my perceptions." The Delaware native serves up 12 songs, which he either wrote or co-wrote, based on his observations of life in Los Angeles. Like F. Scott Fitzgerald, who chronicled the golden era of Hollywood's Jazz Age in the 1920's, Islam spins engaging yarns about the denizens of La La Land: the upstarts, the scions of the celebrated, the fallen stars, and, on a more personal note, the quest for love in a transient culture with a diminished attention span. Once again working with Edward Tree ("a producer's best friend"), Islam has recorded in analog to capture a warm, organic sound for his hybrid of country, rock, and folk. For the sessions, Islam & Tree assembled veritable legends, who, between them, have recorded and/or to...  (less)

were the lowest he'd ever experienced in his entire career. By the early '90s, he was without a label for the first time in four decades. Longtime fan, label owner and producer Rick Rubin stepped in, asked Johnny to return to his roots and together, they re-created the legend of the Man In Black. Features Cash performing his own compositions as well as songs from Loudon Wainwright, Leonard Cohen, Nick Lowe, Tom Waits and Glenn Danzig. American Recordings earned Johnny a 1995 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. A stunning return to form. Warner.  (less)

of ethnographic material in the world. It includes more than 5,000 hours of sound recordings, 400,000 feet of motion picture film, hundreds of photographic prints and negatives, over 120 linear feet of correspondence, field notes, research files, and much more. While recording for the Library of Congress in the 1930s, Lomax made trips to Haiti and the Bahamas. The recordings made in Haiti in 1936 37 provide a window on Haitian expressive culture recorded soon after the departure of the American Marines, while Haiti was in the throes of a nationalist and africentric movement. This groundbreaking production of the story, the sounds, and the sights of the legendary musicologist s trip to Haiti features 10 CDs, two books containing extensive notes and Lomax s journal, a replica...  (less)

but with better sound than the three disc box set, Jefferson Airplane Loves You , this 32 track compilation covers the band’s seven albums and two live offerings, giving nearly equal time to all. Not held in as high esteem as their Bay Area compatriots the Grateful Dead, the Airplane successfully combined Marty Balin’s expressive voice on such lovely folk-tinged love songs as "Comin' Back to Me," the apocalyptic visions of "Wooden Ships" (co-written by the Airplane’s Paul Kantner with David Crosby and Stephen Stills), the edgy, psychedelia of "The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" and the politically charged rallying cry of "Volunteers." Singer Grace Slick provided a photogenic focal point and dynamic int...  (less)

Appleseed label for a delightfully buoyant and positive new CD aimed at teaching kids some of life's basic lessons in 18 exuberant, non-preachy songs. The joyful sound of six magically interwoven voices and upbeat advice - utilizing folk, gospel, jazz, blues and even rap styles - will appeal to children and parents alike. The CD's colorful packaging - an eyecatching digipack and a 16-page booklet in the style of a school composition notebook - contributes to the theme of learning through music. Children from the ages of 9 to 12 pose questions about the mysteries of the adult world in print, and the members of Sweet Honey (six vocalists at the time of this recording, now five, not counting their onstage ...  (less)

he has found his own bold and compelling songwriting voice. After being screwed around by major labels for the better part of the 1990s, Nelson finally emerged in 1998 with the provocative Last Hurrah , a record that is edgy and brassy yet oddly soothing. His musical settings range from Stones-like jangle and swagger to warm acoustic strumming, but they are merely springboards for his world-weary lyrics. In the end, what comes across is a man who's been beaten down (by the world and by his own behavior) yet finds beauty in the cycle of it all. Nelson is part quick-witted poet, part depraved miscreant--in short, just your typical Austin musician. --Marc Greilsamer  (less)

JOAN BAEZ, the duo was poised for greatness. Then, suddenly and sadly, Dave Carter died of a heart attack in July 2002 while the duo was on tour in Massachusetts. He was 49. With SEVEN IS THE NUMBER, Tracy Grammer fulfills her promise to bring the last Dave & Tracy project to fruition. Begun in the duo's home studio during the winter of 2001-2002, SEVEN is essentially a re-recording of songs from Carter's out-of-print solo album which had been released prior to his collaboration with Grammer. SEVEN was unfinished at the time of Carter's death; Grammer and engineer Mark Frethem finished the tracking, mixing and mastering in May 2006. SEVEN IS THE NUMBER brings together dustbowl drifters, evangelists and prisoners, politicians...  (less)

recorded the entire record live in a 4-hour period. What was captured is an intimate and organic picture of what these songs would have actually sounded like if you were listening to him play for you in a dark quiet room. No overproducing or effects of any kind Ð vocal or otherwise Ð just an unpolluted look at the songs. Though written almost 30 years later, these songs carry the same kind of darkness and quiet existential suffering expressed in NICK DRAKE's albums. Originally released in 1999 on the small indie label Status Recordings, ROCKY's folk-punk debut has long been out-of-print. With Second Nature's re-issue of the album fans will finally be able to complete their collections of his work. This understated and honest record marks the b...  (less)

The group's indoor/outdoor audio assaults in upper and lower Manhattan are the stuff of legend, but on Live at Ken's Electric Lake the band took a distinct turn, crossed the Canadian border, and made a sudden diaspora to a rural retreat in the country for a full day's session of acid-head tribal percussion clatter that is utterly different than anything they had put on the public record up to that time. Looser, groovier, and more in the communal hippie state of mind than ever, NNCK's long out-of-print fifth release from 1998 ranks among the finest displays of tribal churn and choogle in the band's thirteenyear history. Neo-dada attacks were swapped for psychedelic good vibrations, and midrange mystery for outdoor atmospherics. This is a peak communal groov...  (less)

folk style of Rose Clouds of Holocaust. Utilizing traditional instruments such as the guitar, accordion, flute and trumpet, the album is split into 6 folk-oriented and 5 experimental tracks. Inspired by Charles Manson's night of Helter Skelter. Comes in a deluxe digipak with embossed titles and debossed images. Leper.  (less)

continuing through to today where they are featured guest performers at the annual Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in Asheville, North Carolina. Harry and Jeanie's music is featured on "The High Lonesome Sound of Bluegrass" - the life story of Bill Monroe and the history of bluegrass and old-time music. Their music has also been selected by the Smithsonian Institute as representative of the traditional sound of bluegrass, old-time music and mountain ballads. They have recorded hundreds of songs for various imprints including Prestige, Riverside, Stinson, Folkways and Counterpoint / Esoteric, most of which are out of print and remain highly valued collector's items, including the incredible collection of songs featured here, for the first time on CD.  (less)

wide audience. In addition to the well-crafted songs on the CD, the layout of the CD was nominated for numerous design awards by the prestigious design publication Print Magazine.  (less)

requested of Joy's songs, this CD is a rare opportunity to experience her new recordings as they are being created. Each CD is individually signed and numbered, and at the coming release of the new multiple-CD collection, this limited-edition release will no longer be in print. About the Author Katzen-Guthrie's life has been devoted to writing, concertizing, speaking, and communicating the power of healing music. Those who have heard her recordings and experienced her concerts have described the many ways in which her music has been beneficial - a portal to healing and creativity, joy, support, and well being. A Steadfast Bridge has been used in healing facilities, concerts, h...  (less)

reference-point; they are a far cry from the current set of indie rockers appealing to the Lomax recordings for credibility. They have their own sound of unease--that being their resemblance to the american folk forebearers. It's an intoxication of ansinthe rather than whiskey. It evokes an uncanny and confused imagery, close and foreign at the same time, like a soundtrack to a David Lynch movie. This release captures their rare, out of print, and hard-to-find early recordings.  (less)