Subterranean Homesick Album Club
 

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No one ever posts in this part of the forum, so I am attempting to revive it with some along the lines of the Prog and Punk album clubs, except well, with Country/Folk music.
Folk, in all its forms, is virtually my favorite genre. As the the instrumentation is typically very minimalist/acoustic, the main focus falls on lyrical content. I feel the best lyrics come from folk music for this reason, that's why I have such an appreciation for the genre.
As to be excpected, I'm not going to do a long write-up in the OP like everyone else, that's not really my style. Just use this thread to reccomend albums. After 4 or so albums are posted I'll make a poll and all that other stuff.
wow, I hope someone responds to this.

some more modern(ish) folk artists:

Great title, great idea ! :clap:
I`ve been wondering why this part of MB has been so quiet, so it`ll be nice to see if some slumbering folk/country fans are stirred into life.
I hope to be posting a candidate album tomorrow. Thanks.

To start things off squarely within the folk tradition, I`d like to suggest this album :

Irish Heartbeat by Van Morrison and the Chieftains (1988)

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After building up a huge following in their own right, the Irish folk band, The Chieftains, finally teamed up with fellow country-man Van Morrison to produce an album that should have a wide appeal.

Eight of the ten tracks are fresh and powerful reworkings of traditional songs; the lyrics do not disappoint and Van Morrison`s unique delivery will send a chill down the most jaded of spines. Add to that the full range of the Chieftains` fiddles, pipes and bodhràn, and you have an album that succeeds on many levels. You can play it loudly and be swept away by the swirling music, or play it softly and it still sounds great. There are moments of joy, nostalgia and mystery, and a heartfelt version of Carrickfergus in which VM pulls out all the stops.

VM also contributes two of his own more reflective compositions (including the title track) that fit well into the album although I consider the traditional material much stronger. Well, give the album a listen and you can decide for yourself !

I'll offer a contribution:

Tim Buckley - Goodbye and Hello (1967)
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Tim Buckley, the father of the ill-fated and critically lauded Jeff Buckley, with Goodbye and Hello offers what is probably his best studio album.

His voice is absolutely awe-inducing, and the lyrical prowess and craftmanship on the album aren't remotely shoddy either. Buckley is able to switch between heartwrenching and beautiful to verging on psychedelic (although equally as gorgeous) completely seamlessly, and the album itself benefits from this.

Buckley's second studio album, Goodbye and Hello is a fantastic (although regretfully often overlooked) album. Definitely worth checking out!

Such a great idea, bro.

Hako Yamasaki - Tsunawatari
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This is an album by Japanese singer/songwriter Hako Yamasaki. Strikingly beautiful, melancholic, and not in English. This record employs some of the standard 1970s studio tricks, but for the most part, it's a true folk record featuring just the artist and her guitar.

Fuchsia - Fuchsia

A progressive Folk Rock album of sorts, this 1971 release is replete with the full range of emotions, from melancholy to twee and all kinds of delicate intermingled shadings in between. It swoops through dark, shadowy passages and soars up into sun drenched, golden blue skies - often in the same song. It has, at its core, a beautifully pastoral folk sentimentality, and utilises fiddles, violin and acoustic guitars to their maximum potency, coupling them with haunting melodies and evocative lyricism in order to create vivid, atmospheric pictures for the listener.

Okay, cool. My nomination is
Langhorne Slim - S/T (2008)
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Fairly traditional country-folk album, with a sense of bitter humour thrown in. Nothing really experimental, but a great album featuring just A Guy, A guitar, and a moustache. Most of the songs are optimistic ballads about getting through struggle etc. Uplifting without being preachy.

Wonderful album, Stu. I remember you gave it to me about a million years ago and I fell in love.

The lack of interest in this thread is a bit disappointing, kind of indicative of the Folk forum as a whole.