Steel Eye Span- Live At Last

Rounding out this week with one of my favorite artists who has been on the blog a whole lots, Steel Eye Span.  This record, with discount was $8.00.

Live At Last was Steel Eye Span’s 11th and at the time last album (before they shortly reformed).  Classic lineup members, Peter Knight and Bob Johnson had left the group to be replaced by Martin Carthy and John Kirkpatrick.  The addition of Kirkpatrick made this one of the only two SES records which featured accordion as a primary instrument.  This record also features only two songs from previous albums.  

As the record states, the band broke up shortly after the recording of this album (which was March 7, 1978) for reasons they did not want to elaborate on.  Wikipedia, on the other hand , states the split was short lived as the band was contractually obliged to release an album (which they did in 1980).  Carthy and Kirkpatrick additionally viewed their tenure as short term and did not wish to continue much further.  And more reunions, albums, and other events followed which I do not wish to elaborate on.

As stated above, the departures and additions made for a different sound then their peak albums but this sound is pretty interesting in its own right.  Sure I am biased but the accordion is a nice touch.  I really liked this album altogether including this song “The False Knight”.

For samples, I really wanted to go with what are abnormalities for SES, songs written in the 20th century.  This album has two of them.  First we have “Saucy Sailor/ Black Freighter”, the latter song of course from Kurt Weill’s Three Penny Opera.  Maddy Prior really cuts loose in parts of this one.  Finally, I also have “Rag Doll” which is the Four Seasons’ classic.  Apparently, SES used to do a set of 1950’s numbers for encores and I imagine this number was part of that.

Satisfactory.

The Kingston Trio- Time To Think


DSCN5090 (1024x1014)This was a dollar.  I like the Kingston Trio so if I come across anything with songs that I like on it by them, I will pick it up.  On a side note, I just flew back in last night from Arizona and besides playing two periods of hockey on the fly after racing across town, I am beat.  I could have gone a bit more in depth with this, yet I choose not to today.636011859806677838-Kingston-Trio

The Kingston Trio formed in 1957 by Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and Bob Shane. They scored five #1 albums and sold over 8 million records by 1961.  Although they started singing Hawaiian and calypso tunes, they came to embody the growing folk movement and in that regard, were true innovators.  While typing this, I realized that calling the re-interpretation of songs that have been played for ages may not sound like innovation, but alas, that is the world of folk music.  Tensions mounted within the band, however, and by 1961, Guard left the band.  He was replaced by John Stewart of later Gold fame. The band continues to have success with top ten albums and big singles such as “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” and “Greenback Dollar”.  However, as the movement they started started to get more topical and political, coupled with pressure from the British Invasion, the trio’s fortunes began to wane.  The group sort of split in 1967 with several offshoots and reformations throughout the following years.  In 1981, a version of the band lead by Shane was joined on stage by Reynolds, Guard, and Stewart.  Kingston_Trio_312046_1964_t940

Despite their massive popularity and success, the Trio kind of found themselves in a funny situation.  Many equated folk music with leftist politics, while others felt the band was too vanilla.  In truth, the Trio skillfully mastered a wide range of styles and songs, turned people on to radicals like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, and paved the way for new artists such as Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, and Bob Dylan.  And as stated above, despite this misguided criticism, they were massively successful. A version of the band continues today despite the death of Guard and Reynolds, and the retirement of Shane.

The band’s Webpage with a better bio since I am still getting over traveling.

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This album was around the band’s 17th or so.  It came out in 1963.  It was a move into more meaningful and pointed songs as their contemporaries were moving into more socially conscious music and in turn, perhaps, was the beginning of the end.  The album has a pretty good track list,  Thier version of “Season’s In The Sun” is pretty good.  I also liked “The Patriot Game” (which I would have used as a sample had it not skipped), “If You Don’t Look Around”, and “Alley Ally Oxen Free”.  I bought this for “Deportee” which I felt fell flat.  Other than that, it is  a decent album.2-folkways-lp-s-by-woody-guthrie-bound-for-glory-sings-folk-songs-w-inserts_1318057

As a side note, I was pleasantly surprised to find a booklet from a Woody Guthrie album inside this one.  Titled Bound For Glory, the booklet contains lyrics to several Guthrie songs, some thoughts and quotes, and a few cartoons drawn by Guthrie.  I believe it was printed in 1961 or so.woody-guthrie-bound-for-glory-folkways-w-insert-songs-story-nice_6471891

For a sample, I decided to go with “Coal Tattoo”.ktrbw21

Satisfactory enough album.

The Seekers- Georgy Girl

DSCN4635 (794x800)Well, it was bound to happen eventually, but I ended up buying two copies of this record.  Both were $1.  I did a blog on the Seekers last year.  If you remember, I have tried real hard to like them and in all fairness, they do have some really good numbers, but overall, I like my folk music with rough edges.  So it is kind of strange that this would be the band I ended up doubling up.  the-seekers-gallery-22-wfkouylheuto-wfzofmcshpvt

Link to Earlier Seeker’s Post

This was the seventh album of the Seekers and apparently, in the US, it was an abridged version by Capitol Records of EMI’s Come the Day, both released in 1966. One source lists it as 1967.  I am too busy to split hairs on this point.  Anyway, it contains their big hit, “the title track “Georgy Girl” from the 1966 British movie of the same name. If you read this blog, at the very least in the last week, you know that this song as well as the movie is one of my favorites.  This is pretty much why I bought the album. I realize I posted this clip on my last Seeker’s post, but Damn it, I like it.

This album is ok.  There are some pretty good moments. Aside from my obvious love of the title track, I really liked their versions of “Red Rubber Ball” and “California Dreamin”.  It also has decent enough versions of “Yesterday”, “Last Thing On My Mind”, “Come The Day”, and “Turn, Turn, Turn”.  I still reserve my original point, that I , personally, prefer a less fine tuned folk music product, but having said this, this album is not too bad and is probably my favorite of theirs.DSCN4636 (800x787)

For a sample, I was drawn to Doug Kershaw’s “Louisiana Man”.  I think it is kind of perverse having these fine Australian singers from the UK sing a nice, clean ditty about swamp life. It also underscores the influence of Kershaw (who I posted last week) beyond his home state, especially in an age before internet.seekers-729-20130910140938412341-620x349

I like this album and it is probably the reason I keep buying Seeker’s albums despite my objections.  Satisfactory