Folk/Country — All Formats  

Great rootsy Cajun accordion – a version of the genre that's much grittier than any of the later versions that were spread more strongly through the mainstream – and definitely light years from the touristy sounds heard in more recent years! This set offers up a host of rare small label recordings from Nathan Abshire – a player who really handles his instrument with a personal touch – almost as raw and soulful as a harmonica in the hands of a blues musician, and often supported by rhythms that are pretty darn blue as well – although also with a definite Louisiana sound! The package features material with the Pine Grove Boys and Balfa Brothers group, plus others by Nathan on his own – and the set features 25 titles that include "Pine Grove Blues", "Offshore Blues", "Shamrock", "J'Etais Au Bal", "Choupique Two Step", "Partie A Grand Basile", and "Dying In Misery".

A pair of classics from John Hartford – with bonus tracks too! First up is Aereo Plain – a groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". Next is Morning Bugle – a record that's even rootsier than John's first for Warner – with just a bit of bass backing from Dave Holland, and excellent guitar from Norman Blake next to Hartford's own banjo. As before, the lyrics have this really unusual bent – steeped in images of the past, but with the sensibilities of the present – particularly the left-leaning politics of the early 70s time in which the album was recorded. Titles include "Streetcar", "My Rag", "Old Joe Clark", "On The Road", "Howard Hughes Blues", and "Got No Place To Go". 2CD set features 8 bonus tracks too – including "Airport Floor", "Back Up & Push", "Flower Power Died", and "Weave & Way".

A fantastic record of country harmony spirituals, cut by the legendary Ira and Charlie Louvin, during the height of their years at Capitol! The record's a treasure all the way through – from great cuts like "Satan is Real", "The Drunkard's Room", and "Dying From Home, And Lost" – to the groovy cover that has the Louvins standing next to a flaming pile of garbage with a statue of Satan! Forget all that modern insurgent country bullcracky – this is the real deal!

The soul saving, Satan deterring classic by The Louvin Brothers – plus the excellent Handpicked Songs compilation of Louvin tracks lovingly selected by an eclectic group of indebted artists – in this great 2CD set from Light In The Attic! Satan Is Real is a fantastic record of country harmony spirituals, cut by the legendary Ira and Charlie Louvin, during the height of their years at Capitol. The record's a treasure all the way through – from great cuts like "Satan is Real", "The Drunkard's Room", and "Dying From Home, And Lost" – to the groovy cover that has the Louvins standing next to a flaming pile of garbage with a statue of Satan! The real deal! Handpicked Songs is amazing music from the greatest chapter of the legendary Louvin Brothers – the kind of work that's made them a legend for generations! The set features Louvin classics chosen by a reverent group of singers and songwriters that really run the gamut – Dolly Parton, Beck, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Hilman, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Zooey Deschanel, The Black Angels, Mark Lanegan, M Ward, and Jim James – but all artists who have been undeniably influenced by Ira and Charlie Louvin, and their way of melding melancholy harmonies into something that goes way beyond everyday country music! The packaging is great – very much up to the Light In The Attic standard – and titles include "Almost Persuaded", "My Baby's Gone", "I See A Bridge", "Knoxville Girl", "Great Atomic Power", and "Alabama".

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables –co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables – co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

A slew of vintage gospel material from the 78rpm generation – some of it with a definite country tinge, some of it a bit more bluesy – and all of it great! The package really lives up to the shellac-digging strengths of other compilations on Mississippi – and really opens us up to a world we might never have experienced otherwise – wonderful rare material that already great on its own, but which resonates strongly in the company of all the other tracks on the set – pressed up on vinyl, which furthers the classic feel of the music too! Titles include "I Had A Dream" by Lottie Bracy, "I'll Be Rested" by Blind Roosevelt Graves, "I Can't Tarry" by Two Gospel Keys, "You Can't Hide" by Mother McCollum, "Where The Soul Of A Man Never Dies" by The Anglin Brothers, "Gods Little Birds" by Sister OM Terrell, and "No Drunkard Can Enter" by The Delmore Brothers.

A well-done look at a key moment in British music – that point when acoustic roots mixed with electric youth, and brought around a huge revival in the field of folk! The UK shifts at the end of the 60s were way different than those in the US – not nearly as simple as Dylan going electric, or folk harmony going pop – and as you'll hear in this set, there's a really progressive, revolutionary feel that runs through the music – one that's both got a great sense of history, yet a mission of personal change as well – quite far from overdone political tropes, yet with undeniable world-changing power in the end. The 2CD package is designed to accompany the book of the same name – and is divided up into Acoustic Eden and Electric Albion discs – each with their own feel. Titles include "Brother John" by Bread Love & Dreams, "Garden Song" by Bill Fay, "Music Of The Ages" by COB, "Diana" by Comus, "Oak Ash & Thorn" by Peter Bellamy, "John Barleycorn Must Die (first version)" by Traffic, "The Lark In The Morning" by Steeleye Span, "Country Road" by Unicorn, "Glasgerion" by Trees, "Glistening Glyndebourne" by John Martyn, and "Voices" by Nick Drake.

From The CMT Crossroads series. Randy Travis joins The Avett Brothers on "February Seven" and the Avetts return the favor on "Three Wooden Crosses".