Interactive poll No. -46 2/3 - the folk music poll

Raff wrote: TCat wrote: Raff and Micky, it's great to see you back.   Raff, your 2nd selection shows unavailable for me.  I know the song title, but if you give me the name of the aritst, I will look and see if there is an alternate that I can listen to. If you mean the second video in my post, the band's name is Admirals Hard. Their album is also on Bandcamp.

Edited by TCat - March 20 2021 at 14:31

suitkees wrote: Snicolette: First the beautiful voice of Connie Dover accompanied by some other layered vocals and synths for an orchestral quality. Brings me to the landscapes of Ireland... Very nice. Faun brings us to the Middle Ages, with everything that we can expect, except maybe for that beat that puts me of. A pity, because for the rest - singing, instrumentation and playing - it is quite good. Then a trip to Galicia with Milladoiro. A beautiful voice again accompanied by harp (yes!) and some other traditional instruments that could keep us in medieval territories, but the singing and playing are much more modern to my ears. This is my preferred one!

TCat wrote: Thanks to both Nickie and Kees for your very insightful and helpful comments.

  You're very welcome, Mike.  I always enjoy what you bring to the ears.  

Thanks to both Nickie and Kees for your very insightful and helpful comments.  

Shadowyzard: Two very Medieval tinged selections... A Past and Future Secret by Blind Guardian has also a kind of grotesque theatrical and orchestral aspect to it, especially when that raspy metal-voice comes in. Obscurus Orbis are in a hurry but remain in the Middle Ages with their traditional instruments. At the same time they give the track a definite modern take. Both are nice but not really surprising, actually. I prefer Kost Ar C'hoat from these two.

Logan: Mark Fry brings us The Witch who puts a psychedelic spell over the folk music. Sitar dominated with some acoustic guitar and flute sparsly interwoven and a trance inducing percussion characterize this song with its eery vocals. Typical early 70s and very atmospheric - quite nice!

Cristi: Nice to put up three Romanian artists/bands, and they're all three quite good to my ears. Valeriu Sterian combines acoustic and electric guitars and a modest percussion to deliver his song. It gives it almost a pop-rock quality in folk-disguise. Phoenix start off very electric (you would expect a rock song...) before the acoustic guitar puts in its melody. Electric guitar and bass keep on a very minimalist rythm until it becomes more rock indeed just to fade out... Wonderful, but clearly a part of a greater whole. Nicu Alifantis must have been popular in his country: beautiful and emotional voice and great songwriting, here packed in that typical late 70s synthy-orchestral arrangements. Makes it a bit dated, maybe, but I like it very much. For me it is between him and Phoenix...

jamesbaldwin: Adriano Celentano brings us a typical 60s song, which does not much to me. Then three great artists that need no introduction but are always great to hear... I never really plunged into the music of Stormy Six. This is a nice selection. The vocals were always their weak part, to my ears, but their music always intriguing. It has some chamber folk quality (and some Nino Rota influences?) that sometimes leans more to avant, indeed. From these three it is especially Il barbiere that stands out for me: fascinating and captivating (and the singing is OK, I'll get used to it...)

TCat: The Low Anthem will get the prize for the best animated clip: beautiful stop-motion! The song is a very delicate one: guitar-voice, some backing vocals and sounds and a harmonica to complete this saddening song. Beautiful. Amzing Blondel bring us a 70s orchestral and pastoral song (flute, vocals, guitar, orchestra...). It sounds nice, but I'm waiting for something spectacular to happen, which doesn't come... Fovea Hex surprise me much more with this minimalist eery piece of music. Heavily leaning on the vocals and some instrumental backing (cello, electronics?) before the percussion sets in modestly making us listen in devotion... Fleet Foxes start off very up-tempo, slow down and settle us in a very pleasant song, recognizably American folk, great melodies and playing. Difficult to make a choice from these, but I think I'm most surprised by Fovea Hex.

Snicolette: First the beautiful voice of Connie Dover accompanied by some other layered vocals and synths for an orchestral quality. Brings me to the landscapes of Ireland... Very nice. Faun brings us to the Middle Ages, with everything that we can expect, except maybe for that beat that puts me of. A pity, because for the rest - singing, instrumentation and playing - it is quite good. Then a trip to Galicia with Milladoiro. A beautiful voice again accompanied by harp (yes!) and some other traditional instruments that could keep us in medieval territories, but the singing and playing are much more modern to my ears. This is my preferred one!

Lewian: Opa Cupa bring us almost a kind of brass balkan rock, with some jazz outings and an awful disco-dance-beat. Great playing, wonderful singing, and if that beat could have been different it would convince me... Solarference is more to my liking, very intriguing. And great to watch them putting this "laptop folk" together. Great vocal harmonies/canon and a very modern take on folk - definetely a contender. Now, Heilung... Yes, what is this? Something very tribal and ritualistic. After seven minutes I want them to explode, but no... A cry, yes, but just to set in the eery voice and sacrify us to whatever nature-god it may be. Intriguing, but not something I would return to...

The Anders: Väsen are very surprising with what they deliver with just three string instruments. Great playing and that nyckelharpa is an intriguing instrument... Nice to see them play together - they're clearly very accomplished musicians (and I love the rabbit!). A very good surprise this!

dr wu23: Esper's take on Rosemary Lane is quite nice, modest but at the same time very rich in its instrumentation accompanying the delicate voice. Enchanting in a way. After this Shirley Collins & The Albion Band sound almost a bit conventional. And I'm not really fan of her singing. I prefer Dando Shaft and this pastoral and typical British folk; they create an interesting atmosphere in this song with all its diversity.

Here is my first take so far on Page Two:  Also, yes, thank you to George for deciding to collect all of the tracks!

This was an oddly difficult category for me. While I have an immense amount of folk music in my library, nearly every tune I considered for nomination is not available on YouTube. (Many are not available, period, now that CD Baby has closed its online shop.) I did find a few. Here are two.

Many great folk bands and songs...several of my favorites...