Oh, Yoko ‎- 2012 - Seashore

Oh, Yoko is an interesting duo. They claim (at least on Will Long's site) to be a pop band but they're really far from it. I mean you could consider this pop if all you listen is free improvisation and avant garde records from the 70s then yeah; it's pop. For a pleb like me this is more of an experimental or occidental folk with ambient layers for good measure. Seashore is a single but they also did an album a year later for which I don't really care much.

This single contains >the single<, an instrumental version of >the single< and a remix of >the single<. Three tracks, nothing too big or pompous. Looking at the cover you might get a feeling of melancholy mixed with nostalgia and regret. If you did then you already guessed how the single and its instrumental companion might sound but it's not a very cozy affair. Yes it contains all of these emotions and the vocals are distant, sad and at times a bit directionless but so is the music, it feels chopped at parts and disjointed. Perhaps akin to fuzzy memories. Yeah, I kinda like that idea of it. It's definitely not an easy listen but it does reward a careful listen.

Honestly the main attraction for me here is the remix done by the dude/gal who is behind the pseudonym of DJ Sprinkles. He keeps the feeling and ambiance of the original but brings out so much more personal meaning into it. The base beat is a bit bare but I grew to like it and the whole arrangement of the mix makes this a very enjoyable ride that rewards repeated listening as you discover something new with each new ride through its melancholy. A ride I would recommend dearly.

Get it.

Kath Bloom - 2005 - Finally

Kath Bloom's lonely, love-filled songs are some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking ever written, but since a series of limited edition LPs recorded in the early 80s with avant-garde guitarist Loren Mazzacane Connors, her only output has been a handful of CD-Rs available by mailorder from her website, and one song Come Here on the soundtrack to Richard Linklater's 1995 movie Before Sunrise.

So starts the booklet of this loveable compilation that chronicles this relatively unknown but very soft spoken folk singer through the 90s. While her music is for the most part the traditional acoustic guitar + voice combination there definitely is a fair bit of a country tinge in a lot of her songs. This is most evident in songs that feature more than one instrument. With or without extra instrumentation this is some damn fine folking around. I'm not familiar with her chronological career but this bundle of songs is so comfortable I don't really even feel the need for anything else. This music is having a cup of warm tea while there's rain and fog outside and you're in your living room, watching the streets through the window while time slowly passes away. Recommended.

Get it.

Carmen Maki ‎- 1969 - 真夜中詩集 ーろうそくの消えるまでー

Carmen Maki is a half American, half Japanese singer/songwriter that was mainly active during the 70s. Her first album (this one) is a common mixture of enka singing and folk-rock instrumentation. There's nothing really outstanding here aside from her voice which is heavenly as fuck. It reminds me of Meiko Kaji but a bit more softer and more nuanced. The album might be off putting due to a lot of "talking" parts where she probably delivers some kind of backstory or context for the songs (pretty sure she introduces her upbringing in the second song) but they're mostly short and not that jarring. The songs themselves go at a mainly relaxed pace with a lot of flutes, strings and harmonicas. Kinda western-ish sounding in a lot places. Nice and relaxing sunday tunes.

Get it.

How to Count Planets (album and EP)

How to Count Planets is a Japanese folk duo that started around 2010. I'll come at you straight by saying if you like Shione Yukawa you'll find plenty to like here as well. So much that you can go and download both of their releases without reading any of my dribble. The vocalist sounds so similar to her that I had to actually go and look if it's actually her or someone else. Aside from that comparison the band follows Shione's stylistic approach as well. The album and EP are both so relaxing and lowkey that they're able to calm even the wildest of days. Aside from the usual vocal-acoustic guitar combination the album features a good array of different instrumentation for various songs. Piano and vibes probably being the most effective as they only amplifies the already melancholic and autumny feeling this band conveys. If there's any difference between the EP and album I'd say it's in this: the EP is much more stripped down folk while the album tries much more to make the songs varied with added instruments. Both are equally good in what they're trying to achieve and honestly I generally play them back to back.

If you've been longing for some soft melancholic folk, look no further.

