Tag Archives: Folk

The Soulful Sounds of Kwesi Kankam

28 Mar

Kwesi Kankam

Kwesi Kankam is an eclectic musician. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Kankam (who is of Ghanaian descent) moved to Toledo, Ohio where he was raised. Kankam received a football scholarship to Lehigh University, but his love of music eventually got behind the tacklers and sacked him (hooray for awful football analogies!)

I mention Kankam’s interesting past because his music reflects it. Kankam’s diverse soul-influenced folk encompasses multifarious simplicity. Before you call me out on this contradictory juxtaposition of words, let me explain.

Kankam’s music features everything from orchestral strings to Africana beats to horns, but, ultimately, when stripped down to its bare roots, the music is simple and calm like a relaxed pair of jeans. It is Kankam’s airy, light-hearted croon and an acoustic guitar.

Ultimately, no matter how much music you add to the background, the artist must be a proficient singer and there needs to be an instrument like a guitar or a piano played well. Kankam excels at both.

“Brunettes,” my favorite track off of Kankam’s debut EP, Ran Away From Me, which was released in March of last year, begins with Kankam and his acoustic guitar – quickly drums and keys are added. Kankam’s voice is a sip of hot cocoa in a cozy coffee shop. His smooth croon is one part Danny O’Donoghue, one part Ben Harper or Joe Pisapia. The vocal inflections are skillful, and his layered melodies are wonderful. The repeated riff stays true to the piece as Kankam manipulates the sound with tiny electric guitar segments and creative keys. Tap your feet. Sip your cocoa. The song makes you as comfortable as reclining in a La-Z-Boy.

“Long Days, Short Nights” features eclectic rhythms and instrumentation (almost like a Dave Matthews song) that create a worldly atmosphere. Think rooty folk mixed with modern Indie folk – sort of like Rusted Root mixed with Calexico. The mixture is euphonious and Kankam’s voice fits the music to perfection. Best of all, despite that the song is almost 5:30, I never felt bored. The music flows like water in a small creek, and, like “Brunettes” it is infectious and easy.

Keep up with Kwesi Kankam: Website, Facebook, Twitter

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Wish Irene a Goodnight – Evolution of the Song

14 Mar

Lead Belly

Think about how many times Irene has been wished goodnight in song? I can safely say that it is more than any other typical name. “Goodnight Irene” is one of the most popular  American Folk standards. It’s catchy repetition and melody is musically pervasive. Start singing this piece and people will join you. It’s as if it is hardwired in our mental music libraries right with “This Land is Your Land.”  We have heard scores of versions of “Goodnight Irene,” but if it weren’t for the man in the picture above and musicologists Alan and John Lomax then we might have never wished Irene goodnight.

Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, may very well be the most influential blues musician of the 20th century. His impact on future generations of musicians was unparalleled. “Goodnight Irene” was, like most traditional blues/folk songs, based on a song that predated it that was lost. Lead Belly, though, rearranged the song and put together his ode to Irene, a love he could not have. While in prison, Lead Belly recorded hours of music for the Lomax’s, and “Goodnight Irene” came out of those recordings. It did not gain popularity in Ledbetter’s lifetime, though, and instead became popular when The Weavers’ recorded it a few years after his death.

The Weavers are perhaps most responsible for the folk boom of the 1950s and 60s that spawned artists like Bob Dylan and popularized music from folk pioneers like Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly.

Clearly, the song has touched competent hands. And, in those hands, it became a staple of their respective performances. The difference between Lead Belly and The Weavers’ versions of “Goodnight Irene” is worth noting. The Weavers initially pick and chose from Lead Belly’s sometimes controversial lyric. For example, the morbidly humorous verse below was not included in the Weavers’ version.

I Love Irene, God knows I do

Love her till the sea runs dry

If Irene turns her back on me

I’m gonna take morphine and die

I can see why the last line of that verse could have sparked some ill-feelings in the time period. They, though, did keep the other suicidal verse (below) so to each his own, right?

Sometimes I live in the country

Sometimes I live in town

Sometimes I take a great notion

To jump into the river and drown

With that all being said, the song is a wonderful classic, and its eccentric lyric and infectious melody stick with us through the generations. Check out one of Lead Belly’s versions and a Weavers’ version of the song.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Taking a Ride with Calaca Strides

7 Mar

Calaca Strides

Calaca Strides bends genres with a created blend of low-fi, lugubrious melodies joined with bluesy acoustic riffs and upbeat vocals. In some ways, the music may represent a subtle contradiction, but Calaca Strides blends the music together with precision.

Hailing from England, Calaca Strides released Brittle Breeze  back in September of 2012, and the four-song EP is impressive in its musical scope. Specifically, the first and last track feature the intriguing musical concoction I mention above.

