Rich Warren has posted his Favorites of 2013:
First, an explanatory note:
I refrain from calling these "The Best of 2013" because the following list is but one listener's biased opinion. I have culled these from the many good recordings that crossed my CD player this year. I'm sure I forgot to include a few notable recordings. All told, I estimate The Midnight Special received at least 1000 new recordings, and I listened to about 500 new recordings, of which about 250 made it into the WFMT library, and about 150 received airplay. I do not include reissues and most compilations among these favorites. As the cut-off date is November 15, some of the newest recordings will not be considered until next year.
Sometimes I am just overwhelmed by mediocrity and at other times marvel at the creativity and talent. There are a mere eight favorites this year. It boiled down to being exceptionally discriminating or a list of 25. I probably could have halved these or doubled the number yet again. There was ample good music, but only these eight grabbed me. While I thought about these choices long and hard for several weeks, if not most of the year, had I made the list a day earlier or a day later it might have been slightly different
If a good friend visited from out-of-town with only an hour or two to spare, and asked me to play my favorites from 2013, I would play the following. Actually, I have purchased quantities of several of them to give to friends for the holidays.
By way of explanation, I have annotated the CDs on the list, arranged alphabetically.
Sam Baker: Say Grace self, no# (sambakermusic.com)
Sam Baker may be the songwriter of the year. I reacted to this CD the same way as when I first heard John Prine. Not that Baker is like Prine, per se, but he definitely follows a different path than most songwriters. His songs contain a quirky raw honesty without apology. Some listeners may even be offended by a few of the songs, but at the same time marvel at the way Baker expresses himself. He obliquely touches on politics with his cleverly crafted songs that burrow deep in the human condition.
Childsplay: As the Crow Flies self 006 (childsplay.org)
All the string instruments of this large ensemble were built by Bob Child, thus the name Childsplay. Liz Carroll superbly produced the CD as well as composing some of the tunes, and filled the rest with a variety of traditional and original tunes and songs by some of the musicians on the recording. Lissa Schneckenburger beautifully sings the vocals, making traditional songs entirely her own, as well as fiddling, while fiddler Hanneke Cassel performs many of the impressive fiddle solos and wrote some incredibly beautiful tunes, such as The Last Alleluia.
James Keelaghan: History The First 25 Years Borealis 222 (keelaghan.com)
Normally, my rules forbid choosing a compilation or reissue for a favorite of the year, but if there ever was a worthy exception, this 18 song retrospective by Keelaghan is it. First, Keelaghan is one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the folk tradition living today. Period. Not to mention a splendid voice with which to sing his songs. While many artists err or take poor advice as to which songs to include on a “best of” retrospective, Kelo hits the nail on the head. What makes this more unusual is an accompanying DVD that includes his concert introductions to each song and explanations about them, but not a video of the actual song. The audio recording of each, which includes Kiri’s Piano, Cold Missouri Waters, Captain Torres (which seems to have been remixed so the lyrics are much clearer) and McConnville’s, stand alone. This really is a “must have” CD.
Old Man Luedecke: Tender Is the Night True North 569 (oldmanluedecke.com)
First, Luedecke is not an old man, he’s somewhere around 30. He is something of a cross between the young Loudon Wainwright and Ralph Stanley. He borrows traditional and contemporary song titles for his original songs, tips his hat to the original and off he goes. The album sounds vaguely old-timey, with a contemporary tilt. I greatly appreciate off-beat, highly original artists and Luedecke fills the bill.
Audra McDonald: Go Back Home Nonesuch 517766-2 (audramcdonald.com)
This is not a folk album; it falls in the intriguing vortex of cabaret, concert, lieder and pop. The reason I chose it goes beyond McDonald’s glorious voice. She’s a superb interpreter and her selection of songs involving and captivating. I'll Be Here by Adam Gwon is worth the entire CD, but Married Love by Michael John LaChiusa also is worth the journey. There are many better known songwriters represented and a few familiar songs as well.
Mist Covered Mountains: This Distant Shore self, no# (fiddlingdemystified.com/bands/mist)
This all-too-short CD snuck up on me. The vocals are good, but not outstanding, the musicianship is skilled, but not extraordinary, however, the sum is greater than the parts. Perhaps it’s because this trio chose eight rather extraordinary songs (although I felt cheated there were not more). Including only one completely original song (and a few original additions to another song or two), Mist Covered Mountains covers songs by Archie Fisher, John Gorka, Richard Berman and a handful of traditional songs, including a lovely version of Fear an Bhata and The Parting Glass with a new verse or two. All in all it’s a delightful CD from leftfield. Why, the group doesn’t even have its own Website.
Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer: Child Ballads Wilderland 002 (anaismitchell.com)
No originals here, except that this is a highly original CD. Mitchell & Hamer fix their sights on the great canon of English and Scottish Popular Ballads as compiled and researched by Francis Child in the 19th century. Popular ballads at that time are what we call traditional or roots now, and Childs collection probably is the greatest in the English language. Mitchell & Hamer chose seven of these great ballads to brilliantly interpret, picking and choosing from the many variants of each ballad collected by Child to assemble a cohesive story. They then bring the songs to an enchanting and contemporary sensibility without altering the lyrics or “jazzing” them up. They provide convincingly sincere vocals with a most pleasing uncluttered accompaniment. I love these great old ballads and this is the best interpretation of them I’ve heard in many a year. My only complaint is that the CD should contain a few more ballads. After all, they are free of royalties.
Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line Carnival Blue Pig 2222 (norajanestruthers.com)
Struthers fuses old-time bluegrass with contemporary singer-songwriter into a beguiling amalgam of influences that still seem at home under the bluegrass umbrella. Her well crafted lyrics cover a wide range of topics and their poetry sneaks up on the listener, while her melodies are pure ear candy. This is the kind of CD you can put in the player and hit “repeat” without growing bored.
Honorable mention:
Amy Speace: How to Sleep in a Stormy Boat Wind Bone 59709-60466 (amyspeace.com)
Speace ought to win an award for the best title of the year, but these also are the best songs she’s written or co-written, all inspired in some way by William Shakespeare. Her assured voice brings the songs to life and takes you on an compelling voyage.
Laura Smith: Everything Is Moving Borealis 224 (laurasmith.ca)
After a long hiatus Laura Smith returns in better voice than ever, with her smoky alto fully caressing and illuminating ten songs ranging from traditional to original to covers, and like with Mist Covered Mountains above, Smith has exceptionally well chosen her material.
Rich Warren
The Midnight Special & Folkstage
www.midnightspecial.org
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