EP

Album

Jackson C. Frank ‎- 1965 - Jackson C. Frank

Jackson was never a mainstream name in his time, he released one album and then faded into obscurity. But as things go his album slowly but surely gathered a large audience for a good reason as well. His album is a very finely tuned exercise in depression and melancholy. His voice is soft and well spoken and loud maybe in just a couple of songs. They are so calm and soothing that even though they are all sad in their nature they still offer this calmness and warmth that can't really be described. A sort of happy sadness. The lyrics are honest and direct, there's no masking here it's all just pure emotion. Reading his biography you come to understand why he sings the way he does. A shame he didn't have more luck in life but at least we have this album to remember him by. Recommended.

Get.

Bio.

Rachel Goswell - Waves Are Universal

Rachel Goswell is a name commonly associated with a band called Slowdive. I'm not very familiar with them so I can't really make any meaningful comment but I'll get around to them one day. She played for them the guitar and also sang and she also played in another band called Mojave 3 which is a great band and you should definitely check out their albums. Especially if you end up liking her solo album which I'm sharing.

On her solo album she combined the music of Mojave 3 with some of her own styling and instrumentation. Even though this came out in 2004 the album sounds a lot like the 90s. It's a quaintly melancholic affair with love songs throughout and songs of longing. It's one of those albums that you put on when it's raining outside and you just made tea and you're comfortably snugged somewhere warm. The songs themselves are diverse enough to feel unique in terms of instrumentation albeit being relatively simple in terms of structure. It's definitely varied enough to keep things interesting throughout the album.

Get.

Molly Rankin ‎- She EP

Molly Rankin is the vocalist of a new-ish Canadian band called Alvvays. They released their first album back in 2014 and it was pretty neat. Musically it was laid back dream pop drenched in delay and reverb. Before all that conundrum Rankin did this little EP back in 2010.

Compared to aforementioned Alvvays it's vastly different in style. She EP is a blend of cutesy folk backed by rock instrumentation and sometimes strings arrangements as well. Rankin's voice, much like her melodies, are also cutesy and happy. Although she usually sings about being broken hearted everything is happy and upbeat. It's a short but very sweet trip and the last song is unbelievably catchy so the whole thing is worth checking out just because of that last song.

Get it.

Shione Yukawa

Among requests for reuploads this artist is probably the most asked for along with Morita Douji. I did a discography post on Morita a few years ago so I've decided that I should do one on Shione Yukawa.

I have no idea how I discovered her, maybe it was just a random download somewhere but I liked her stuff ever since I first heard her. Her music isn't very Japanese and I think that's exactly what she is aiming for. I guess folks in Japan don't really dig this kind of...well...folk. I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing since the music itself is really good and relaxing but as I followed her career through the years it seems to go just about nowhere. She rarely changed much but maybe I can't read the lyrics or understand what the fuck she's saying. Maybe she evolved as a writer, I have no idea.

Her music could be best described as a very somber and melancholic but overall happy folk music. All of her albums are relaxed and calm with occasional happy energetic song thrown in the mix. Her music is a relaxing sunny day stroll in the forest and you're sipping orange juice along the way. Actually now that I'm more versed in folk artists her music reminds me to an extent of stuff Rachel Goswell did as a solo act.

The biggest dud for me in her whole discography is the first album. It's completely in English, compromised of covers (I think?) all in a cappella. Her voice is good and I can appreciate what she tried here but it just doesn't work. Japanese singing in English always throws me off for some reason, I can't get into it. It's interesting for a listen or two but I never really go back to it, ever.

Things pick up by the time the second album comes along called Uta no Katachi which is among my favorites of hers. Everything is in place, her voice and music that accompany it are in perfect unison. There's nothing really to complain about aside from maybe the production which  at times distracts from the songs. It's a slow but happy album that strolls along with its songs that are catchy, warm and very humble in its sound. Overall I think this album is where you'd want to start with Shione if you're new to her music. You'll get a really good grasp of what she's all about on this album.

After Uta No Katachi comes 逆上がりの国 which is basically the same thing but in a high budget version. Everything is more polished, supplemented with more instruments and more ambiance. The only downright annoying thing about this album is that she seems to try too much to be Norah Jones on a few tracks.

