British Folk (and Revival)

Have you seen them? Because they fucking do. Or did when they opened for Devendra in Edinburgh. But crap.

Espers draws far more influence from Pentangle and Bread, Love and Dreams.

Sorry. But you drew a very poor comparison.

Dave Mattacks was playing in bar bands here in Boston for a while a few years ago (and may still be). He was introduced to me by a friend who said "hey, you like Richard Thompson, don't you? This is Dave; he played drums with him."

As a huge fan of the complete family tree of Brit-folk(-rock), I don't think the entirely unassuming Mr. Mattacks was quite prepared for the amount of drool that ensued. It somehow seemed even bigger to me than meeting, say, Richard Thompson himself, because Mattacks defined that particular sound as much as anybody. Frankly, I think he was frightened by me.

When I asked him why he moved to Boston, he said, "just to try get gigs." As much as I know how small our idols' roles are in the world of commercial music, it was crushing to hear that out of him.

i certainly hear influences of the old stuff in the new, but nothing too much alike. espers don't sound much like fairport to me, aside from the pretty vocals. i saw them once live and they were more weird sounding, like almost "trance" and really dark. i don't know, i have looked into them and thier inflkuences, but most of the stuff they talk about or people who like them tal about seems so unheard of or really hard to find. i don't think devendra's stuff sounds like any of it. i'd like to hear that lucky luke band.

We seem to be agreeing on just about everything here

just not getting any of the uk folk music.

and however said that the espers sounds like bread over fairport is spot on.

18th day of may is too much of a fairport copyist band. pretty dull fair.

i have a lot of time for lucky luke..

lucky luke is dull as fuck!! its like listening to grateful dead b-sides.

dadaimus ... did you get the vashti record. its pretty. but there is absolutely nothing of substance. i couldn't remember one song after it finished playing!

i think with Vashti -- it has that hip 'quotient' ... nobody dareth say that the album was dull as fuck because you know, its like VASHTI, and its like so awesome she recorded something.

I prefer the second Steeleye Span LP to the first, and I prefer both to Liege and Lief.

Hello Doomie!

its funny re: patti smith. i remember in 87 i heard about her and i was like i have to hear some of this music and i went out and bought ... the book of life?? something like that? and it was so dull. i didnt buy another patti smith album for five years.

(Someone criticised VB on here many moons ago and received a not-very-impressed email from La Bunyan herself, I understand. How exciting!)

Folk divas. I can't think of anything more boring! Hey Tim!

REALLY curious about Alexander Tucker.

Anyone like Anne Briggs? Both squiffier and pithier than VB I think, though inhabiting a lot of the same territory.

yeah, he is. and he's like some fucked up guitar god! i can only think of him and voice of the seven woods ... i've seen so many bad contemporay uk folk acts ... devendra banhart has alot to answer for (and i like devendra banhart!)

yeah, i'd have to agree. i got some micheal chapman albums and still not sure what to think ... was he just a proto-david gray!!

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000JAXS.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Aww, I think it's wonderful. I'm almost as fond of that as Shirley Collins. Someone else that refuses to sing anymore. Why was there this sudden loss of confidence in these people?

... and Linda Thompson!

Voice of the Seven Woods is one of the best things I've heard this year. I hope he comes and plays near me soon

so far: shirley collins and nic jones are GREAT. i got on reccomendation a shirley collins album with davy graham and i have listened twice, i love it. i have one of graham's solos, but no listen yet.

the espers vs lucky luke faux debate: esprs win by miles...i downloaded lucky luke and i do really like it, but it just doesn't measure up and sound as, um, "good". i guess you folk experts can rip me to shreds if i'm wrong.

i found this, too: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/spinning/episodes/05282004

from the espers.org site...

it's espers doing a really beautiful and haunting radio set and then playing some of thier favorite songs from other artists....more to add to my searchlist.

http://www.moorsmagazine.com/images3/gaughanhandful.jpg

Oh sorry, that was the finale, "Carry It All," with her whole little band in there.