“Monster,” the concluding track on the EP, begins with a plucked acoustic guitar drenched in strung-out background sound. The song creates an ethereal atmosphere, like an enigmatic sky with clouds vacillating between rain and mist. The consequent euphonious vocals over the rapid playing of acoustic guitar notes creates a medieval aura (much like Amazing Blondel did in the early 70s with “Sinfonia for Guitar and Strings”). The song is an ode to progressive rock and modern folk.

“Row By Row,” is the nearly seven minute opening track on Brittle Breeze. It is an impressive song. I appreciate its multifaceted musicality. The listener is introduced to tremendous melodies that naturally transition into an eccentric mixture of folk/blues (almost like Amos Lee). The sounds introduced throughout the piece are fascinating.

Check out the rest of the album by clicked on it above. Stay up on Calaca Strides on Facebook and Twitter or visit the website.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Wizard of Norway – Christoffer Øien

20 Feb

Christoffer Øien

What kind of music can you expect from a 25-year-old singer/songwriter from a small fishing village in Norway? Did you guess enchanting folk with a hint of haunting strings laid over an enigmatic vocal? You did? Wow, good guess!

Christoffer Øien is a true find, and in a burgeoning musical world, he represents a perspicacious musician with tremendous ability that should be recognized by a global audience. Øien’s music is expansive folk; it mixes the style of some of Joe Purdy’s slower, lugubrious pieces with a mystical Radiohead flavor. The sound is bewitching, and one wants to continue listening to the wizard of Norway.

Let’s take a listen to two songs; the first a disturbing lullaby called “Sandman.”

The song is, well, creepy. It’s creepy in a good way. Øien clearly wants to elicit the feeling of an unsettling lullaby. Øien combines drawn out strings with light keys and acoustic guitar. The music culminates in a beautiful combination of strings that soothe the listener. His lyric is imaginative, and he sings such distinct lines as “it feels like rain, tastes like wine” and “it sounds like pain, but it’s all in my mind” Eerie and oddly enticing.

“The Wizard” begins with a plucked acoustic guitar and transitions to Øien’s unmistakable vocal. The song, like “Sandman” combines several influences, and, in some parts, almost takes the form as a gloomier early Coldplay composition. I can continue to search for Øien’s style in other musicians, but it may be wise to simply describe him as refreshingly original and tell you all to listen to more of his first album, Monster.

Check out his website, Facebook

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Rollin’ With Skinny Lister

21 Jan

Skinny Lister

It may have taken until this month for Skinny Lister’s debut LP Forge and Flagon to be released in the United States, but this patriotic British Indie/Folk quintet has gone from an authentic pub band to the ‘hardest working band in the UK. And staying true to their debut album’s name, the band just continues to blow away crowds with their punky, effervescent folk hits that flow just like the everlasting quantity of wine from a metal flagon. In 2011, Skinny Lister played more festivals than ANY band in the UK, and don’t expect them to be slowed down by languor or travel hangovers. No, Skinny Lister will forge ahead with a vivaciousness unique to only the best of those perpetually touring acts. Why? Because they love it!

In 2012, Skinny Lister went from performing at SXSW to earning a spot on the Vans Warped Tour, where they played three times a day. To support their new release, the band is opening for California-spawned Celtic Punk band Flogging Molly during a 19-date tour that will traverse the States. I have the privilege to attend the NYC show, which I will do with much delight, and then with fervid enjoyment (like Skinny Lister’s musical attitude) write a review for you all. Check out the concert schedule.

Let’s get to Skinny Lister’s debut. Often bands who are constantly touring fall into the trap of ‘studio lassitude.’ It’s almost a natural katzenjammer when one considers a restive tour schedule. This is NOT the case for Skinny Lister. The music is catchy, crisp, edgy, and excellent. The music is fresh. It is bubbly and brainy, smart and sassy, powerful and…well…powerful! The music is also ubiquitous. It can be enjoyed by those that like to dance, rock out, or just sit with a cup of joe and nod at good folk music.

“Rollin’ Over” is an energetic piece fused with speedy percussion, spirited instrumentation, and fastidious harmony. From a musical standpoint it is tightly spun, a perfect example of punk-infused folk-pop, but from a pure enjoyment standpoint the music is playful and sprightly. It is almost a guarantee that large groups of audiences will repeat “roll back to your side” ad nauseam. The additional vocal harmony at the end is much appreciated. Great track.

“If the Gaff Don’t Let us Down” moves in a similar manner, but it plays more like a tame Flogging Molly or Great Big Sea track. It is an ode to England, and the lyric attests to that fact. This should be added to the British tourism board. It is a sea jig with the best of them, and it makes me want a London Pride in a pub overlooking the river Mersey.

I can’t stress this enough, drink in Skinny Lister. You will be hearing a lot more about them in the upcoming weeks and months.

Check out Skinny Lister’s website, Facebook and Twitter

Tags: , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →