Grow Fins

Like Dylan, there isn’t much that can be said about Townes Van Zandt that hasn’t been said already. Yet he was and remains unfamiliar to most lovers of the singer/songwriter genre. A Texas legend, Van Zandt’s songs were the personification of his life and lifestyle. An habitual traveller, substance abuser, gambler and manic depressive, Van Zandt lived from song to song with little care or attention to his career, his health or his family. He died young at 53 and left a concise but impressive body of work, the best of which in my opinion rivals the poetry and eloquence of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. The eponymous 3rd album is probably his finest studio album and was to a certain extent an attempt to re-market some of his earliest material which, though among the best he’d written was never satisfactory to him in it’s earlier recordings. 4 songs on this album originally appeared on his debut album, For the Sake of the Song but were re-arranged and recorded anew for this release. These songs are compelling and relentless in their ability to just enter your head and refuse to ever leave. Though I only discovered this album less than a year ago, I now count it amongst my favourites of all time.

Second full length expands on her style with the addition of hamonies and multi-instrumental accompaniment. Songs are beautiful but more conventional in sound than Pirates Gospel. Still this is a fine recording showcasing an undeniable talent. Meandering melodies encase smooth throaty lyrics and vocalising that at times borders on yodeling but to superb and soulful effect. If you liked Pirates Gospel, you will very likely enjoy To Be Still. I am a big fan of Alela Diane. Though some songs were better than others, Pirates Gospel was unique, fresh and interesting and evoked traditional folk sensibilities. At least three tracks were so outstanding that the mediocrity of the remainder of the album was totally forgiveable. To Be Still has a more country feel to the songs. There are more harmonies which accent the renditions wonderfully and there is a higher proportion of good songs compared with Pirates Gospel.

Sample or buy Pirates Gospel here. Standout tracks are Tired Feet and Pirates Gospel. Rifle, Foreign Tongue and Can You Blame the Sky are also excellent.

Long out of print, this is one of the most difficult albums I’ve ever tried to acquire. It’s stunning. Peter Walker studied with Ravi Shankar briefly in Los Angeles and with Ali Akbar Khan in San Francisco. He was a marginal member of the early ’60s Cambridge Mass. and Greenwich Village folk scene where he recorded and released only 2 albums. He released his third album only last year after a 40 year hiatus. Rainy Day Raga was released on Vanguard Records in 1966. It’s a collection of solo guitar instrumental pieces built around eastern compositional structures. It’s a beautiful recording. Shame it’s so difficult to find. I ripped these VBR MP3s myself from my own copy of the CD which was available only briefly in the late ’80s – probably fewer than 5000 copies were made. God knows where they’ve ended up. In a gesture of respect to the artist, I am making the album available here to download for free since no record company seems interested in making the album available commercially. Enjoy

School board says sorry for 1960 uproar over concert
Feb 12, 2009 04:30 AM Toronto Star Raquel Maria Dillon ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES–Nearly a half century ago, amid the suspicion and fears of McCarthyism, folk singer Pete Seeger faced an ultimatum from the San Diego school district: sign an oath against communism or cancel a concert he planned at a high school auditorium.

Seeger, who at the time was under scrutiny for his leftist politics, refused to sign the oath. A judge allowed the concert to proceed anyway.
the full story here