2011-01-07
You know you've been at it a long time when your own website is www.folkmusic.com -- yes, that's the web home of John McCutcheon, folk troubadour since the early '70s and the country's master of the hammered dulcimer. He sings and constructs songs as Woody and Pete and Bob did back in the day, heavy on the storyline and light on the frills. This is his 34th recording and it could have been put together in the '70s, except that he's very much on top of today's headlines. "One More Day" is about the tragic Massey coal mine disaster in West Virgina in April, 2010 and "End of the World" is a touching tale of a Vietnamese shrimper battling the oil spills off the Louisiana coast. The novelty number is the spoken-word "Ode to a Kripsy Kreme," read by a true doughnut addict. There's a fine cast of musicians here, including Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Stuart Duncan and Suzy Boggus. 1/11 MJVD F-TraditionalMICHAEL LEONHART
The Ballad of Milton Quigley
BETH ORTON
Comfort of Strangers
JACKSON BROWNE
Time The Conqueror
CAT POWER
The Greatest
The Mavericks
The Mavericks
KELLY HOGAN
I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
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