Her next EP comes with a change of pace. This one is far more upbeat and happy. I guess whatever was bothering her these past few years she overcame it and became one big happy motherfucker or something. This one I don't really listen to too much but there are several good songs here albeit they tend to feel a bit too crammed with instruments sometimes. On other occasions they sound like anime openings which also breaks my immersion in the album. It's a good change of pace overall and she shows on this album that her voice is suited for more merry songs as well as those sad somber ones she has been doing before.

The same year, 2006, she releases a self-titled album because every artist has to do that at least once. This one is a mixture of sounds found on the EP and her previous album. There is a lot of focus on strings here but the basis of guitar/voice is still very much present and as pleasant as ever. It's a good mixture of everything she did before with a some forays into soft rock on several songs.

In 2007 she releases another EP titled Yuki no Warutsu. It starts of with a very string oriented waltz and after that moves on to some other vastly different songs. Each song on this EP has a different approach, they're all unique in style. It's interesting to hear her try new and original things but in the end they don't really make a coherent whole. Luckily it's just an EP so it doesn't get obnoxious.

And lastly we come to her last album in my collection called Grey. This one's also pretty good. After all those experiments and foray into different genres she's back to her original folk ways with a touch of Americana feel to it. I like it and it's probably my third most favorite album by her.

After Grey she released another album that I know of but I didn't like it (I can't remember really why) so I  didn't keep it on my hard drive. There might be some more albums that got out in the meantime but I have no idea. I'm happy with these and I'm not really looking for more.

Grab the links:

2002 - Tide and Echo

2003 - Uta no Katachi

2004 - 逆上がりの国

2006 - Ajisai no Niwa

2006 - Shione Yukawa

2007 - Yuki no Warutsu

2008 - Gray

(I got these albums a long time ago so the bitrate isn't perfect but they're bearable)

Here are some of the songs that I like:

緑のアーチ

裸の王様

風よ吹かないで

NLV (Nikol- Luka & Vedran) - ...and who are you

I finally finished writing and sorting out the humongous black metal post I said I would do about ten thousand years ago. While I wait for the pile to upload I've decided to share this little EP from a local band. 

They're an acoustic trio consisting of two guitars and a (female) vocalist. The instrumentation is your usual shtick with these kinds of bands. Nothing really daring or musically different but they provide nice and mellow melodies which is really the main thing that I'm looking in folk bands like this. What carries the whole thing is the vocalist that has a delivery that is solid and varied. With each song  she brings out a different aspect of her singing into focus which I think is really nice. While technically a trio there are other instrumentation thrown in the mix just to keep you on your toes. The last song on this makes the band shine the most but I like their more barren songs as well because the melodies are catchy. They sing in English so you can even understand their lovingly written love songs.

Get it.

Nagisa Ni Te - Feel

Nagisa Ni Te or 渚にて is a folk/rock duo from Japan but surprisingly not from the Tokyo area. They come from Osaka and their name means "on the beach" which is fairly fitting actually. They've been putting out albums since 1995 and this one was released back in 2001. Aside from this album I also heard their debut but I find this one more interesting. First one is more experimental but I enjoy the more melancholic vibe that Feel has

The core of Nagisa Ni Te is the duo of Shibayama and Takeda. They both provide vocals which fits really good with the music that's in the maximum laid back style. The songs are mainly focused on slow acoustic instrumentation but there's enough diversity and experimentation that keeps this hour long album not particularly boring. Some songs tend to draw out though. While essentially being a duo there are lots of songs where more instruments come in. Most of these "session" musicians come from Maher Shalal Hash Baz band which makes sense since both bands are kinda related even in sound. While Maher has a more naive sound to it and feels more simple Nagisa on the other hand has much more tight instrumentation and sounds overall more apt in its songs. Despite that they give me a similar vibe.

Anyway, great album. Check it out.

Get it.

Ichiko Aoba - うたびこ

Folk (or singer-songwriter "genre" to be more precise) is kind of a strange beast when I think about it. I mean, nothing much has changed over the years really. When it comes down to it it's still the same principle as it was decades ago. Yet it still intrigues us and there's always something interesting and new to hear.

