger | Circles and Seasons
Spring Wind | Greg Brown | If I Had Known
Walk With Me | Jimmie Lunsford | Oasis Acoustic, Volume X, #2
Rocks Into Sand | Bill Kirchen | Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods
Whispering Pines | Professor Louie and the Crowmatix | Whispering Pines
Love is the Fire | Harry Manx | Bread and Buddha
The People's Highway | Tim Grimm | Farm Songs
Pastures of Plenty | Broadside Electric | More Bad News
Sowing on the Mountain | Joel Rafael | The Songs of Woody Guthrie
Cosecha lo que siembres | Roy Brown, Tito Auger, and Tao Rodriguez Seeger | Que Vaya Bien
She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain | Sarah Lee Guthrie and Family | Go Waggaloo
Roll, Alabama Roll | Schooner Fare | Alive
The Hillcrest Mine | Hank Cramer | Miner's Songs - Bygone Times and Places
The Coal Town Road | Woods Tea Company | The Passage
Black Flowers | Red Molly | James
Holy Now | Anne Hills | Points of View
Before Eternity | Archie Fisher | Windward Away
Of Time and Rivers Flowing | Pete Seeger | Pete

Best albums, January 2010

Of the albums that arrived at WRPI in January 2010, my favorites were:

• In Colour by Cara. A German band performing Irish music in English. They play a number of those really old folk songs that have a lot of people dying of love or killing each other. I don't like those kinds of lyrics. However, I loved this album so much that I bought a copy for myself. What I like is the richness of the instruments.
  
• Farm Songs by Tim Grimm. A collection of songs about farms. There are some really sad ones about the decline of farming, such as "So it Goes," but hope can be found in "80 Acres," "Better Days" and "Pumpkin the Cat," which speak of the life of Tim Grimm and his family as they learn to live life on a farm.
  
• Oasis Acoustic, Volume X, #1 and Oasis Acoustic, Volume X, #2. They send us several of these compilations each month, and sometimes I don't like any of the songs on them, while other times I like many songs. What I liked in #2 was a lot of instrumentals suitable to play at Christmas time. The album arrived in January though, so I'll have to wait 11 months.