Best albums, October 2011

Of the albums that arrived at WRPI in October 2011, my favorites were:

• The Nellies by The Nellies.
• This Land: Woody Guthrie's America by JohnMcCutcheon.

Runners-up were:

• Light in the Sky by Red Molly.
• The Goat Rodeo Sessions by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile.
• Among These Hills by The Rustic Riders.

Best albums, September 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in September 2011, my favorites were:

• Heaven Below by Peter Mayer. I listened to this album, and found I loved every song.  How could I be unfamiliar with such a great songwriter? As it turns out, I was not unfamiliar with him.  Two years ago, we received Anne Hills' album Points of View, and on that album, I was impressed with the song, "Holy Now," which was written by Peter Mayer.  Like "Holy Now," the songs on this album speak of the beauty and connectedness of the universe. For example, in "All the World is One," he writes,

You can ride off like John Wayne into the setting sun
But earthlings don't leave town
They just go round and round
Until they figure out
All the world is one, all the world is one

• Everything is Everywhere by Carrie Newcomer, Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan, and Ayaan Ali Khan.  I've liked some of Carrie Newcomer's songs in the past, but she has never really been one of my favorites because her sound is more modern than my tastes.  For me, the addition three Indian musicians has increased the appeal.  As with Heaven Below, I liked every song, and many of the songs brought to light the beauty of everyday life.  In "I Believe," she writes:

I believe in socks and gloves knit out of soft grey wool,
And that there's a place in heaven for those
Who teach in public school.
And I know I get some things right,
But mostly I'm a fool.

I believe in a good strong cup of ginger tea,
And all these shoots and roots will become a tree.
All I know is I can’t help but see
All of this as so very holy.

The new Woods Tea Company is not the old Woods Tea Company

For several years, Woods Tea Company played at Caffe Lena the day after Thanksgiving.  For several years, I was sorry that I did not go.  Yesterday I went.  Now, I never again have to be sorry to miss Woods Tea Company.  That Woods Tea Company that was one of my favorite bands was not the Woods Tea Company I saw last night. The Woods Tea Company that I knew was Howard Wooden, Mike Lussen, Rusty Jacobs, and Chip Chase.  The Woods Tea Company that I saw last night was Howard Wooden, Patti Casey, and Tom MacKenzie.  The only member in common between the two bands is Howard Wooden.  Last night, I enjoyed the songs on which Howard Wooden sang lead.  There were very few of them.

I knew that Chip Chase and Rusty Jacobs had passed away. I liked the album that was released after their deaths, The Passage.  It still sounded like Woods Tea Company.  Therefore, I thought that I still liked Woods Tea Company just as much, even with half the members I had known gone.  I did not know that Mike Lussen left the group a year and a half ago.  I did not know that a huge amount of the music done by the current band is written by Patti Casey and sung by Patti Casey.  She's a good singer.  But she is not the Woods Tea Company I once new.

Chip Chase and Rusty Jacobs have left this world.  Mike Lussen has retired from the band.  The recordings they left are to be treasured.  The live performances will never be experienced again.  Everything in this earth is only here for a short time.  Let us cherish every moment while we can.

Best albums, July/August 2011

I did not really have any favorite albums from July, but my favorite album from August 2011 was If Stones Could Talk by Gene and Gayla Mills.  The sound was strong, and the lyrics were gripping.

One of my favorite songs on this album was "Everyday Things" which talks about how love songs say I would walk through fire for your or I would die for you, but those things are not often needed.  Instead, love is about things like dusting, preparing food, and listening without telling the other person what to do.

Other memorable songs on this album included "Talking to a Stone" about spending time with people while they are still alive, and "Twelve Days," about unemployment.

I think my second favorite album was Every New Day by Smithfield Fair.  I'm generally a fan of Smithfield Fair, though this album was not particularly outstanding relative to their other albums.

We received seven albums by David Rovics in August. Of those, my favorite was his children's album, Har, Har, Har -- Songs about Pirates, Penguins, and Punk Rock Babies.  David Rovics usually sings about social justice, and this album was no exception.  In "Bullies," he sings about children organizing to stand up to the older children who bully them, and then organizing against air pollution.

Songs that impressed me from the other David Rovics albums included "The More Gardens Song" about people in a run-down neighborhood starting a garden on a vacant lot, and "The Key," about a Palestinian woman.  "Hiroshima" told the story of the dropping of the bomb in a way that emphasized the impact on ordinary people going about their lives.

I also enjoyed Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love -- A Nashville Celebration of the Moody Blues.  I enjoyed hearing some songs that were familiar to me from the days when they were popular, but my favorite song on the album was a song I had not heard before.  I was "Nice to Be Here," performed by Sam Bush.  It describes being outdoors and perceiving the sounds of nature as a concert.

I was also impressed with the quality of A Passing Glimpse by Pharis and Jason Romero.  This music is more traditional folk/bluegrass, which does not fit my tastes quite so much.

Mostly Folk Playlist, November 6, 2011

Today's show will be devoted entirely to people who will be performing in the area in the coming month. For the most part, I will play two songs by each performer.

Little World Spinning Blue | Cris Williamson and Tret Fure | Postcards from Paradise
The Women Are Singing Tonight | Cris Williamson | Fringe
Big Country | Claudia Nygaard | Let the Storm Roll In
J.C. | Claudia Nygaard | Let the Storm Roll In
Garden Song | David Mallett | David Mallett
Dulcimer | David Mallett | Midnight on the Water
All Night Long | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
I Give You the Morning | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
Howlin' at the Moon | Sam Bush | Howlin' at the Moon
The Mahavishnu Mountain Boys | Sam Bush | King of the World
One Meat Ball | Roy Book Binder | The Hillbilly Blues Cats
Cincinnati Flow Rag II | Roy Book Binder | Travelin' Man
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens | Asleep at the Wheel | The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel
Sugarfeet Rag | Asleep at the Wheel | The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel
You Can Never Hold Back Spring | Harmonious Wail | Resist Temptation
Melodie du Crouton | Harmonious Wail | Airborne
Darling Corey | Crooked Still | Hop High
Last Fair Deal Gone Down | Crooked Still | Hop High
Who's That Knocking at My Door | Annie and the Hedonists | Side of the Road
Acony Bell | Annie and the Hedonists | Side of the Road
Oh My Michael | Red Molly | Light in the Sky
Ghost | Red Molly | Light in the Sky
The Dust | Bearfoot | American Story
Billy | Bearfoot | American Story
Take Me Back to Harper's Ferry | Magpie | Seed on the Prairie
Old Brown Coat | Dan Berggren with Dan Duggan, John Kirk, and the Newton Street Irregulars | Mountain Air
Roll the Old Chariots | Woods Tea Company | Side By Each
All of the Hard Days Are Gone | Woods Tea Company | The Passage