Continuing the foray into my Record Store Day 2017 musical finds, I am presenting an underrated album by the folk musician Neal Hellman (1948-) that simultaneously is one of the best old-timey albums to listen to, yet has one of the most atrociously cartoonish album cover designs ever - which, as far as country music albums go, is truly saying something.
Unless you are a folk or country musician of a certain age, it is quite unlikely that you have known of Neal Hellman prior to reading about him here. Born in New York and having his formative years shaped during the post-war folk music revival, Hellman has worked as a country music performer, educator, author and (strangely enough) children's entertainer for almost 40 years. Starting as a music teacher/recording artist, this LP is one of his earliest releases and features some fine collaboration with other musical artists such as banjoist George Stavis and dulcimer player Michael Rugg. However, it was not until 1993 when Hellman got his "big break", after he and fellow musician Joe Weed wrote the score for Princess Furball, a 1993 kids' video that won an American Library Association Commendation. Shortly thereafter, he founded the record label Gourd Music, producing over thirty critically-acclaimed folk and country albums, and where he still works today.
This album offers a wealth of old-time tunes, including a few freshly-revived military ballads (such as "Bonnie Blue Flag" and "Graycoat Soldiers") as well as containing one of the eeriest gospel tunes I have ever heard that also happens to be one of the few recordings available featuring a musical saw as the primary instrument ("I am a Little Scholar")! Unlike dozens of other old-timey albums recorded during the 1980s, this album thankfully does not have any strange pop-synth arrangements, talkboxes or similar crap added to the background. If anything, Hellman's arrangements rival more that of a "wall of sound", somewhat reminiscent of a Phil Spector (1939-) influence had Spector decided to work with acoustic instruments instead of orchestral duplication of parts (and, you know, not murdered anyone either...)
Check out a few clips below to hear it for yourself (each link opens the Dropbox media player in a new window)!
a.) "Betty Likkens/Cluck Old Hen/West Virginia Gals"
c.) "The Oot-Pick Waltz"
The songs in this album are as follows:
1. "Betty Likkens"/"Cluck Old Hen"/"West Virginia Gals"
2. "Bonnie Blue Flag"
3. "Colored Aristocracy"
4. "Ducks on a Pond/Boatin' up Sandy"
5. "Graycoat Soldiers"
6. "I am a Little Scholar"
7. "Indian Nation"
8. "John Henry"
9. "Old Dog Blue"/"The Arkansas Traveler"/"The Eighth of January"
10. "On a Cold Winter's Night"
11. "The Oot-Pick Waltz"
12. "Scotland"
13. "Seven Bridges Road"
14. "Shortnin' Bread"
Download (36.4 MB, 128 kbps)
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