This particular folk album is from Japan where this genre seems to have quite a holding underneath the surface of so many female pop groups. The cover, while bordering on minimalist ridicule, is actually very representative of its overall sound. There's really not that much dressing around this one. It's just one acoustic guitar and just one lovely female voice. With this the album manages to convey a very solitary feel in all of its songs. Luckily the album does not wear out its welcome and the songs are varied enough to guarantee at least a second listen. The vocals themselves are in the mid-range (similar to Shione Yukawa) and are very calm and soothing to the ears. The music as well maintains a very chill atmosphere throughout although sometimes it tends to drift off into more murkier tones and melodies.

Get.

Live footage.

Klapa Primošten - Primoštensko Plavo More

Uhh I don't really know how to compactly write all this so it might turn up disjointed. For those of you who didn't know: I come from a tiny country called Croatia. It can roughly be divided into two areas which is the coastal area and the inland area (but "we" don't like to divide ourselves like that). I come from the coastal area which is (depending on who you ask) either really beautiful and unique or just a cheaper and less crowded version of Greece. I often seek out ethnic or folklore music from distant countries/areas. They always fascinate me and it made me think how there are maybe/probably people who might consider my area exotic, distant or unknown in terms of music. So I thought I'd share one of the most popular traditional musical styles from my parts. It's called klape or klapsko pjevanje.

The basic premise of this music is: five to eight dudes singing as a choir but each dude has his own pitch and they all sing the same thing at the same time. This kind of style probably originated from church choirs in the south a long time ago but it spread all over the coast. Unlike church songs these songs usually are about boats, women, alcohol, food and the bright blue sea. Most groups that sing this also include one or two instruments (mainly guitars and mandolins) although the original style should only have vocals. This type of music is insanely popular here, each town has at least one or two groups like this (especially along the coastline but inland towns started to get in on the fun) and you can hear it everywhere throughout the summer. Especially in the south.

Klapa Primošten is one of such groups. They come from a little town called Primošten and they are a very classic example of this kind of music. I like this kind of stuff, it's really relaxing and not really demanding on the ears. The unison of voices are really soothing on the ears and the soft accompanying music fits seamlessly with the voices.

If you're curious, check this one out. You might like it but I can't guarantee it.

Get.

Kazue Sawai - Plays 'Koto' Classics

Koto oriented music always had a special place in my tiny little heart. I love the sound of it, it might not sound very special but it really rubs me the right way. It sounds sinister yet really beautiful. Dunno, I just like it.

This album is for you if you share this passion. There's not much to say about it aside from the fact that there's a lot of koto playing involved. The pace is slow and brooding, there are tracks where there's singing but most of the time it's instrumental and the tracks all last for a long time.

Get.

Battlefield Band - The Road of Tears

It has been a long time since I last made a post and it's raining heavily outside so I've decided to share something sad (but not really) and rainy.

Battlefield Band is one of those bands that is now less of a band and more of an institution. They formed way back in 1969 and they released a lot of albums but changed even more members. I haven't heard much of their stuff but what I did I liked it so I presume most of their discography is good if not excellent. This particular album is from more modern times and the music itself is a mixture of traditional music from Scotland and "modern instrumentation". So basically they're kinda like the Old Crow Medicine Show of Scotland on here.

This album packs a lot of songs so it clocks for about an hour. While the overall tone is somewhat sad there are plenty of merry instrumentals which are probably the best part of this album. Aside from the instrumentals there are a few traditional folk songs (Scottish and Irish) so there's a bit of everything in here.

In any case, it's a smooth listen if you're into it.

Get.

Abner Jay ‎– True Story Of Abner Jay

"Folk songs tell true stories but terrible stories, Because folk are terrible. Terrible songs make big songs." says Abner a few moments before he starts singing how he likes it when cocaine swims around his brain.

He's right though, folk songs are terrible and depressing because life is terrible for the most part but the best way to heal that is by singing how terrible it is. For some reason it makes you happy, that's the magic of blues. You sing about shitty times but you feel good about it somehow. Abner was a walking one man band playing primarily an electric banjo and drums/harmonic along the side. He plays them so good that you don't even realize it's just one guy behind all this but he is and it's fucking great.

All of his songs give a very melancholic feel, even depressing at times, but everything fits so well you don't even notice how pitch-black the lyrics are at times. His repertoire varies from old covers to some of his own songs as well. The cover songs get his thorough treatment so they become something new as well making this album pretty neat. Whatever he sings he puts his whole soul into it and you can really feel it which makes him one of my favorites really.

