Rating: 5/5
Review:
A fabulous collection
This is a fabulous collection of original recordings,
largely by John and Alan Lomax. Much of
it is little known and, according to the blurb, 13 of the 22 tracks here have
never been issued before.
The standard of musicianship is just terrific; every time I
hear new original recordings of this kind I'm blown away anew by the sheer
skill and power of these home-grown performers.
There's a wide variety of styles here, but the musical quality is very
high throughout.
The recording quality is variable and pretty ropy in places
– as you'd expect given the equipment available at the time and the
circumstances of the recordings.
Nonetheless, the sheer quality of the performances comes loud and clear
through the hiss and lo-fi and it's a strong reminder of how great a debt we
owe not only to the musicians who created the foundations of so much of modern
music, but to the collectors who preserved these gems for us.
If you have any interest whatever in original US
folk music, I can recommend this collection very warmly. It's a gem.
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