Recommended stuff.

Download.

This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb - Front Seat Solidarity

Hey, so it's summer. I kinda forgot about that because I've been busy with worrying about finding some place where I can be an intern. But let's not bother ourselves with petty trivia, here's something that I always go back to if I feel sad or down or whatever you call it. I don't know why but folk-punk always helps out, probably in part because of its beautiful simplicity.

Folk-punk, for those who might not be familiar with it, is a basically acoustic punk. No distortion, clean vocals and/or acoustic instruments makes it sound a lot like folk but much more aggressive and fun. It's the best from both worlds in short.

This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb was a band that had a pretty good run but sadly they stopped doing music last year which sucks. This album is probably their best that they did. There's a duo of female and male vocalists, one bass, clean electric guitar and drums which all form one really great mold of musicians with relatively good lyrics attached to the music. All songs are uplifting in melodies (although not all in theme) and they're just long enough that they don't get boring or repetitive. It's great fun if you're in the mood for it. Check it out sometimes.

Download.

Fav. track.

Shione Yukawa - Uta no Katachi

Some relaxing folk music for the listeners pleasure.

Shione Yukawa is a folk singer from Japan and I believe I posted a few of her albums before but I think it's time for another one. Actually I don't think she really has any bad albums, pretty much everything is great except when she does covers or sings in English. For some reason I don't really like that. Her first album from 2002 was like that; all English. The second one, released in 2003, which I'm posting right now is all in Japanese. She's now in the field of expertise that suits her best and through this music she shines the most.

The overall tone of this album is melancholic (that's how I like my folk best) with mid paced melodies and compositions. It's one of those albums that sound sad but are uplifting in a strange way. The emphasis is on her voice and acoustic guitar but every now and then some other instrument pops in to keep things fresh and mellow. Reminds me of autumn.

Get it.

Corpus Callosum - Corpus Callosum

Corpus Callosum is a tiny little band that comes from the US. They call their music "post industrial folk noir" but it sounds to me more like some sort of hybrid of folk and country. Although, isn't country actually the "folk music" of the US? I'm at a little loss here. Well anyway; the music.

As it usually goes with bands like these they use a lot of instrumentation (mostly acoustic stuff) to create their intended atmosphere. The atmosphere here is what I essentially like the most. It's this weird blend of really melancholic music and lyrics but somewhat it sounds so happy. It's like they embrace it with a smile and in turn it makes me happy as well. It's in a way what blues was, sad stories that are meant to make you happy. It's kinda like that. Although Corpus Callosum sounds a bit more mad.

Most songs are mid paced, they just kinda stroll by. It's like they just sat down in front of a porch one evening and decided to record an album as the Sun goes down. I don't think I've ever felt bored by this album so if you like folk music check this out, you might like it too.

Download.

For some reason I named this album differently in the folder (it's tagged correctly though). So rename it if you will.

Takashi Hirayasu & Bob Brozman - Jin Jin/Firefly

This album was the product of an somewhat unusual collaboration. Okinawan koto player (among other things) and an American guitarist one day decided to record this album. Bob Brozman seems to be a totally bros man going around the world and playing with various people. This particular record is perhaps the best collaboration that I've heard from this guy.

Essentially it's one of those albums that makes you feel good. It feels like as if these two guys just met on the street and started jamming, playing solos and singing. Singing is done by Takashi and are fitting this record perfectly while most of the solos are from mister Brozman. All of the songs are catchy three to four minute jolly good melodies and merry vocals. It's simple and effective, just what folk should be.

Download.

Mondialito

Mondialito is a Japanese folk band and they sing in French for some reason. I don't know why, probably because it sounds more romantic or something unmanly like that. :[

Anyways, I posted some of their albums before and I have no idea if the links died or not. I'll be posting all of their stuff because they are that good (and I didn't post anything in ages, sorry about that!). Musically this is relaxing as fvck. Reminds me a lot of Morita Douji but they are far more happy than she was. In fact they like her so much they even covered Our Mistake. The albums don't change a lot in sound and composition so any of these four is a good start. Although some albums tend to be more folkish while other bend over more to the electronic direction so there's something for everyone.


Link no longer available.